(4) 1-3 Capital Mysteries series. Illustrated by Timothy Bush. KC, the U.S. president's stepdaughter, finds Thomas Jefferson's long-lost horse miniatures. She, her mother, and friend Marshall take the collectibles to Monticello. No sooner are the knickknacks locked up safely when someone steals them; KC and Marshall start sleuthing, determined to find the thief. The mystery suffers from a serious oversimplification of history but does provide basic information about Jefferson's historic home.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) 1-3 Capital Mysteries series. Illustrated by Timothy Bush. To raise money for endangered tigers, the Chinese government lends the National Zoo a valuable jewel. At the presentation ceremony, the lights go out and the jewel disappears. It's up to K.C. (stepdaughter of the president) and her friend to find the thief. Though the characters remain two-dimensional, the plot is slightly more engaging and less far-fetched than others in this series.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) 1-3 Capital Mysteries series. Illustrated by Timothy Bush. KC and her friend Marshall investigate a man who claims that he's the rightful heir to the fortune that endowed the Smithsonian Institution. The premise is silly, but early readers will have a good time piecing together the clues in this fast-paced story. Serviceable black-and-white images appear throughout.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta