Fizz and the show dog jewel thief by Lesley Gibbes
Ill. by Stephen Michael King. Fizz series bk 3. Allen and
Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760112882
(Age: 7+) Highly recommended. Dogs. Thieves. Police. Fun and games
abound with Fizz the police dog in the third book in this very funny
and appealing series starring Fizz, the very cute little furball and
his friends. This time there is a jewel thief at the Dog Show who is
after the winning prize, a sparkling tiara. Fizz goes undercover as
a show dog, styled exquisitely with curls and bows and with a show
name, Angel, to impress the judges. He has to follow a number of
clues before he is able to work out just who the thief is and how
the tiara is hidden away before it is moved off the premises of the
show.
Fizz is a most appealing little character - he is brave and clever
and loyal to his friends and is happy to stand up to the bully
Amadeus, whose snappy dialogue provides much of the humour in the
book. The mystery is subtle enough to draw in the inquisitive reader
who likes to follow clues but there are some surprises on the way!
A lot of fun can also be had from King's illustrations of the Dog
Show, and the different breeds are depicted all beautifully styled
in bows and jewellery. The reader will immediately sense that King
just loves to draw different dogs in different disguises and
costumes.
This is a wonderful series that will appeal to emerging readers,
with its short chapters, intriguing plots and engaging characters.
Pat Pledger