Bound To Stay Bound

Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2013 Just when we thought Phineas and Ferb had cornered the market on crime-fighting monotremes, Krosoczka introduces us to Rick Zengo, rookie detective on the Platypus Police Squad of Kalamazoo City. Zengo is anxious to prove his worth when he’s assigned to be the partner of O’Malley, a veteran gumshoe who helped take down Pandini, the kingpin of organized crime in Kalamazoo City, years ago. When a beloved English teacher from the local high school goes missing in what appears to be a botched illegal synthetic-fish deal, Zengo and O’Malley stay hot on a trail that drags them down to the docks and back up through a swanky nightclub where the staff has shady behind-the-scenes dealings. This is true hardboiled crime fiction, platypus-style, with cops who aren’t afraid to pull their boomerangs, philanthropic panda entrepreneurs with their paws in every pie, and unexpected reveals when the masks come off. Krosoczka’s copious use of spot art pulls the story along (not that the lightning-fast plot needs the help), while the tongue-in-cheek appropriation of the tropes of whodunits make this a catch for kids who will want to crack the case alongside Zengo. A final bait-and-switch makes it very clear that Zengo and O’Malley will return to their sleuthing in a sequel. Final art not seen. TA - Copyright 2013 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2013 Gr 3–6—Followers of Krosoczka's "Lunch Lady" series (Knopf) will be delighted to discover the author's foray into the realm of chapter books. This CSI-style mystery revolves around two platypus police officers. When rookie detective Rick Zengo is teamed up with veteran Corey O'Malley, the relationship is off to a rocky start. The two are assigned to investigate a missing local teacher and an illegal fish trade, and all signs point to the docks. Early clues indicate Frank Pandini, Jr.'s businesses, but Pandini is supposedly an up-and-up businessman (panda) trying to improve his family's reputation. Exuberant Zengo wants to make a name for himself on the Platypus Police Squad and not follow in his legendary grandfather's shadow, but his inexperience threatens the investigation. Details such as the cops using boomerangs to capture the bad guys and the local hangout serving root-beer floats make the mystery delicious fun. Burgeoning with detective clichés, affable characters, and lots of cartoon art, the book will be popular with Krosoczka's fans and amateur sleuths not ready for a darker thriller.—Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.