Nate the Great on the Owl Express (U)

All aboard the Owl Express! Nate, the great detective, and his dog Sludge, hit the rails on their latest case. Their mission To guard an owl named Hoot. Hoot belongs to Nate s cousin, Olivia Sharp, and she thinks someone on the train might be out to get her feathered friend. But whooo? Sludge keeps an eye on the owl s cage while Nate snoops for clues. Then Hoot disappears! With many suspects to question, and many places to look, Nate knows one thing for sure being the bodyguard to a little bird is a lot more work than he ever imagined! As the train races toward its final stop, can Nate sort out the mystery of the vanishing owl?Sharon Oliver - Children's LiteratureIn this adventure Nate finds himself bodyguard to an owl. Cousin Olivia insists her owl Hoot needs Nate and his faithful dog Sludge to guard him on his trip to the owl doctor on the train (Hoot doesn't like to fly) because she's received a note suggesting her neighborhood might be more pleasant sans Hoot. Problems arise when Nate awakes from an impromptu nap on the train to find Hoot's cage empty. With a missing owl and several suspicious neighbors on board Nate has not one but two mysteries to solve. Weston's illustrations are well placed and entertaining, with a clue tucked in here and there. Nate the Great aficionados will be well pleased with his latest case. 2003, Delacorte Press, Ages 6 to 10.