King & Kayla and the Case of Found Fred

King & Kayla #5

by Dori Hillestad Butler, Nancy Meyers (Illustrator)

King & Kayla are back on the case in this laugh-out-loud mystery from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award-winning series.

When King and Kayla meet Fred, a lost dog, they collect clues to him find his human family. Analytical Kayla notices that Fred knows basic commands but has no collar. This dog isn't a stray.

Sensitive King notices that Fred smells like smoke and hamburgers. There's a campground nearby and there were fireworks just a few days ago. Can King and Kayla put the pieces together and find Fred's family?

With simple, straightforward language and great verbal and visual humor, the King & Kayla series is perfect for newly independent readers. King and Kayla model excellent problem-solving skills, including working as a team, gathering facts, making lists, and evaluating evidence.

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Picture Books, Dogs, Animals, Fiction, Chapter Books

48 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2017

About the author

Dori Hillestad Butler is an American author of more than 40 children's books, as well as magazine stories, plays and educational materials. Her first book, The Great Tooth Fairy Rip-Off, was published in 1997. She is known particularly for The Truth about Truman School, a 2008 young adult title focusing on the subject of cyber bullying, and for My Mom's Having a Baby (illustrated by Carol Thompson), which in 2011 appeared on the American Library Association's list of most commonly challenged books in the United States for its portrayal of conception and childbirth. Her 2010 mystery title, Buddy Files: Case of the Last Boy, won the 2011 Edgar Award for the best juvenile mystery published in 2010. Before becoming a children's author, Butler worked for three years as a page at a library.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are a delight. See my review for Book #1 for details. In this version, I especially enjoyed Kayla's wonderful grandma and appreciated the gentle reminder that fireworks are frightening to dogs (Found Fred is a dog who got scared and ran off from his humans during a fireworks show when they were camping at a lake). No worries, there's a happy ending, of course.

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another strong easy reader that works great as a mystery.

[Dannie Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly love a book that shows how scary the 4th is for dogs so extra points for this installment in the King and Kayla series.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a swim, King smells someone new and he discovers a dog named Fred. Fred has lost his family, but it's okay. King and his human Kayla are detectives, so they will help Fred find his family. As Kayla asks Fred questions, he responds, but Kayla doesn't understand because he's a dog. King does and he helps Fred look into the clues.

This is my first King & Kayla book, so I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I love how it's told from King's point of view because it brings a lot of humor into the story. For example, "That was five or one nights ago." His sentences are short and his attention can drift off, just like how I imagined a real dog would be if it could talk. He sort of reminds me of Doug from the movie Up.


Final Verdict: KING & KAYLA AND THE CASE OF FOUND FRED is a mystery with a dash of humor that will entertain both children and adults. I would recommend it to fans of dogs, mysteries, and comedy.

This review can also be found on YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfic...

[Ally Goddard]

Summary:

This book is about a girl named Kayla, her dog King, and her grandma. Kayla and King go visit her grandma and they find a lost dog named Fred. King and Kayla try to find Fred's family. They go on an adventure to find Fred's family, and King is a big help in this process because he can talk to Fred and ask him questions about his family. Finally, they find Fred's family and a camp site and return him to his family.

Evaluation:

This book was very cute and would be a great book for a beginning reader. This book traditions students from picture books to chapter books. I would recommend this book to any reader who is trying to push themselves to the next level and also read a book that is engaging and fun.

Teaching Point:

I would teach this book in small groups with first grade students who are honing their reading skills. I would have the students take turns each reading a page. This would be a great activity to see where students fall and where they need to improve in order to up their reading level.

[Megan Mason]

Summary:
This was a cute little story about Kayla and her dog King who stumble upon a dog named Fred. Fred is lost. King and Kayla decided to work with the dog to help him find his family. This leads them on an adventure where King can talk to Fred about what his people look like while Kayla leads the way. In the end they come upon a camp site where Fred finds his family and thanks King and Kayla for helping him.
Evaluation:
This is a great easy reader for kids! I love this because it isn't just a basic book with basic characters. It actually takes into account that most kids like animals. It's a cute story with kids and puppies so what's not to like!
Teaching Idea:
I definitely think that I could use this as a read along with first grade students! I would have them read the books in partners or individually and then write a couple sentences how they would feel if they were lost like Fred.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When golden retriever King and his human, Kayla, find a lost dog in Grandma’s yard near the lake, they have a new case to solve. As Kayla makes a things-we-know list about the dog (no collar, follows commands, Grandma’s neighbors don’t recognize him), King learns that the dog, Fred, ran away from his people during fireworks. When Kayla, Grandma, and the two dogs search for Fred’s family along the shore from a boat, Fred jumps overboard (with King on his heels) and sniffs his way to his family in a nearby campground. Finding himself separated from his humans, King trots back for a happy reunion with Kayla and Grandma on the boat dock. Brightly-colored cartoon illustrations provide young readers with visual clues to follow as the detective duo solves this missing canine case, which is humorously told from the point of view of King.

[Eva Johnston]

Summary:King and Kayla are detectives. When they find scared little Fred, they need to help him find his way home. KIng and Kayla are on the case, will they be able to find his people?

Evaluation: This was a cute beginning chapter book for students transitioning from simple books to chapter books. It has a very simple plot line that is easy to follow. The sentences are short and simple so its easy for kids to follow along.

Teaching Idea:This would be a good book to use in a reading group to start their transition into comprehending chapter books. It could also be used to talk about sequencing, beginning middle and end.

[Kelly Ewing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg. 5/5 stars. First great short chapter book. A stretch read for a first grader who needs more than a picture book and perfect for a second grader. There’s larger words than just CVC: campground, lake, detective,someone, neighbors. Also the main POV is from King (the dog) instead of just Kayla (the child) so that is another level of complexity for a young reader. And it follows 2-3 characters which is more than a picture book really follows.

Love that Kayla is black leading character. And Fred (the found dog) also has an ethnic family. Really enjoyed the representation.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Kayla finds a little dog when she is visiting her grandmother’s home. At first, she thinks it might be a stray but later discovers it probably has a home. King tries to help her but she cannot understand his doggy speech, unfortunately. It is full of humor and features a realistic situation that kids will be able to identify with. Highly recommended for Grades 2-3.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

King and his owner Kayla find a lost dog near Kayla's grandma's and try to figure out where he belongs.

A fun little mystery for beginning readers. King is endlessly entertaining, but also makes some important observations for budding sleuths. Highly recommended to reluctant readers and mystery fans.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another easy reader about two detectives, one who admirably writes down the known and the unknown and tries to reason her way through, which is great but she never actually has to finish her thought process because King is there with his doggie senses to pull her over to the solution.

I like how many favorites King has -- it's very canine of him.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

While visiting Grandma, Kayla and King find a small white dog that King finds out is named Fred. His collar came off when he ran under a fence trying to get away from 'the loud booms . Kayla makes her lists while King chats with Fred and finds out enough clues to get him back to his family.
Getting ready for book club.

[Denise Kettering · Rating 5 out of 5]

King and Kayla discover a lost dog named Fred and have to try to help figure out his story. As they search for family, they have to use both Kayla's analytical powers and King's sense of smell in order to find a family for Fred. A great early chapter book with age appropriate pictures, words, and story.

[Sue Poduska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kayla really needs to learn to speak – or at least understand – dog-lish. Kayla’s well thought out approach to problem solving is an excellent model for readers to learn. Outstanding illustrations accompany every page, helping to draw the reader into the story.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

King and Kayla are staying with Kayla's grandmother in a cabin by a lake. When King comes across a lost pup, the two set out to find his home. But it's going to take more than Kayla's observation skills to find where the pup belongs, it's going to take King's nose and ability to communicate with the lost dog. As with the other books in the series, Butler takes the reader on an enjoyable journey with King providing his usual amusing commentary and insights. Young readers are bound to enjoy this glimpse into the friendship of a young girl and her dog as they use their problem-solving skills to help those around them.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

When King & Kayla find a lost dog, they put their heads together to help find his home. This cute story helps the reader narrow in on their deductive reasoning skills by being observant of their surroundings, using their senses, and thinking outside of the box.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, and Berry does, too! This time King and Kayla try to help lost dog, Fred, find his family. As always, they work through the problem methodically until they reach a logical conclusion. Excellent!

[Kifflie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great easy reader/mystery from these two creators. I really enjoy King's point of view -- the fact that he can "talk" to other dogs but can't translate to his humans, his screwed-up sense of time, his ever-changing "favorite things." Very enjoyable.

[Checkthebook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute series. King is the dog. This is one one of those books-there seem to be more and more of them-told from the point of view of the dog. As in "me and my human." While I always find this kind of thing a little weird, I still approve this series, since it is so cute and well-done.

[Izzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and the whole series but I didn’t really like how it always says the same things in all the books. For example, in the beginning of every book it says, “I am king. This is Kayla. She is my human” I like when they do that but I also find it sometimes weird.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

King and Kayla help a lost dog find their family. King and the new dog, Fred, talk with each other. The problem is getting Kayla to understand what they're sharing. Finally, Kayla figures out enough clues to head for the area where Fred's family is staying.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still a great series. I love how King describes the passage of time, ie. it was five or one day later...

[Chris Hays · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another solid mystery and adventure in the King and Kayla series. This is probably one of the best beginning reader series I have come across in the past few years. The students love these books.

[Emma Belkin]

I really enjoyed this book and the illustrations, I enjoy how they portray King and Kayla's relationship. It would be great for younger elementary students!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, and Fred is a delight. I enjoy the metacognitive aspect of King's character.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable. Good problem solving skills and I love King's voice throughout.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girl and her dog solve simple mysteries. This time a lost pup needs to find his family.

[Caitlin]

King & Kayla and the Case of Found Fred is both charming and entertaining, filled with bite-sized chapters for ease of reading and dotted with extensive illustrations.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

King and Kayla help a lost dog find his family by writing out clues and problem-solving. King cracks me up. What a lovable series.