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Ike LaRue
Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation
Ike LaRue--the devilish dog hero of Mark Teague's Book Sense Book of the Year, Dear Mrs. LaRue--goes from obedience school dropout to shrewd sleuth in this exceedingly funny sequel. As if obedience school wasn't bad enough, Ike now finds himself in jail--wrongly accused (of course!) of terrorizing the Hibbins' cats & stealing their cat treats. Once again, he pleads his case to Mrs LaRue, who's vacationing in France, but to no avail. When a string of canary burglaries stalls the Snort City Police force's investigation--and reveals their crime-solving ineptitude--Ike flees custody and takes matters into his own paws. Expect more mad-cap comedy in Ike's daring escapades (real and imagined), as well as ingenious split-screen visuals from the incomparable Mark Teague.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2004
9 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Mark Teague
139 books121 followersMark Teague has delighted young readers with more than 20 picture books, and he has written many of them himself, including the popular Pigsty, Baby Tamer, and One Halloween Night. He is also the illustrator of Cynthia Rylant's beloved Poppleton series for beginning readers and the best-selling books by Jane Yolen, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight and How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon.
Mark Teague's life changed when he moved from San Diego to New York City and he planted the seed for his first picture book, The Trouble with the Johnsons. Each of Teague's books start as "notebooks full of sketches and scribbles, strange little drawings and phrases that suddenly come together," Teague explains. And although he had no formal writing training, his endless imagination and understanding nature gives him a permanent place in the hearts of everyone.
Mark and his wife live in Coxsackie, New York, with their young daughter Lily, who has a great time watching her dad paint the pictures in his books.
Mark Teague's life changed when he moved from San Diego to New York City and he planted the seed for his first picture book, The Trouble with the Johnsons. Each of Teague's books start as "notebooks full of sketches and scribbles, strange little drawings and phrases that suddenly come together," Teague explains. And although he had no formal writing training, his endless imagination and understanding nature gives him a permanent place in the hearts of everyone.
Mark and his wife live in Coxsackie, New York, with their young daughter Lily, who has a great time watching her dad paint the pictures in his books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
March 20, 2024
Ike is quite the character! His latest escapade finds him the hero, but not in the way he expected. I guess all’s well that ends well, and now that he’s back in the good graces of Mrs. LaRue, he’ll have plenty of time to conjure up his next excursion.
I giggle at how he always finds a way to downplay the truth and exaggerate the supposed low points of his situation. The illustrations supply the black and white fantasies of Ike’s world alongside the colorful, cold hard truth of reality. Ike is certainly imaginative and indisputably intuitive and the whole package is an entertaining read.
I giggle at how he always finds a way to downplay the truth and exaggerate the supposed low points of his situation. The illustrations supply the black and white fantasies of Ike’s world alongside the colorful, cold hard truth of reality. Ike is certainly imaginative and indisputably intuitive and the whole package is an entertaining read.
July 5, 2013
In “Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation” by Mark Teague, wire fox terrier Ike Larue, falsely accused and wrongly imprisoned for harming his neighbor’s cats, decides to escape police custody and look for the cats on his own. Along the way he begins investigating another crime that may or may not involve the very cats he seeks. This story of detective dog Ike is told completely through newspaper clippings and letters that Ike writes to his owner Mrs. LaRue. The picture book is humorous and so much fun because the dire straits described in the letters to Mrs. LaRue don’t always match the reality in which Ike is living. The acrylic paint illustrations, also by Teague, are big and bold and artfully done. Each page features black and white illustrations that show the deplorable circumstances and the difficult detective work Ike describes in his letters to Mrs. LaRue, as well as color illustrations that reveal the reality of Ike’s pleasant life. The juxtaposition of the opposing illustrations add to the humor of this book. “Letters from the Investigation” is more than a story to read; it’s a fun experience to be had. Readers in grades 1-4 will have a lot of fun with Ike, and parents, teachers, and librarians will find much material for discussion related to story-telling and context clues in this enjoyable picture book.
August 14, 2018
This story was not one to disappoint. I will definitely read it again.
March 21, 2019
Funny picture book narrated as a series of letters from the perspective of a dog to his owner. While Mrs. LaRue is in Europe on vacation, Ike is arrested for the disappearance of the neighbor's two cats. Ike breaks out of jail to solve the mystery and clear his name. The illustrations show Ike's reality versus the exaggerated melodramatic scenes from his letters.
August 27, 2023
For aspiring journalists, this text-heavy tale about solving the purloined cat-treat caper is targeted for the most experienced readers with plenty of patience to read LaRue’s lengthy correspondence and the newspaper articles sourced from the police blotter. Engaging illustrations provide plenty of clues for younger readers to search for, though the black-and-white pictures seem to offer conflicting evidence.
September 12, 2013
Picture Book Project
Category:Picture Book Soak
Readers familiar with Mark Teague's first book about Ike LaRue's adventures in obedience school will already know what to expect of Ike's wild imagination. The story is told through newspaper clippings and letters from Ike to Ms. LaRue, his owner. Ike's letters stretch through truth in an attempt to "paint" a completely different picture.
This book would be useful as an example of character perspective. After reading the book, the students could retell the story from the perspective of one of the Hibbins cats.
The dust cover of the book is in black and white and shows an image of how Ike sees himself, but by looking underneath, the actual hard cover is brightly colored and shows Ike as he really is. This mimics the method of illustration and storytelling in the book. The reader quickly gathers that the very colorful images are reality and the black and white images are part of Ike's embellishments.
I came across this book while doing my picture book soak at the public library. It was placed on the top of the shelf and quickly caught my attention. I fell in love with the first Ike LaRue book and did not know Mark Teague had written more about this funny dog. As always, Mark Teague is a brilliant author and illustrator capable of bringing a story to life.
Category:Picture Book Soak
Readers familiar with Mark Teague's first book about Ike LaRue's adventures in obedience school will already know what to expect of Ike's wild imagination. The story is told through newspaper clippings and letters from Ike to Ms. LaRue, his owner. Ike's letters stretch through truth in an attempt to "paint" a completely different picture.
This book would be useful as an example of character perspective. After reading the book, the students could retell the story from the perspective of one of the Hibbins cats.
The dust cover of the book is in black and white and shows an image of how Ike sees himself, but by looking underneath, the actual hard cover is brightly colored and shows Ike as he really is. This mimics the method of illustration and storytelling in the book. The reader quickly gathers that the very colorful images are reality and the black and white images are part of Ike's embellishments.
I came across this book while doing my picture book soak at the public library. It was placed on the top of the shelf and quickly caught my attention. I fell in love with the first Ike LaRue book and did not know Mark Teague had written more about this funny dog. As always, Mark Teague is a brilliant author and illustrator capable of bringing a story to life.
May 5, 2016
The more I read this...
May 28, 2009
Excellent supplement for teaching letter writing.
October 28, 2024
A must-read book if you love funny mystery books! The book follows Ike, the dog who is also a detective solving the case of two missing cats. The plot follows a unique style of writing as the book itself is just a compilation of letters from Ike. I really liked this style because I felt really included throughout the book and it felt very interactive. Some themes that caught my attention are justice and perseverance. Through the letters, Ike remains determined through all his challenges in attempting to solve the case. Due to Ike’s perseverance, the case gets resolved. The book falls under the mystery genre. I think that children could learn a new type of writing style from the book because the book doesn’t follow a typical writing style. The entire book is written through letters and newspaper formats, so this is a game-changer for children and would be a great introduction to this style of writing. I personally think this book also promotes critical thinking because of its interactiveness with the reader. I felt really involved throughout the investigations and personally felt that this was because I got to see different perspectives of characters throughout the book. This book really hit the “WOW” factor for me because I found it to be the perfect medium between a funny and mystery-themed book. It had a unique type of storytelling and this kept me hooked throughout the book. I felt like I was a part of solving the mysteries. It was also easy to read and follow along with, making it an enjoyable book.
Mark Teague utilizes the format of letters to convey the story's plot and show different perspectives. I really enjoyed the style of the text because it made the book feel really interactive and it added some dramatic effects, like in the newspapers and the bolded headlines. I also enjoyed the way the author uses irony throughout the book. I felt like this made the book more enjoyable because of its humorous themes. It also makes reading a mystery book easier if there is a more humorous and ironic aspect to the text. For example, Ike sees himself as a determined detective but the humans in the book just see him as a dog. The illustrations in the book are also very bold and loud, in terms of color and the way the images take up the whole page. For me, the illustrations really caught my attention because of the boldness and the way the pictures match up to the letters. The story is free of bias because its themes focus on justice and fairness. Especially when Ike was the one falsely accused, he fought for himself. The book also showed no evidence of racial stereotypes and didn’t reinforce any biases. Overall, I found Detective LaRue to be a standout book that finds a middle ground between humor and mystery while also incorporating a unique style of text.
Mark Teague utilizes the format of letters to convey the story's plot and show different perspectives. I really enjoyed the style of the text because it made the book feel really interactive and it added some dramatic effects, like in the newspapers and the bolded headlines. I also enjoyed the way the author uses irony throughout the book. I felt like this made the book more enjoyable because of its humorous themes. It also makes reading a mystery book easier if there is a more humorous and ironic aspect to the text. For example, Ike sees himself as a determined detective but the humans in the book just see him as a dog. The illustrations in the book are also very bold and loud, in terms of color and the way the images take up the whole page. For me, the illustrations really caught my attention because of the boldness and the way the pictures match up to the letters. The story is free of bias because its themes focus on justice and fairness. Especially when Ike was the one falsely accused, he fought for himself. The book also showed no evidence of racial stereotypes and didn’t reinforce any biases. Overall, I found Detective LaRue to be a standout book that finds a middle ground between humor and mystery while also incorporating a unique style of text.
December 3, 2024
If you want a fun and creative mystery book, Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation by Mark Teague is a great choice. The story is about Ike LaRue, a mischievous dog who is blamed for scaring cats and stealing treats. Through funny letters to his owner, Ike tries to prove he’s innocent while solving the real mystery. I love mystery books because they keep me interested with surprises and puzzles and I think kids enjoy them for the same reason. Ike’s cleverness and humor make the story exciting and fun.
The theme of problem-solving is shown in Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation when Ike tries to figure out who really caused the trouble he’s blamed for. I think this is important because it introduces children into the fact that they can look for how to solve the problems rather than quitting. Their case demonstrates the important lessons of problem-solving, which require both inspiration and perseverance Ike also gives me confidence that children can master their own difficulties the same way.
The writing is clear and fun, using humor and simple language to keep kids entertained. The pictures also show Ike’s thoughts and make the story even better. The repetition of the letters and the mix of what’s real and what’s imagined makes it more enjoyable.
The book is free of bias because it shows Ike’s story in a simple, truthful way without pushing any ideas. This is a “wow” book because the author, Mark Teague is an award-winning author and illustrator, known for his fun and creative books. I recommend this book because it’s a great mystery and it teaches kids about fairness and how to solve problems and because it made me laugh and think about the importance of fairness all while reading.
The theme of problem-solving is shown in Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation when Ike tries to figure out who really caused the trouble he’s blamed for. I think this is important because it introduces children into the fact that they can look for how to solve the problems rather than quitting. Their case demonstrates the important lessons of problem-solving, which require both inspiration and perseverance Ike also gives me confidence that children can master their own difficulties the same way.
The writing is clear and fun, using humor and simple language to keep kids entertained. The pictures also show Ike’s thoughts and make the story even better. The repetition of the letters and the mix of what’s real and what’s imagined makes it more enjoyable.
The book is free of bias because it shows Ike’s story in a simple, truthful way without pushing any ideas. This is a “wow” book because the author, Mark Teague is an award-winning author and illustrator, known for his fun and creative books. I recommend this book because it’s a great mystery and it teaches kids about fairness and how to solve problems and because it made me laugh and think about the importance of fairness all while reading.
February 28, 2018
This book is about a dog (Ike La Rue) who gets blamed unfairly by neighbors and police. They think that La Rue is responsible for the disappearance of the neighbors' cats. La Rue then decides to solve the case and find our the truth. While in prison, La Rue writes letters to his owner who is on vacation. After escaping prison, detective La Rue discovers that the cats have been on the streets chasing people's birds, something that started happening when the cats had gone missing. The book ends with a happy ending, La Rue solving the crimes, clearing his name, and receiving a medal.
I liked this book but did not love it. I did not the colors or the pictures in the book that much. They were not very colorful or attractive. However, maybe the intention was to portray darker colors to keep the suspense going in the story.
This book can be used in the classroom to teach students specific context vocabulary or synonyms (interrogate, investigate, burglars, criminals), retelling (asking students questions about specific events from letters), sequence of events, as a read aloud book, and to practice problem-solving skills.
This book would be appropriate for Second, Third, and maybe even Fourth graders.
The genre of this book is Mystery/Adventure.
I liked this book but did not love it. I did not the colors or the pictures in the book that much. They were not very colorful or attractive. However, maybe the intention was to portray darker colors to keep the suspense going in the story.
This book can be used in the classroom to teach students specific context vocabulary or synonyms (interrogate, investigate, burglars, criminals), retelling (asking students questions about specific events from letters), sequence of events, as a read aloud book, and to practice problem-solving skills.
This book would be appropriate for Second, Third, and maybe even Fourth graders.
The genre of this book is Mystery/Adventure.
November 12, 2022
I personally think this book, Detective LaRue : Letters from the investigation, was simply a wow book for me because of its dynamic story plots and its colorful illustrations. The book is mainly about a dog who was wrongly accused of kidnapping two cats, but ended up finding them and became a town hero. The genre of this story is Mystery and Adventure. The important theme we can learn from this book is that things may not always be as it seems, and to always be a problem solver when presented with a problem. One thing children can take away from this book is that you always should persevere, even in hard times, by trying to tackle the problem presented to you. Another thing adults can take away from this book is that things may not always be as seen, so don’t judge so quickly. The author used hyperbole and point of view throughout this book to help the reader understand the message presented in this story; he used hyperbole by presenting what the dog said in the letters and his illustration thoughts, versus what the actual colorful image said. This book is free of bias because the author did not use stereotypical language, and it does not exclude minority groups of people from its illustration. This book contributes historically because it takes away the stereotype that dogs attack cats. In this book, the dog is shown to help find the cats instead.
The author and illustrator did a great job in this book by using colorful illustration and by using humor and hyperbole to creatively help the reader understand the meaning and purpose of this book.
The author and illustrator did a great job in this book by using colorful illustration and by using humor and hyperbole to creatively help the reader understand the meaning and purpose of this book.
January 29, 2024
This is the story of a dog named Ike, he is accused of being involved in the case of two missing cats while his owner is away. Ike must solve the mystery himself to prove that he is not guilty. He joins forces with the police while being detained, in hopes of finding the real culprit. The story follows many traditional elements of the mystery genre but uses letters to Ike’s owner and newspaper clippings to tell the story, in a unique and fun way. I appreciate the oud to the film noir style with some of the black and white illustrations.
Ideas for teachers: (4th grade students) Use this title with other picture book mysteries. Read books to students and have discussions around mystery as a genre and what the patterns are in mystery books. Talk about the characters, setting, and plots. Create an anchor chart with these characteristics and have students write a short story in the mystery genre using the patterns that have been identified.
Ideas for teachers: (4th grade students) Use this title with other picture book mysteries. Read books to students and have discussions around mystery as a genre and what the patterns are in mystery books. Talk about the characters, setting, and plots. Create an anchor chart with these characteristics and have students write a short story in the mystery genre using the patterns that have been identified.
Read
September 27, 2019The genre for this book would be entertainment book for kids
Characters in this book are IKE (detective Larue) and IKE has a relationship with Mrs. LARUE (owner) IKE also has friends at the police station he works. And bird friends who’s family is gone due to the attacks by Mr.Hibbens cats.
Detective Laure is being blamed and accused of committing crimes against these cats that belong to someone named Mr.Hibbens Laure is serving time until Laure or the police find out who’s doing these crimes.
I would strongly recommend this to kids of the age 4-9 because it’s about a dog that can read write and investigate and be a detective. This book is MEANT for little kids who like to read fiction.
Characters in this book are IKE (detective Larue) and IKE has a relationship with Mrs. LARUE (owner) IKE also has friends at the police station he works. And bird friends who’s family is gone due to the attacks by Mr.Hibbens cats.
Detective Laure is being blamed and accused of committing crimes against these cats that belong to someone named Mr.Hibbens Laure is serving time until Laure or the police find out who’s doing these crimes.
I would strongly recommend this to kids of the age 4-9 because it’s about a dog that can read write and investigate and be a detective. This book is MEANT for little kids who like to read fiction.
January 5, 2022
Ike LaRue, mistaken for a catnapper, must solve his own case to get out of jail.
Using his dogged powers of observation and investigation. This epistolary account of the crime investigation introduces children to letter writing and reading as well reading the newspaper. Mark Teague's illustrations and canine character Ike LaRue were a funny and Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation delightful opening read for 2022.
Using his dogged powers of observation and investigation. This epistolary account of the crime investigation introduces children to letter writing and reading as well reading the newspaper. Mark Teague's illustrations and canine character Ike LaRue were a funny and Detective LaRue: Letters from the Investigation delightful opening read for 2022.
September 17, 2017
I chose this book because my mother used to read all of the Detective LaRue books to my sisters and I when we were little, and I loved how this book was all about a dog, who was determined to be a detective, solve mysteries, and have fun. This book is great for all primary school grades, because it is hard enough for older students to read, interpret, and analyze, and it has great pictures for for little kids to enjoy, as well as older kids as well. This book is also great for students to see an interesting dynamic between dogs, cats, and humans and how they all have interactions with each other.
January 18, 2018
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Interesting story. I enjoyed the epistolary style, but I could see how it may not resonate with young children. The story is really driven by the letters so it may be a bit confusing. The wording is often vague so I think it is suited for more advanced readers than very young ones.
This is a surprisingly dark story in my opinion. Although I did like the placement of the idea that cats should be kept indoors to protect small animals.
Good overall.
Interesting story. I enjoyed the epistolary style, but I could see how it may not resonate with young children. The story is really driven by the letters so it may be a bit confusing. The wording is often vague so I think it is suited for more advanced readers than very young ones.
This is a surprisingly dark story in my opinion. Although I did like the placement of the idea that cats should be kept indoors to protect small animals.
Good overall.
December 25, 2021
I love the dry humor of the main character, dog, Ike Larue. He has been wrongly accused of a crime against two cats. He tells his story of wrongful incarceration through letters to his owner. He paints a very sad story indeed, all the while the illustrations tell a different story. Spoiler alert, the cats aren’t as innocent as they would like people to believe. And neither is Larue.
This book is fun for all ages!
This book is fun for all ages!
June 2, 2022
Narrative
Grade Level: K-2
This is the second book in the Ike LaRue series and tells that tale of Ike and his connection with the neighbor’s missing cats. Like the first book in the series, this book is written in letter-form in with Ike tries to convince his owner that he is in no-way-shape-or-form connected with the disappearance of the Hibbin’s cats. This is a comical story that engages readers of all ages.
Grade Level: K-2
This is the second book in the Ike LaRue series and tells that tale of Ike and his connection with the neighbor’s missing cats. Like the first book in the series, this book is written in letter-form in with Ike tries to convince his owner that he is in no-way-shape-or-form connected with the disappearance of the Hibbin’s cats. This is a comical story that engages readers of all ages.
February 6, 2021
This is a fun story to get kids in the mindset of a detective. It is also so silly because it plays with the age old rivalry of cats vs dogs. I literally LOL'd when it said, "Somehow humans are never able to see the truth about cats. For me, that's the real mystery." As an avid dog person, I agree! It was a cute story but it didn't penetrate any deeper for me past a fun story.
March 30, 2018
Ike Larue framed for the disappearance of his neighbor's two cats, he escapes from jail to prove his innocence of the alleged crime, and also solve the mystery of the canary burglars, which started on the same day of his neighbor's cat disappearance.
September 17, 2018
The story is told using newspaper clippings of missing cats. The illustrations convey a very innocent dog tracking some very mischievous felines. It is text heavy, certainly not designed to read to preschoolers, who would not sit still for the entire story of even one page.
March 25, 2020
I think this is such a cute book. I would use this book to show cause and effect and even inspiring creativity. I could hide some things in the room and come up with a list of clues they would have to solve the case.
December 7, 2021
The images and the set up of this book were both very intriguing. Each page had the text in a letter form on a note which followed the plot of the story as the police officer was getting letters from Ike.
December 26, 2022
Mark Teague and his LaRue stories are among my favorites. His illustrations are perfect with a combination of color (imaginary) and black and white (true). Add to that great letters to his master and you've got a hit on your hands.
January 29, 2023
These stories bring me back to my childhood. The story is nice and the wording isn't simple or basic. I read alot to my daughter and get frustrated with the vast amount of kids books that lack writing, a story, or even both at the same time.
December 28, 2017
Fun story told through letters and newspaper articles.
May 10, 2018
Illustrations differ - if true -in color if false-in black & white- very good illustrations - text sometimes too much- depends on the reader.
February 17, 2019
Super cute!!
September 9, 2019
This is a really good book it keeps the reader anticipated to know what will happen next with the main character.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews