Nate the great and the stolen base

From School Library Journal Grade 1-3-- Nate is back with another perplexing problem. In this case, second base (a gloopy purple octopus belonging to teammate Oliver) is missing, All that can be found are two purple plastic arms in the dirt. At first, suspicions fall on teammate Annie's dog Fang, known to be capable of eating nearly anything, and although he is in possession of another of the octopus's arms, he is proven innocent. By following clues and using reasoning, Nate the Great solves the mystery. As usual, Sharmat does not condescend to her audience, and readers are provided with enough information to find the answer themselves. Subtle humor sparkles through the young detective's narration and his interactions with his friends, who more than adequately represent ethnic diversity and avoid gender stereotypes. Budding mystery fans will line up for this one. --Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PACopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. About the Author MARJORIE WEINMAN SHARMAT has written more than 130 books for children and young adults, as well as movie and TV novelizations. Her books have been translated into twenty-four languages. The award-winning Nate the Great series, hailed in