Inspector Dewey - Hardcover

Kristen Heimerl

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1939710278 ISBN 13: 9781939710277

Publisher: Orange Frazer Press, 2015

Synopsis

My name is Dewey—Inspector Dewey. I live in the big green house on Hampshire Avenue with my family: Thumper, Lily, and Anna. I am the Big Cat—responsible for keeping everyone safe and in order. I do this quite well, in spite of the fact that managing my family is like, well, herding cats!

Mostly our life is peaceful. But one night it wasn't. That was the night the bad guy showed up on our block. Of course, I knew exactly how to out-smart the outlaw, but— miserable mullet!— would Anna and the police understand my instructions?

To find out how the adventure ended, you'll have to read on. But I'll give you a hint: there's a reason I'm called Inspector Dewey.
DID YOU KNOW?
Inspector Dewey is based on a true story! When an unexpected intruder stumbled into her life two years ago, Kristen turned the unusual event into an irresistible story idea.
Supports the Common Core State Standards. Teacher's guide available at inspectordewey.com.
Fifty percent of the profits from the sale of this book will fund veterinary
care for pets whose families are in financial need, so that the animals can
remain in their homes and out of the shelter system. BECAUSE PETS
BELONG WITH THEIR PEOPLE™

About this title

About the Author

At three years old and with arms wide open, Kristen followed Fred, the big red crabby tabby, everywhere. Despite the fact that Fred wanted nothing to do with her, Kristen's deep affection for cats continued. Today she caters to her three Norwegians, who yes! are happy to be caught. Together they live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Review

Praise for Inspector Dewey
IndieReader Discovery Award Winner for Kids Fiction (2016),
International Book Awards Finalist for Animals/Pets (2016),
The New England Book Festival Honorable Mention for Children's Books (2015),
ReaderViews Literary Awards First Place for Children-Early Reader (2015)
Shelf Unbound Best Independently Published Book Finalist (2015)
Forward Reviews' INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards Finalist for Picture Books-Early Reader (2015)
Review #1
What happens when a suspicious character shows up on the street right outside your window late at night? You might want to call in the cats! Specifically, rely on Inspector Dewey, one of an intrepid trio of Norwegian cats including laid-back Thumper and ladylike Lily who live with their owner, Anna, in the big green house on Hampshire Avenue.

In her debut children's book, Inspector Dewey, author Kristen Heimerl writes with sweet-tempered irony and a healthy dose of practicality about the bonds of friendship and the value of having a vigilant feline on the premises. Dewey is the self-styled leader of this little family and doesn't hesitate to appoint himself guardian of everyone's safety. When a very dodgy fellow in a rattletrap truck shows up on their block one night, Dewey makes sure Anna calls the police without arousing the attention of the suspect, and organizes a stakeout until the crook is nabbed.

Inspector Dewey, a canny cat in his trademark purple plaid deerstalker cap, narrates the tale of his nighttime adventures in a reassuring, breezy voice that lets children experience the tingle of suspense but never doubt that a happy outcome will ensue. Dewey's sense of loyalty to his family members is apparent throughout his story, even if he admits they sometimes try his patience, as happens in the best of families.

Heimerl is adept at giving each cat a distinctive personality, and Dewey displays a charming linguistic quirk: His exclamations are couched in distinctly piscine terms. "Great Grouper!" he cries at one point and "Blistering Bass!" at another.

Irene Bofill's illustrations of Dewey, Thumper, and Lily are so soft and plump you want to cuddle them straightaway. Her scenes, even that of the morose bad guy being led away by two smiling policemen, have the aura of a gentle dream. There are visual surprises on every page: fat, little police cars traveling along a curled phone cord as if on a road, a rickety truck that emits an exhaust trail that spells out Growl, cough, splutter, and fireflies illuminating the shrubbery outside.

In Inspector Dewey, nighttime fears are confronted with raffish confidence. Anna and her trio demonstrate that with a little help from your friends, you have the power to insure that all will be well in the end, and everyone can at last curl up together for a good night's sleep. --Claudia Kasvin, Retired Marketing Executive, Poet

Review #2
What a gorgeous book! First of all, I fell in love with the illustrations. They are soft in line and color-a perfect visual to have at bedtime. They intrigued me artistically and intellectually. I love the fact that Bofill adds her touches to an already clever tale (or is that tail?)

The story is cleverly told with a vocabulary just slightly out of reach of the age group it is geared toward which makes it PERFECT for learning. I think children will begin using fun words like astute and agile once they have been told what they mean. This book does not talk down to children. Heimerl raises the bar for her audience and teachers and parents alike will appreciate the opportunity to discuss these words with eager minds. And I also predict that kids will add their own exclamations to the ones they read in the book (Freaking Flounder! and Crusty Cod!)

Inspector Dewey is a cat of action and heroics and the story will draw in children who will eagerly await the page turn.

The book is fun! I can tell that Kristen Heimerl loves her pets. Children and adults will both fall in love with these cats. And to add to the beauty of the book, half of all profits will be donated to a fund which helps pay for veterinary care for animals because pets belong with their people. I might add, this book belongs in every child's library and every classroom! --Teri Foltz, Retired Teacher, Poet and Playwright

Review #3
Inspector Dewey has catitude! He calls himself the Big Cat in a house among three felines and one very good human. When a
suspicious man, who was spooky and acting kooky, rattles toward their home in a pickup truck, this cool cat saves the day with his super-sleuthing and telepathic prowess. The story has just the right balance of humor, suspense, and danger to keep the young reader engaged. Heimerl uses sophisticated language and never talks down to the reader. She uses puns, idioms, and fishy expletives (like Freaking Flounder! and Crusty Cod! ) to delightful advantage.

Bofill's illustrations are lush and stunning in buttery yellow and midnight blue. The kitties appear furry and snuggly enough to pet. Thumper is humongous, Lily is the baby and a little lady, and Inspector Dewey, in his plaid cap, is simply the cat's meow.

Adults will get a kick out of the book, too, which is a darn good thing because kids will be nagging them to read Inspector Dewey over and over. --Sandy Lingo, Retired Teacher, Blogger

Edition details

• Publisher: Orange Frazer Press
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1939710278
• ISBN 13: 9781939710277
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Irene Bofill