While out for a walk, mystery-solving dog King and his human Kayla (King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats, rev. 5/17, and sequels) notice something amiss with friends Thor and Jillian. Their "unhappy neighbor," Mr. Gary, claims that puppy Thor has destroyed his yard, but the evidence doesn't seem to add up. Kayla and Jillian tally up some of the things they know: Thor doesn't like any of the munched veggies found at the scene of the crime, and he isn't big enough to knock over a heavy trash can. With the help of their canine and human friends and a little bit of technology, King and Kayla get to the bottom of the case. At last, Thor is finally able to bark out in triumph: "I told you I'm a good dog!" Meyers's illustrations invite opportunities for the developing reader to investigate alongside King and Kayla, and provide support and intrigue as the case progresses. The text also invites playful read-alouds, cued by King's quizzical expressions in the illustrations and some all-caps dialogue. This newest addition to the King & Kayla series continues the good work of the sleuthing duo, offering readers an opportunity to test their mystery-solving skills--and laugh along the way.

King and Kayla's newest adventure involves digging into…mistaken identity!Many young readers have begun to grasp the unfortunate truth that sometimes you can show up in the wrong place at the wrong time, like Jillian's puppy, Thor, and be blamed for something you didn't do. It seems Thor likes to dig and wrecked Mr. Gary's yard when he got loose, but Thor tells King he did no such thing. When King puts the clues together with Kayla, they realize that Thor would not have eaten all the fruits and vegetables consumed and is not big enough to knock over a trash can. King decides to investigate with all the animals in the neighborhood while, together, Kayla and Jillian create case details. It's a whodunit mystery that dogs, cats, and owners come together to solve. Meyers invests all her characters with lots of personality, particularly shrewd King and eager Thor; crabby Mr. Gary looks like a terrible pill. (He and Jillian present white; Kayla presents black.) Beginning readers will like the spacious typeset and thought bubbles that clue readers in to King's thinking. This is a great story to help emerging readers strengthen their comprehension skills, and caregivers can easily discuss what young readers already know and what they are discovering along the way to piece together a final conclusion—that, happily, will clear Thor's name.Entertaining reading for the newest generation of detectives. (Early reader. 6-9)