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Big Honey Dog Mysteries #3
Message in a Bauble
Christmas intrigue. Daring rescue. Serious slobber.
When Honey the Great Dane finds a hidden note inside a strange Christmas bauble, the festive season takes a sinister turn. Was the note from a trapped child? Join Honey and her canine friends as they set off on a Search & Rescue--from snowy playgrounds to eerie libraries--while they race to solve the mystery of the message in the bauble.
Kids and dog lovers will love this action-packed Christmas mystery filled with suspense and humour - not to mention candy canes, gingerbread cookies and lots of mince pies!
This short novella is part of the Big Honey Dog Mysteries - don't forget to check out the full novels in the series: Curse of the Scarab(#1) and A Secret in Time(#2)
* EACH BOOK CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE MYSTERY
When Honey the Great Dane finds a hidden note inside a strange Christmas bauble, the festive season takes a sinister turn. Was the note from a trapped child? Join Honey and her canine friends as they set off on a Search & Rescue--from snowy playgrounds to eerie libraries--while they race to solve the mystery of the message in the bauble.
Kids and dog lovers will love this action-packed Christmas mystery filled with suspense and humour - not to mention candy canes, gingerbread cookies and lots of mince pies!
This short novella is part of the Big Honey Dog Mysteries - don't forget to check out the full novels in the series: Curse of the Scarab(#1) and A Secret in Time(#2)
* EACH BOOK CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE MYSTERY
48 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2013
34 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
H.Y. Hanna
66 books1,089 followersUSA Today bestselling author H.Y. Hanna has written over 30 mystery novels, many of which have been translated into several languages. Her mysteries blend humour and clever plotting with vivid settings, featuring quirky characters - and cats with big personalities! After spending years trying to fit in and do a “real” job, Hsin-Yi finally returned to her first love: writing.
Throughout her life, she has called many places home—from Taiwan to Oxford, Dubai to New Zealand. She’s finally unpacked for good in Perth, Western Australia, where she spends most days fighting with her rescue cat Muesli for the use of her office chair.
You can learn more about her and her books at: www.hyhanna.com
And don’t forget to join her newsletter to get updates on new releases, exclusive giveaways and other book news—as well as a free novella and short story! Go to: www.hyhanna.com/newsletter
Throughout her life, she has called many places home—from Taiwan to Oxford, Dubai to New Zealand. She’s finally unpacked for good in Perth, Western Australia, where she spends most days fighting with her rescue cat Muesli for the use of her office chair.
You can learn more about her and her books at: www.hyhanna.com
And don’t forget to join her newsletter to get updates on new releases, exclusive giveaways and other book news—as well as a free novella and short story! Go to: www.hyhanna.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 19, 2015
I "bought" this book when it was free on Amazon.com.au back in January. Now that I go to leave my review there, it doesn't even appear so I don't know whether you'll be able to go and find the book for yourselves. This is just my honest opinion.
When Honey finds a message amongst Christmas things, she's worried that someone might be in danger. She groups her friends together and they hunt for the author of the message and do their best to help.
The mystery aspect of the book was interesting and the problem was solved with a reasonable amount of investigation by the group. It was a quick and easy mystery which allowed the characters to follow the clues. Though, it's a bit weird that because Jones (the groundskeeper) comes from outside, he must be the next clue...? They then find themselves in his cottage where they find the solution. I know it's meant to be simple, but I think how characters find solutions in these things still ought to be logical... Moving on, the characters are all somewhat stereotypical and none really have any original qualities. We have a smart one, an angry one, a hungry-all-the-time one, etc. I don't think there's anything really interesting in any of the characters and, because of the (short) length of the novel, we don't really get a good look into them anyway. They're very forgettable.
There are morals in the book that mean I wouldn't want to read it to a child. My first example is the (very stereotypical) character of Biscuit. Because he's always hungry and often looks for food, he's mocked and bullied by his "friends". So, they've gone to the library to search for the translation to the message on the paper. Yet, when they look in one book, it then gets covered in drool. Which they then just close and walk away from. That's a pretty poor way to treat the property of someone else. More to the point, it's a non-fiction book and some child could really have used the information from it to learn. It's just a poor way to treat a library book. There's no excuse for it. I know it wasn't deliberate, but I think it falls under the lack of care by the owners' (which I'll talk about further in a moment). That the dogs are destroying school property. They attack another character just because it's not the same species. I'll explain. When they're in the library, to get what they want from the cat, they bully it and even try to abuse it physically. Esentially what happens is that they want the book that it's sitting on. One of the characters walks up and shouts abuse at it. Soon after, it's suggested that they just assault the thing and take the book. So, when a character can't get what it wants, they just bully, shout abuse and then steal the object they want? Yeah, that's a great moral to teach to any child...
My other main problem is that the owners of these dogs must be pretty stupid. I think the stupidest idea was to take them to the school in the first place. After that, they kick them out of the room and the dogs are given free reign over the school and manage to barge themselves into the library, damage a book and try to attack the cat. At which point, they damage property. They then get out of the school, without the adults knowing. They could have gotten killed if they'd run out into the road and gotten hit by a car. They could have been dognapped, picked up by dog catchers or something. Later on, one of the dogs even manages to find and eat chocolate. At which point, he needs to get to a vet. They were lucky to attract the attention of someone who could help. I just can't help but think that these adults were all somewhat irresponsible. If you can't take care of your dog in public, don't bring it out with you. They're lucky that none of the dogs were got into more serious trouble and that Biscuit didn't die.
I am pretty disappointed in the book. I was originally expecting a good, short read. Yet, the book definitely falls short. The things I'm most bothered by is the owners' poor attention and ignorance to the trouble their dogs are causing. I certainly don't appreciate the bullying that the book tries to support in the twisted attempt at humour. Overall, it was bearable, but I certainly won't be recommending it. Two stars.
When Honey finds a message amongst Christmas things, she's worried that someone might be in danger. She groups her friends together and they hunt for the author of the message and do their best to help.
The mystery aspect of the book was interesting and the problem was solved with a reasonable amount of investigation by the group. It was a quick and easy mystery which allowed the characters to follow the clues. Though, it's a bit weird that because Jones (the groundskeeper) comes from outside, he must be the next clue...? They then find themselves in his cottage where they find the solution. I know it's meant to be simple, but I think how characters find solutions in these things still ought to be logical... Moving on, the characters are all somewhat stereotypical and none really have any original qualities. We have a smart one, an angry one, a hungry-all-the-time one, etc. I don't think there's anything really interesting in any of the characters and, because of the (short) length of the novel, we don't really get a good look into them anyway. They're very forgettable.
There are morals in the book that mean I wouldn't want to read it to a child. My first example is the (very stereotypical) character of Biscuit. Because he's always hungry and often looks for food, he's mocked and bullied by his "friends". So, they've gone to the library to search for the translation to the message on the paper. Yet, when they look in one book, it then gets covered in drool. Which they then just close and walk away from. That's a pretty poor way to treat the property of someone else. More to the point, it's a non-fiction book and some child could really have used the information from it to learn. It's just a poor way to treat a library book. There's no excuse for it. I know it wasn't deliberate, but I think it falls under the lack of care by the owners' (which I'll talk about further in a moment). That the dogs are destroying school property. They attack another character just because it's not the same species. I'll explain. When they're in the library, to get what they want from the cat, they bully it and even try to abuse it physically. Esentially what happens is that they want the book that it's sitting on. One of the characters walks up and shouts abuse at it. Soon after, it's suggested that they just assault the thing and take the book. So, when a character can't get what it wants, they just bully, shout abuse and then steal the object they want? Yeah, that's a great moral to teach to any child...
My other main problem is that the owners of these dogs must be pretty stupid. I think the stupidest idea was to take them to the school in the first place. After that, they kick them out of the room and the dogs are given free reign over the school and manage to barge themselves into the library, damage a book and try to attack the cat. At which point, they damage property. They then get out of the school, without the adults knowing. They could have gotten killed if they'd run out into the road and gotten hit by a car. They could have been dognapped, picked up by dog catchers or something. Later on, one of the dogs even manages to find and eat chocolate. At which point, he needs to get to a vet. They were lucky to attract the attention of someone who could help. I just can't help but think that these adults were all somewhat irresponsible. If you can't take care of your dog in public, don't bring it out with you. They're lucky that none of the dogs were got into more serious trouble and that Biscuit didn't die.
I am pretty disappointed in the book. I was originally expecting a good, short read. Yet, the book definitely falls short. The things I'm most bothered by is the owners' poor attention and ignorance to the trouble their dogs are causing. I certainly don't appreciate the bullying that the book tries to support in the twisted attempt at humour. Overall, it was bearable, but I certainly won't be recommending it. Two stars.
December 16, 2013
Honey, a Great Dane, doesn’t like the scowling old man that delivers a box of Christmas ornaments to Olivia, her human. He’s just the school gardener, Olivia says, as she continues decorating the school hall for the Christmas fair. One odd object, a bauble, gets tossed aside. Honey goes closer to check it out. She discovers a message tucked inside but she’s too big to get her snout in there to pull it out. Once out, the message seems to be from a child in distress. Honey enlists the help of her canine pals, Tyson the Jack Russell Terrier, Suka the Siberian Husky, Ruffster the mongrel mutt, and Biscuit the Beagle, to solve the puzzle of the mysterious message. Before the tale is done there’s a library, an ornery cat, a trek in the woods and a poisonous treat.
“Message in a Bauble” is a delightful tale that will capture the attention of both young and young-at-heart dog lovers. The mystery is cleverly revealed. The moral shared is that people (and messages) are not always what they appear. I recommend “Message in a Bauble” as a perfect accompaniment to Christmas music, hot chocolate and a warm fire.
“Message in a Bauble” is a delightful tale that will capture the attention of both young and young-at-heart dog lovers. The mystery is cleverly revealed. The moral shared is that people (and messages) are not always what they appear. I recommend “Message in a Bauble” as a perfect accompaniment to Christmas music, hot chocolate and a warm fire.
December 7, 2013
Honey the slobbering Great Dane and her group of friends I like to call the D Team, are back in this short Christmas story. There is a new mystery to solve, more cats to cope with, and one of the gang is in serious mischief!
Just like the previous mystery The Curse of the Scarab, Message in a Bauble is well written in a clean and meticulous style that is perfect for middle grade readers. It’s funny and sweet, and Honey does a wonderful Lassie impersonation. The library cat was comedy gold, and in defence of Biscuit the Beagle, I totally would have investigated those crisps. Perfectly understandable.
Talking dogs. Thick humans. Charming little Christmas story. What more could you ask for?? Great stuff.
Just like the previous mystery The Curse of the Scarab, Message in a Bauble is well written in a clean and meticulous style that is perfect for middle grade readers. It’s funny and sweet, and Honey does a wonderful Lassie impersonation. The library cat was comedy gold, and in defence of Biscuit the Beagle, I totally would have investigated those crisps. Perfectly understandable.
Talking dogs. Thick humans. Charming little Christmas story. What more could you ask for?? Great stuff.
December 7, 2014
Crossposted at Booklikes
Told from a dog’s point of view, the mystery of the Christmas Bauble deals with the investigation by dogs of a mysterious message discovered during decorating. While the mystery is rather predictable, the writing is good. In particular, the dog touches are awesome – he peed me instead of texted me. It’s an enjoyable, and at times funny, read. The one problem I had was I didn’t quite buy the chocolate reaction being so quick. Then again, my dog was far larger so perhaps size had something to do with it. I will be looking at others in the series
Told from a dog’s point of view, the mystery of the Christmas Bauble deals with the investigation by dogs of a mysterious message discovered during decorating. While the mystery is rather predictable, the writing is good. In particular, the dog touches are awesome – he peed me instead of texted me. It’s an enjoyable, and at times funny, read. The one problem I had was I didn’t quite buy the chocolate reaction being so quick. Then again, my dog was far larger so perhaps size had something to do with it. I will be looking at others in the series
December 4, 2013
review found at booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com
Received from Netgalley for an honest opinion.
There are so many great aspects to this story. First, I really liked the mystery element. I also liked that it was for both male and female readers. I think young boys would also enjoy this story. This book is a follow-up to Big Honey Dog Mystery -- Curse of the Scarab. I would recommend this book to teachers and parents especially, now during the holiday season. Great read!
Received from Netgalley for an honest opinion.
There are so many great aspects to this story. First, I really liked the mystery element. I also liked that it was for both male and female readers. I think young boys would also enjoy this story. This book is a follow-up to Big Honey Dog Mystery -- Curse of the Scarab. I would recommend this book to teachers and parents especially, now during the holiday season. Great read!
December 2, 2013
Message in a Bauble is a cute Christmas story, perfect for young students who love the holidays and dogs. The length makes it a quick read which is great for reluctant readers. I definitely would recommend this book to my elementary students.
December 4, 2013
I loved this book 'cuz it was one of a kind (as all books are) but, even though I gave it a 5-star rating... I still think that H.Y.Hanna should have had, like, someone (or some-CAT) have taken the "note" As ALWAYS... I don't do spoilers! PEACE OUT!!!!
:)
^_^
:)
^_^
December 11, 2013
Adorable short tale!
An entertaining holiday story for kids of ANY age (even adults)! Don't be deceived by thinking this is a "kids only" book; I think adults and children alike would love this tale, much as they both love Harry Potter. Highly recommended.
An entertaining holiday story for kids of ANY age (even adults)! Don't be deceived by thinking this is a "kids only" book; I think adults and children alike would love this tale, much as they both love Harry Potter. Highly recommended.
December 14, 2013
Really sweet and delightful Christmas story. I suppose it's for kids,but adults can certaily enjoy it. I really like the idea of dogs as detectives. I intend to read the #1 book and get more into them. HY Hanna knows her dogs.
August 6, 2024
Very cute short dog Christmas story.
December 25, 2016
Cute Christmas story
What a cute little Christmas story. With decorations, treats, and best of all dogs! Dogs who are friends and together solve a mystery of sorts. Smart pups! They learn valuable lessons along the way.
What a cute little Christmas story. With decorations, treats, and best of all dogs! Dogs who are friends and together solve a mystery of sorts. Smart pups! They learn valuable lessons along the way.
April 25, 2019
Told from the dogs point of view these canine friends decide to rescue a child they believe in danger from a scrap of paper found in a broken ornament at the community Christmas celebration. Hilarious adventures await our friends as they follow the clues. Such a great read.
December 20, 2020
Loved this cute dog tail tale. It was fun and quirky. Just what the end of 2020 needed to HEAR.
December 31, 2013
"A Totally Entertaining Story"
This is a really cute mystery story for kids as well as fun-loving adults. I really enjoyed it and would not hesitate to read it to my grandchildren. Olivia and her dog Honey, a Great Dane, are at the school where Olivia and others are decorating a hall and Christmas tree for the upcoming holidays. Honey growls at Mr. Jones, the school gardener, as he carries a box of ornaments into the room to be placed on the tree by the women. There is something about the old man that bothers Honey. All the volunteers brought their dogs, and Suka, a Siberian Husky, was the know-it-all of the dogs. She shares with Honey that she knows all the school kids are also fearful of Mr. Jones, thinking he was creepy. Inside the box is a round ball that Olivia places aside as there is no hanger attached to suspend it upon the tree. But there is a hole in it, and as Honey noses the ball around on the floor, she sees paper on the inside ... with writing on it. The writing says, "Santa, please help me. I can't get out ..." and the rest of the note has been torn off. This is an awesome story, extremely well written and edited, that children will love and stay intensely interested in. It's truly a suspense shared by the dogs themselves as they solve the mystery. A truly fun read.
This is a really cute mystery story for kids as well as fun-loving adults. I really enjoyed it and would not hesitate to read it to my grandchildren. Olivia and her dog Honey, a Great Dane, are at the school where Olivia and others are decorating a hall and Christmas tree for the upcoming holidays. Honey growls at Mr. Jones, the school gardener, as he carries a box of ornaments into the room to be placed on the tree by the women. There is something about the old man that bothers Honey. All the volunteers brought their dogs, and Suka, a Siberian Husky, was the know-it-all of the dogs. She shares with Honey that she knows all the school kids are also fearful of Mr. Jones, thinking he was creepy. Inside the box is a round ball that Olivia places aside as there is no hanger attached to suspend it upon the tree. But there is a hole in it, and as Honey noses the ball around on the floor, she sees paper on the inside ... with writing on it. The writing says, "Santa, please help me. I can't get out ..." and the rest of the note has been torn off. This is an awesome story, extremely well written and edited, that children will love and stay intensely interested in. It's truly a suspense shared by the dogs themselves as they solve the mystery. A truly fun read.
December 17, 2013
Title: Big Honey Dog Mysteries #1 Message In A Bauble
Author: H Y Hanna
Publisher: H Y Hanna
Published: 11-26-2013
ISBN: 9780992315320
E-Book ASIN: B00GYD4EMC
Pages: 48
Genre: Children's Fiction
Tags: Animals, Mysteries
Honey and her friends have accompanied their humans to the local school to help with decorating when they find a strange red ball in a box brought in by the scary and grumpy Mr. Jones. Inside this little bauble is a rolled up piece of paper they manage to retrieve. They discover a partial message, thus begins their adventure to solve the mystery of what the message means and who wrote it. They travel all over the school and meet the library cat and encounter danger that nearly cost one of them their lives.
This special novella is a treat for all who read it no matter the age. My young readers loved Honey and her friends; so will you. If you have not read Big Honey Dog Mystery - Curse of the Scarab yet I will recommend that you do so. If you have anyone who enjoys stories about dogs this is a wonderful series to get them. H Y Hannah draws you into the story by answering the age old question any pet owner has asked "What is my pet thinking?". The answer will tickle your funny bone.
Author: H Y Hanna
Publisher: H Y Hanna
Published: 11-26-2013
ISBN: 9780992315320
E-Book ASIN: B00GYD4EMC
Pages: 48
Genre: Children's Fiction
Tags: Animals, Mysteries
Honey and her friends have accompanied their humans to the local school to help with decorating when they find a strange red ball in a box brought in by the scary and grumpy Mr. Jones. Inside this little bauble is a rolled up piece of paper they manage to retrieve. They discover a partial message, thus begins their adventure to solve the mystery of what the message means and who wrote it. They travel all over the school and meet the library cat and encounter danger that nearly cost one of them their lives.
This special novella is a treat for all who read it no matter the age. My young readers loved Honey and her friends; so will you. If you have not read Big Honey Dog Mystery - Curse of the Scarab yet I will recommend that you do so. If you have anyone who enjoys stories about dogs this is a wonderful series to get them. H Y Hannah draws you into the story by answering the age old question any pet owner has asked "What is my pet thinking?". The answer will tickle your funny bone.
October 19, 2015
Synopsis: "When Honey the Great Dane finds a hidden note inside a strange Christmas bauble, the festive season takes a sinister turn. Was the note from a trapped child? Join Honey and her canine friends as they set off on a Search & Rescue--from snowy playgrounds to eerie libraries--while they race to solve the mystery of the message in the bauble.
Kids and dog lovers will love this action-packed Christmas mystery filled with suspense and humour - not to mention candy canes, gingerbread cookies and lots of mince pies!
This short novella is part of the Big Honey Dog Mysteries - don't forget to check out the full novels in the series: Curse of the Scarab(#1) and A Secret in Time(#2)
* EACH BOOK CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE MYSTERY"
My Review: I downloaded this book for my Advent Reads event and wanted to make sure to have a variety of holiday books. This one was cute and told from the dog Honey's perspective. The various dog and human personalities really shown through the story. It does say that each book in this series can be read as a standalone, that is true but the sudden rush of many characters made this book a little difficult to get into reading. That said I adored this little mystery and it would be fun for middle-grade animal lovers to read.
Kids and dog lovers will love this action-packed Christmas mystery filled with suspense and humour - not to mention candy canes, gingerbread cookies and lots of mince pies!
This short novella is part of the Big Honey Dog Mysteries - don't forget to check out the full novels in the series: Curse of the Scarab(#1) and A Secret in Time(#2)
* EACH BOOK CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE MYSTERY"
My Review: I downloaded this book for my Advent Reads event and wanted to make sure to have a variety of holiday books. This one was cute and told from the dog Honey's perspective. The various dog and human personalities really shown through the story. It does say that each book in this series can be read as a standalone, that is true but the sudden rush of many characters made this book a little difficult to get into reading. That said I adored this little mystery and it would be fun for middle-grade animal lovers to read.
December 22, 2013
Message in a Bauble: A Big Honey Dog Mystery by H.Y. Hanna is a cute easy chapter book featuring a pack of lovable and laughable dogs led my Honey, a Great Dane. The mystery is not a great problem but just right for 2nd graders who love animals. The story revolves around a piece of paper that the dogs remove from a plastic Christmas ornament that is designed to come apart and be put back together again. It appears to be a cry for rescue but it was torn in halve down the center of the paper. The dogs try their best and solve the problem and all ends happily. This series will be a good addition to a juvenile collection that is used by children stepping out of the easy reader titles with the large type and limited words per page and stepping into the easy chapter range, where chapters are short and the story interesting but not frightening.
February 18, 2014
Ah, lovely! One can really ask no more of a short Christmas novella intended for children, than it be uncomplicated, charming and a very good story. Even better here is that the main character is Honey the Great Dane, and her clever pals are other canines who talk to each other and see humans as a bit slow.
This is the Christmas Special Edition in a series all about Honey and her furry friends. So more stories are available to entertain us kids of all ages! Splendid!
This is the Christmas Special Edition in a series all about Honey and her furry friends. So more stories are available to entertain us kids of all ages! Splendid!
January 4, 2014
This makes a good read aloud for primary students at Christmas, and even allows for covering manners. Children who love animals will enjoy seeing the story told fro the point of view of dogs. The problem solving will even allow students to speculate and pursue their own solutions to events as they unfold.
December 27, 2013
I picked this up as a free ebook from Amazon. I was already a fan of Honey's blog.
This is a fast read suitable for all ages.
The characters are loveable and likeable. They work together as a group for a good cause. The plot was interesting and moved at a nice pace.
This is a fast read suitable for all ages.
The characters are loveable and likeable. They work together as a group for a good cause. The plot was interesting and moved at a nice pace.
April 10, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyed this mini-mystery. Even though it's written for kids (and written from a dog's perspective), it didn't seem so "dumbed down" that adults wouldn't be able to relate. I can't wait for my 2-year old nephew to grow up so I can introduce him to this wonderful series!
December 25, 2013
If your a dog lover this is the book for you. All the doggie antics that could ever be wished for. Give this group of canines a mystery and off they go. Very well written and good cast of characters. Christmas spirit and lots of intrigue.
October 27, 2015
Cute
This story is sweet, quick paced which will delight children of all ages. The dogs in the story are ones that you can easily picture by the description of them. mystery and adventure ask rolled in one.
This story is sweet, quick paced which will delight children of all ages. The dogs in the story are ones that you can easily picture by the description of them. mystery and adventure ask rolled in one.
April 1, 2015
Doggie antics and a Christmas mystery, Message in a Bauble offers a great story for early-mid elementary school children and adults alike. Honey the Great Dane, Ruffster, Tyson, Suki, and Biscuit are back for another great adventure. Let the slobber fly!
May 8, 2015
Wow Interesting
Wow this book is very interesting because I love mystery books this is a great book.
I like it because it taught me something, to dogs chocolate is poisonous.
That is why I gave it 5 stars.
Wow this book is very interesting because I love mystery books this is a great book.
I like it because it taught me something, to dogs chocolate is poisonous.
That is why I gave it 5 stars.
February 1, 2015
A very cute mystery in which dogs solve the mystery. Honey the main character is a Great Dane. She and her friends and their humans are decorating for the school Christmas program when Honey finds a mysterious note. I enjoyed the personalities of the dogs and the storyline.
December 23, 2015
When reading this one can very easily see that it is targeted at kids. But, it is a very cute story with very cute characters. I might be slightly biased because I love dogs, but this is a book I would have loved and completely devoured at a younger age.
Read
December 26, 2013Very good
very good book interesting plot and great story It was a quick and easy read. I would probably give it a 4.4:)
very good book interesting plot and great story It was a quick and easy read. I would probably give it a 4.4:)
December 27, 2013
A fun read.
never under estimate the intelligence of our four legged friends. Honey and her band if friends follow the leads to help a child in danger.
never under estimate the intelligence of our four legged friends. Honey and her band if friends follow the leads to help a child in danger.
June 15, 2014
This was a Kindle freebie...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews