Mystery of the Missing Luck

Orca Echoes

by Jacqueline Pearce, Leanne Franson (Illustrator)

Sara loves her grandmother's bakery. It's a special place-not only because of its delicious Japanese buns and pastries. She enjoys spending time with her obaachan, her grandmother. But things aren't going well for the bakery. When the bakery's lucky cat statue goes missing, Sara wonders if the bakery's luck is gone for good. But then a mysterious cat appears in the backyard one night and inspires a plan. With the help of her friend, Jake, Sara just might find the statue and restore the bakery's lost luck.

Genres: Mystery

64 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2011

About the author

Jacqueline writes historical and contemporary fiction for children and teens, and is also a haiku poet. Her kids' books include Discovering Emily, about the childhood of artist, Emily Carr, Manga Touch, an easy-to-read YA novel that follows a teen girl's exchange trip to Japan, The Truth About Rats (and Dogs), a multi-cultural middle grade story about a boy who struggles against stereotypes and family expectations when he fosters a pet rat and prepares for a BMX bike competition, and Weeds and other stories, a short story collection in which the lives of urban teens intersect with nature in often unexpected ways. Jacqueline's non-fiction book, What Animals Want (written in consultation with the BCSPCA), is out fall 2021.

Jacquie's poetry can be found in a number of group collections, including A New Resonance 11: Emerging Voices in English-Language Haiku (Redmoon 2019). She is also editor of Last Train Home, an international collection of haiku, tanka, and rengay about trains and train travel (Pondhawk 2021). (Last Train Home, was written for adults, but middle grade and young adult readers will find many intriguing small poems within.)

Jacqueline lives on the edge of a ravine with her husband, daughter, dog and two cats, perched between nature and the city.

Reviews

[Jacqueline Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young girl, Sara, loves her grandmother's bakery --not only for its delicious Japanese buns and pastries, but for the time she spends there with Obaachan, her grandmother. When Maneki Neko, the bakery's lucky cat statue, goes missing, Sara wonders if the bakery's luck is gone for good. With the help of a school friend, Jake, and the inspiration of a mysterious night-time cat, Sara resolves to find the missing statue.

This is an easy-to-read chapter book for ages 7-9. It is not so much a traditional mystery story, but a story with a mystery (or perhaps a touch of magic --the reader can decide). May 1, 2011 release date (some book stores have it now).

This story emerged from my interest in Japanese beckoning cat statues (maneki nekos), an-pan, and a love for bakeries and grandparents in general.

[Yolanda Ridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fast paced and interesting - it held the attention of my 5 year olds who made me read it through in one sitting! I loved the characters and the incorporation of details about Japanese culture. The ending was satisfying with a little mystery left to the imagination of the reader. Very enjoyable!

[Collen Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun mystery read with 3rd grade students!

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We have recently read three picture books about 'Maneki Neko' or the Japanese Lucky Cat (aka Beckoning Cat, Money Cat, or Fortune Cat): The Tale of the Lucky Cat, The Beckoning Cat: Based on a Japanese Folktale and Maneki Neko: The Tale Of The Beckoning Cat. Then I discovered this chapter book and thought it would be a fun read as well.

I never really knew anything about the origins of the talisman, but I knew the figurines were considered lucky and were often seen in restaurants and stores. We lived in Japan for four years and the cats are ubiquitous there. You can find out more at the Wikipedia page here.

This was a poignant tale about the fragile health of local businesses, with a once-popular bakery in danger of being put out of business. The incorporation of Maneki Neko into the story adds a bit of Japanese culture and we enjoyed talking about the Anpan - yummy Azuki bean paste inside a bun - it's a delicious treat! I wouldn't call this a traditional mystery, but the story ends in a mystical way.

Overall, we enjoyed reading this story together. I'm not sure how many other books are out there offering a version of this tale, but we will keep looking for them.

[Jayanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done beginning chapter book with a clever plot

[Meghan Gillespie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a reading tutor, and my students absolutely LOVED this story. It's wonderful to use if you are teaching the elements of a story, character emotions and making predictions!

[Bailey Mruzik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sara walks to her grandmother’s bakery every day after school. When she walks in, she loves seeing the shop’s lucky charm- a beckoning cat statue (meaning Maneki Neko in Japanese) sitting on the windowsill. She believes this statue brings the shop good luck. Although one day, Sara’s grandmother, Obaachan, tells Sara that Maneki Neko has gone missing. This makes Sara and her grandma disappointed, and it also makes them lose hope in the bakery’s success. In an attempt to find Maneki Neko, Sara and her good friend Jake create posters and hang them all over town. The two also offer a reward of Obaachan’s famous animal-shaped buns for anyone who has information regarding its whereabouts. Eventually, Jake finds Maneki Neko under a tree where Obaachan accidentally left it. This brings back the shop's success as well as Sara and Obaachan’s happiness.
A literary element found in this book is the theme of family and caring for loved ones. Sara greatly cares about Obaachan and Obaachan cares for Sara in return. This shows the bond and love the two have.
I rated this book 4 stars because this book kept me wanting more the whole time. The mystery-solving aspect of it was my favorite part, but I also enjoyed learning about the Japanese culture as I read. Another thing that made this book so good was the compassion Sara has for her grandmother and how much she takes care of her. That really made the idea of family and caring for loved ones shine through in this book, which is a theme that would do everyone good to read about.

[Katelynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun read with memorable characters. I really enjoyed it.

[K.A. Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming short chapter book about a student helping her grandmother revitalize her Japanese bakery with a touch of the fantastical.