Review Detail

Three curious little girls find their way into the midst of a secret spy organization in The Case of the Missing Cheetah by debut author-illustrator Veronica Mang. Meet Peggy, Rita and Dot as they take on the work to solve the mystery.

I really enjoyed this one. The illustrations are delightful and work so well with the story. Peggy, Rita and Dot are each fully fleshed out and will appeal to children of all ages, especially young girls. Peggy is the charmer, who can talk her way into and out of anything, Rita is the planner, and Dot is the puzzle solver. Together they make a dynamic team. One night while playing with cards, they see a mysterious figure sneaking about in the rain.

Following her leads them to a house filled with women who also happen to be spies. The interesting thing to note here is that these women are based on real life spies. I loved the illustrations introducing them and what they are known for. The spies see something of themselves in the little girls and offer to make them junior members of their organization. Their first task is to find the missing cheetah, a pet of one of the spies.

Overall I really liked The Case of the Missing Cheetah. While it acts to set up the series going forward, the plot and introduction of the characters serves to entice readers to read more of the series going forward. The mystery kept me guessing, and the little girls reminded me of my nieces (and nephews). Perfect for early readers and girls who love mystery!