(4) K-3 Kids Can Read series. Illustrated by Pat Cupples. Text was chopped and story lines trimmed to transform these previously published Lu and Clancy books into easy readers. In Magician (previously The Vanishing Cat), the dog detectives nab a larcenous cat; in Drop of Doom (originally The Carnival Caper), the canines sniff out thieves at a carnival. Each lightweight story features mildly amusing illustrations and directions for a magic trick. Review covers these Kids Can Read titles: The Disappearing Magician and The Drop of Doom.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Pat Cupples. Canine detectives Lu and Clancy hunt down a pair of jewel thieves by cracking the criminals' coded messages. Each double-page spread tracks the private eyes' progress and includes instructions for a secret code or language, as well as encrypted riddles, so readers can test their own code-breaking skills. Dog detectives clad as tourists and an ottoman with furry legs are two of the clever details in the humorous illustrations.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 1-3 Lu and Clancy series. Illustrated by Pat Cupples. Dog detectives Lu and Clancy pursue a felonious feline who makes off with her audience's jewelry during a magic show. Mildly amusing illustrations depict characters that aren't fully anthropomorphized; they are shown sniffing and licking faces--as well as steering ships and balancing spoons on their noses. Instructions for four magic tricks (of more interest than the story) are included.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger