No Children, No Pets

Title: No Children, No Pets
Author: Marion Holland
Major Themes: Florida, Mysteries
Synopsis: When Mother inherits an apartment house in Florida, the children pitch in to help with the work so they can stay there.

No Children, No Pets turns out to be a delightful story. What happens when a widow with three children and a cat, living in Philadelphia, inherits an apartment house in Florida? The apartment house very clearly says, on signs by the front door, that children and pets are not allowed. Mother and the children move in anyway until they can figure out what to do with the place. Several mysteries crop up almost immediately—what happened to Mrs. Pennypacker’s ruby pin? Who took the can of beans out of the kitchen and put the empty can in a trash container? Why won’t Miss Giddings let anyone into her apartment? And where does Mike, the boy who shows up every day to help Don and Jane on their mission to do the work so that Mother will decide to stay, live?

This is a mystery that is totally believable—the kind of story that could happen to anyone. It is a perfect beginning detective story for young children; my six-year-old loved it. Along the way, you get a feel for life in Florida in the summer—heat, ocean and beach, and a hurricane figure into the story. I really like this one.

WARNING: There isn’t swearing, but there are expressions used occasionally that I don’t appreciate, for example hot diggity and gee.