I have always been fascinated by architecture and in my younger years fascinated with Alcatraz Island. This small book is a complete history of the island and the buildings that made Alcatraz famous. The simple text is accompanied by beautiful illustrations. My favorite chapter is number two that talks about Alcatraz as a fortress during the Civil War (a part of the history that I was unfamiliar with). The only thing that I did not like was the tiny font used for the text.

The unusual detective team of Jim Qwilleran, a newspaper reporter, and Koko, an orphaned Siamese cat, come together for the first time in THE CAT WHO COULD READ BACKWARDS. Qwill takes a job offer to write art columns for the newspaper -- a job he is neither qualified in or interested in. But this is a second chance to rebuild his life and he takes the job. Then events start happening to make it more like old times -- writing crime news -- as a gallery owner is murdered, a local artist falls to his death during an art exhibit, and a valuable painting goes missing. The antics of Qwill and Koko make great reading and the abscence of strong language, sex, and violence make this series suitable to mature high school readers. This is one of my favorite series that I read often. Each title can stand alone, but they make more sense when read in order. My favorites in the series are THE CAT WHO SAW RED and THE CAT WHO KNEW A CARDINAL.