Review by Booklist Review
Since Birdie's dad died and her mom is often gone working on an oil rig, she lives with her grandmother, who operates Gaux Family Fish and Bait. For her birthday, Birdie gets to adopt slobbery, distractible mutt Bowser, but when they bring him home from the pound, they discover her grandmother's prized stuffed marlin has been stolen from the wall of their store. After Bowser discovers a cigar butt by the boat dock, Birdie starts investigating the theft. Her prime suspect is Old Man Straker, their family's archrival, but the sheriff brushes off her concerns. Undeterred, she keeps sleuthing and uncovers stories of a treasure map hidden in the marlin. Narrated by the flighty and unreliable Bowser, much of the book's humor and foreshadowing comes thorough the dog's flawed retelling of events. Quinn's sense of place and cast of eccentric characters really shine through from Bowser's perspective, and though the dog's relentlessly poor memory wears thin at times, overall, the story is an engaging, promising start to a new middle-grade mystery series.--Harold, Suzanne Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-Two humans, Birdie Gaux and her grandmother, are standing in front of Bowser's cage at the shelter. It's Birdie's 11th birthday, and she's there to pick out a pet. The girl automatically connects with mutt Bowser, even though Grammy and the woman running the shelter advise against him. Bowser is beside himself-he has connected with Birdie, too. Soon they are speeding along in Grammy's beat up pick up truck, headed to St. Roch, LA. Before Bowser can even get settled in, he and Birdie have a mystery on their hands. Someone has stolen Grammy's prized mounted marlin, Black Jack, from the wall of her bait and swamp tour shop. It turns out that Birdie's small town harbors quite a few secrets and old family feuds. Bowser and Birdie must find Grammy's prized marlin and dig into the age-old rumor that there is a treasure map sealed within Black Jack. Told from Bowser's point of view, this hilarious story will elicit laughs from dog-loving kids as they recognize Bowser's loyal yet rambunctious behavior. Reminiscent of Dug from the film Up, Bowser finds fun in every scrape he and Birdie get into, and he is devoted to Birdie from the start. VERDICT This suspenseful mystery filled with small-town characters takes readers to the very last pages, and the unresolved ending is a sure sign of more Bowser and Birdie books to come.-Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
As in Quinn's Chet and Bernie mystery series for adults, Woof is written from a dog's point of view. Bowser, a big, lovable mutt, adores Birdie, his new owner, and is determined to help her solve the mystery of her grandmother's missing stuffed marlin. A possible hidden treasure, family secrets, and a hilarious dog combine to make this an entertaining Louisiana-bayou-set mystery. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In a Louisiana bayou town, a girl and her dog set out to solve a mystery, battling bad guys and big gators along the way.This original whodunit is narrated by an exuberant dog named Bowser, who has just been adopted by 11-year-old Birdie Gaux. Birdie and her grandmother are shocked to discover that a prized stuffed fish, Black Jack, has just been stolen from the family's fish-and-bait store. How could a stuffed fish be worth stealing? Maybe if there's a treasure map hidden inside. Birdie and Bowser begin to investigate in earnest, their sleuthing involving everything from breaking into rival establishment Straker's World Famous Fishing Emporium, gathering clues at the library and the local assisted living facility, and traipsing through the bayou at night in search of the treasure that Birdie's grandfather supposedly hid there so many years ago. Although it's Birdie and Bowser who keep the plot zipping along, the unlikely detectives are surrounded by memorable characters both good and bad. And despite the villains, silliness and humor are paramount here, thanks to Bowser's playful narration. Utterly charmed by a spunky girl and her charismatic canine, mystery fans will find themselves looking forward to a return to the little bayou town of St. Roch. (Mystery. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
