Nate the Great Talks Turkey (Nate the Great Series) by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, Mitchell Sharmat, Jody Wheeler (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

A giant turkey is on the loose! Nate, the great detective, and his dog, Sludge, hear the news on the radio. But Nate doesn't want to take a case that everyone in town is on. Not even when Claude claims that he saw the turkey, then lost him in the woods. He holds up a turkey feather to prove it. Now Sludge wants the case. Claude wants Sludge, and off they go.

Miles away . . . Nate's cousin Olivia Sharp--herself a detective--hears about the missing turkey on TV. Before he can say gobble, gobble, Olivia appears on Nate's doorstep; and just as quickly, she's off hunting for the feathered creature.

It looks as if Nate can sit this case out . . . until he turns on his TV and a picture of the turkey flashes on. Suddenly Nate is moving just as fast! Now Nate, Olivia, Sludge, and Claude are all in pursuit of the turkey. Are two (or more) detectives better than one? From talking turkey to stalking turkey--will every detective come out a winner?

Children's Literature

Once again a case presents itself to Nate and his dog, Sludge. A turkey is loose in the town and Claude, Nate's friend, has found one. Well, to be exact, Claude had found one and lost it again in his usual style. Nate is not interested in taking on the lost turkey case, but Sludge is ready to use his sniffer to help Claude. So Nate sits at home (eating pancakes) while Claude and Sludge seek the missing fowl. In the meantime, the turkey has aroused the attention of the news media. Upon hearing the reports of "wild turkey on the loose," Nate's cousin Olivia Sharp decides to come to help Nate on the case herself —she assumes that Nate has gone into action. Olivia's parents are on vacation and she "commands" the chauffeur/pilot to take her in the family's private plane to visit Nate. Even with the addition of Olivia's interest in the turkey caper, Nate is content to let her go on her own investigations. Needless to say, before too long Nate is no longer able to sit at home. After writing a note to his mother, (he is a very considerate boy) he heads out to track down Claude, Sludge, Olivia, and the turkey. Clues along the way spark Nate's interest and he becomes aware that there are TWO missing turkeys. Claude and Sludge find a white one and Olivia (with the help of 300 pounds of turkey food) finds a colorful one. Everyone feels satisfied, especially Claude, who actually found something for a change. Olivia is pleased to have captured the wild turkey and announces the case closed but the reader sees in the picture that the turkey has escaped and is chasing the chauffeur down the street. Nate proclaims, "There are some cases that never close." Fans of Nate's detecting abilities willenjoy this chapter book (at 80 pages it is somewhat longer than the earlier books) with its charming illustrations and humorous characters —including Nate's neighbor Rosamond, who runs a rent-a-pet business (kittens go for 5 cents an hour!).

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-An engaging and funny addition to the series. As Nate hears a radio report about a giant turkey that wreaks havoc in a supermarket parking lot and then disappears, his friend Claude comes in to tell him that he has just seen the large bird. A mystery is afoot, and Nate's dog, Sludge, is the first to take on the case. Cousin Olivia Sharp flies in from San Francisco wearing her boa and tries to drum up some enthusiasm for a turkey search team. The wealthy girl uses her great knowledge of birds to solve the mystery. Large print, plenty of white space, good use of repetition, and frequent drawings allow early readers to enjoy the story.-Rebecca Sheridan, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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