The Pinchers and the Dog Chase by Anders Sparring & Per Gustavsson

What worked:

This fast-paced story will appeal to younger or emerging readers. The opening pages describe Theo’s family and their different criminal interests. His grandmother is a retired thief and she’s serving time in the jail. Various chapters throughout the book find the pet dog speaking directly to readers. He explains how he gets the name Shuddup Sherlock (because of his barking) and he offers a different perspective when Officer Clive, a new policeman, tries to ship him off to the North Pole. This conflict becomes the focus of the plot. Theo is an appealing character since he’s trying to live an honest life even though the rest of his family members are criminals, even his little sister. Theo dresses like the rest of his family, striped shirt plus a mask covering his eyes, so Officer Clive assumes he’s a crook too. Theo resorts to trickery to save his dog rather than doing anything illegal.

Almost every page has a color picture to help young readers envision what’s being described. The author’s light-hearted tone reflects the humor of the characters and their relationships. Theo’s little sister doesn’t understand why she should pay money for anything she can steal and she continuously crosses her fingers to cover up her frequent lies. Interestingly, a policeman lives next door to the Pincher’s home and he’s a good friend to Theo. Theo’s grandma, Stola Pincher, is spending her time in jail but the loose visitation rules and enforcement make it seem more like an apartment.

What didn’t work as well:

The plot is very basic and more-capable readers will probably feel it falls short. It doesn’t have much tension or suspense. There’s little character development and the plot doesn’t have any surprising twists but that makes the story more appropriate for readers trying to develop their skills.

The final verdict:

Most young readers will be able to quickly finish this pleasant book. They’ll be entertained by the levity of the story and characters and the pictures illustrate the amusing situations. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot.