The Animal Rescue Agency: Case File: Little Claws

The Animal Rescue Agency #1

by Eliot Schrefer

When a little polar bear cub winds up trapped on an ice floe heading out to sea, his mother knows there’s only one place to turn: the Animal Rescue Agency!

Dashing Esquire Fox used to organize the world’s most elaborate chicken raids, until the day she encountered Mr. Pepper. Meeting the blustery old rooster changed her heart, convincing her to turn from a life of crime and instead form the Animal Rescue Agency, which masterminds rescue operations across the globe.

Esquire and her unlikely chicken business manager, Mr. Pepper, coordinate with their far-flung agents to get them to the Arctic. In that frozen land they learn that what happened to the polar bear cub was no accident—and that saving him will pit them against the scariest predator in the world: a human.

Genres: Animals, Middle Grade, Adventure, Fantasy, Childrens, Mystery, Fiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 12, 2021

About the author

ELIOT SCHREFER is a New York Times-bestselling author, and has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award. In naming him an Editor’s Choice, the New York Times has called his work “dazzling… big-hearted.” He is also the author of two novels for adults and four other novels for children and young adults. His books have been named to the NPR “best of the year” list, the ALA best fiction list for young adults, and the Chicago Public Library’s “Best of the Best.” His work has also been selected to the Amelia Bloomer List, recognizing best feminist books for young readers, and he has been a finalist for the Walden Award and won the Green Earth Book Award and Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award. He lives in New York City, where he reviews books for USAToday.



Also: I love marshmallows and early twentieth century fiction. And apes.

Reviews

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 💫 🌟 🤩
----

This one gave me zootopia vibes and couldn't resist that adorable cover 😍.

This was a fun, cozy with some suspense/action read. I wanted to smack the villain and adopt all the animals!

Esquire and Mr. Peppers banter was hilarious and their friendship/connection was wonderful:) You could feel the history they had and the closeness between them ❤️.

I see there's two books in this series, eager to get my paws 🐾 on book two... Hopefully there'll be at least a couple more, girl can hope 👍🏼.

Would recommend for all ages 👌.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Pepper is a particularly adorable character, and - on a sidenote - I’m now really wishing for a polar bear hug.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Esquire and Mr. Pepper are the crime fighting fox and rooster duo that head up The Animal Rescue Agency. In their first adventure, they must rescue a young polar bear and reunite it with its mother.

This read like an Agatha Christie novel wrapped up in animal fur. The characters and illustrations were what gave this a young audience vibe, but the dialogue was much too adult for most young readers. Also, for the first installment of a series, the introduction to our protagonists seemed a little sudden and even had me wondering if I had missed a previous book. I think the premise of this series would work well as middle grade/young adult if the characters were not animals. A lot of the jokes/themes/general dialogue was just too adult and advanced. At least for the K-5th students at my school. Unfortunately, this novel didn't really hold my interest and I don't see it holding the interest of many of my students either.

[Lisa Krigbaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read: once.
Listened to: 5 times through in 8 days!

Juni's fav quotes:

"This is a tweed jacket, not a suit, Esquire thought in outrage. A suit was a jacket and pants. What kind of imbecile was this human? And what kid of fox would wear pants? That was the crazy thought." - Esquire Fox

"ESQUIRE FOX! How many times have I told you we cant run a business without billing!" - Mr Pepper

"I acquired it at great personal risk." - Esquire Fox

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story about a fox and rooster who run an agency that helps animals. This case was a polar bear cub who had been kidnapped by a terrible man.

I liked that the animals communicated with each other and passed on messages to Esquire for help. The husky was adorable and Esquire's sidekick Mr. Rooster was funny. This is a quick read and I might listen to the sequel to see what happens with the man in the fur hat.

[Amber Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used this as a read aloud for our 6 + 4 year old. This book held their attention their whole time and left them begging for me to not stop reading. It’s a clever story with fun clues allowing the kids to think they themselves are solving the mysteries.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humor, adventure, and imagination meet to provide some young readers with a great reading experience.

[Mrs Heidrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite part of the story is when a fox named Esquire saved a polar bear named Little Claws. My favourite character is Mr Pepper and Esquire.

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It starts off with Little Claw playing around outside with his mother Big Claw. They are romping in the snow and Little Claw throwing snowballs and he runs ahead and then there is an mishap and Little Claw ends up on a little ice flow out in the middle of the river and Big Claw can’t get to him. So she calls on the Animal Rescue Agency.

Esquire Fox gets the call about Little Claw and at first they think it’s a hippo from the sketch they had. Esquire is all excited about taking the mission though Mr. Pepper, the rooster, is not, but he won’t let Esquire run off without him so they set out to find Little Claw. It’s only later they find out it’s a baby polar bear and get a little worried.

Even if he is one of the largest predator around the little guy is in trouble and Esquire is going to do whatever she can to help him out. They find a town to help them out and get directions on how to get the the polar bear, but while they are doing so Esquire notices a man. They end up finding out the hard way that this guy is a trapper of some sort and fall into his trap, thankfully Mr. Pepper got away and could cut the net for Esquire and they can get away. Now they know they have to deal with the man and try and rescue the polar bear.

This was cute for the substance that it was and I did find parts of it to be fun but I think my overall enjoyment was dampered by the fact that the Fox wasn’t very good at rescuing. I think she might have been new to it and a bit over eager and the Agency isn’t run by anyone official as far as I could tell. I think she was overly ambitious to do something exciting and that lead to her getting into more trouble than rescuing. 🙂 It’s a series so maybe the fox will learn with time.

I do think it’s a fun little story that young readers will enjoy especially if they like books involving talking animals. My favorite character is Mr. Pepper, the rooster who wears a tea cozy for a shirt!

[whatbooknext · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esquire Fox isn't like any other fox. She's a snazzy dresser for one with her tweed coat and immaculate grooming. She also runs a very important organisation called The Animal Rescue Agency, along with her Rooster friend Mr Pepper. They are an organisation of only two but are very serious about their missions.

Esquire Fox is all about the excitement and action of the mission, the ideas and the courage, where Mr Pepper is much more sensible, cranky and precise. He makes sure that Esquire packs the right clothes and doesn't do everything for free.

When they hear of a young animal lost in the Arctic, they spring into action - and their warm clothing. They can't quite figure what type of animal is in trouble as animal telegraph is famously unreliable the further the message needs to travel.

They set off for Utqiagvik, Alaska to investigate, and are met by a husky and a milk crate. This mode of travel is tricky when not hanging on for dear life, but gets them where they need to be.

Upon arrival they check out the locals. Esquire stands out in her cream scarf and matching waist coat, and Mr Pepper looks quite delicious to others. They learn what they need to know, but are soon in trouble themselves. Scolding herself, Esquire steps up her investigation to learn something truly horrible is at foot. A human!




The first in this series, this story has it all. Animals, fun, friendship, mystery, danger, adventure and action. Esquire Fox and Mr Pepper's banter is funny, the setting in Alaska is exotic, and the story races along.

Illustrations throughout, some full page, add so much to the story showing Esquire's world and adventure. Underlying the tale is the menace of a particular human with a terrible plan in mind. This leads to an environmental theme of loss of habitat as the animals struggle to avoid humankind.

When you've finished reading, there is more information about the melting of the ice, and websites to visit to learn more. A recipe for Esquire's favourite treat is also included, along with a chapter of the next book in the series.

Loved it!

Age - 7+

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a perfect read aloud for both me and my 5yo son. We were both entertained and both thought the humor to be funny. The characters were very likable. I loved the banter between Mr Pepper and Esquire. Who knew an old rooster and a fox could make such a great team? There was just the right amount of conflict/intense scenes for a little kid. I loved learning more about the town in Alaska called Utqiagvik. The world is like zootopia but the animals have to hide their world from the humans. The few pictures the book had were really cute.

SPOILERS and book notes:
I love this humor so much. Both me and my 5yo are cracking up. The banter between an old rooster and a fox can’t be beat. These animals talk and use technology and transportation in the human world. So the animals live this civilized life that humans don’t know. Kind of like zootopia but also with humans. The distressed call of the baby polar bear floating away on a iceburg looked like a hippo floating on an ameba according to the rooster. I’m dying. They are now in the most northern city in America! Utqiagvik, Alaska. There is a “pub” under a mechanics shop. And everyone looked “balefully” at them. Valise, opera glasses. Using those words suggests a British author? Haha even if it’s in America? I’m teaching new words to my son at least! I like how even after the caged animals were free they were still depressed. It takes time to recover from something hard and traumatic. But hopefully with counseling and TLC from loved ones (and the atonement of JC) they will get back to being happy. I just love the banter between Mr pepper and esquire. He keeps going on about billing the costumers or the business can’t be run haha. So he was mad that she told a bird to go eat some fish bc the fish might be their next costumer. Fun ending. It was the perfect amount of action and intense moments for a 5yo.

[Beth Cue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful chapter book geared toward children ages 8-12 about the CEOs of Animal Rescue Agency, Esquire Fox (a red fox) and Mr. Pepper (a rooster). They face challenges as they work to rescue Little Claw, a young polar bear, from an Ice floe in the arctic and a sinister man in a white fur hat.

The novel is extremely well written and had strong literary elements that are wonderful for students to encounter in independent reading, such as foreshadowing, theme, and a clear plot map with a clear denouement.

The novel has advanced vocabulary with excellent context clues to help young readers gain exposure to new words such as taut, clientele, crevasse, pilfered, and chittered.

The story is engaging, humorous, serious, and imaginative, and would be an excellent book for independent reading as well as read aloud a in the classroom or home. The illustrations are well done and pertinent.

The message the story gives a young reader is important yo developing empathy for our earth and the creatures on the earth—“To each animal, the right to live its natural life.” The end of the book gives resources to learn more about the impact of global warming on the arctic environment and creatures.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished Schrefer's book Queer Ducks and was impressed with his humor, his knowledge and particularly his respect for other animals. Based on that reading, I decided to investigate some of his other books. This one is about a fox (Esquire) and a rooster (Mr. Pepper) who developed an agency for rescuing animals, largely from humans who pose them the greatest threats. Little Claw (a baby polar bear) has just awakened from hibernation when a trafficker cut him off from his mother on an ice flow. This man was trapping animals to sell to a zoo in Miami. When Esquire and Mr. Pepper got the call, they travelled north to save the little bear, putting themselves at great risk. With the help of a few other animals they were successful in their rescue. Not only did the author show respect for these animal characters, he demonstrated how they showed respect for each other. This is the first in a series. I would recommend his work for both children and adults. As a species we need to peacefully cohabitate on this planet with all other species.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley.
Schrefer has created two amusing characters - Esquire Fox and Mr. Pepper the rooster, who save other animals in difficult situations. This first book in the series takes readers to the Arctic to watch them rescue a baby polar bear from a human's plot. Through mishaps and amusing events, the two save the day with help from other animals they rescue along the way. The writing flows smoothly and will appeal to mid-elementary level readers. Looking forward to seeing the finished illustrations as the roughed in ones are clever. The characters are likeable and relatable. Readers will wait impatiently for the next book.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

I can easily picture parents sitting and reading this with their children. The vocabulary used offers young readers a good way to learn new words without the majority of the book being too difficult for them. The illustrations really bring the characters and story to life. I loved then banter between Esquire and Mr. Pepper - they were such a good team and provided just the right amount of comic relief to the story. There were parts of the story that might be a little too scary for some young readers, but the happy ending may help put their minds at ease. This is a good start to what should be a fun and exciting new series.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, except for the prologue, which I did not enjoy the writing style of.
It was also very interesting that they had case file notes at the end which could (!) inspire conservation. I also enjoyed reading the recipe, that I should look into.

Teachers and parents homeschooling kids, you should use this book as a full lesson guide. Here are some ideas that I have to help.
–Read the book during readings times and ask kids to do a summary of what happened after each reading time.
–Make Mr. Pepper's mushroom jerky together.
–Take a look at the field notes and see the websites. Show your research in a way such as a report, Powerpoint, model, or something else.
–For a writing prompt, make a dialogue between two animals. Act it out, if you can.

[Ann Haefele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a new series. While the book cover might make one think it’s for younger primary readers it’s really perfect for 4th-7th graders with it’s more advanced vocabulary and humor. Esquire Fox and Mr. Pepper ( rooster) join forces to help rescue creatures around the world with the help of animal operatives they have stationed in different countries. Filled with humor and adventure the first story has them journeying to the Arctic to rescue a baby polar bear separated from her mother by a man hoping to send her to a Florida zoo. Black and white illustrations are scattered throughout the story.

[Maeve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two operatives of the Animal Rescue Agency-Esquire Fox and Mr. Pepper-are called to the Arctic to rescue a baby polar bear from a trapper. The two partners travel north and investigate, ultimately saving the polar bear and escaping from (but not taking down) the villain.

This would be a decent choice for a family to read aloud to kids of various ages. Some of the writing felt like it would go over very young readers, but having an adult to answer questions / explain words would be very helpful. That's the only reason it got 2 stars instead of 3...I don't believe that the intended audience would be able to read this on their own without some difficulty.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like 3.8, really cute, absolutely adorable, who wouldn’t enjoy a book about a Fox in a tweed jacket and a rooster in a tea cozy who rescues animals so that “To each animal, the right to live a natural life”.

I will say our Fox, Esquire Fox, has some issues and is a bit snobby at times. I have mixed feelings about this, often it’s very funny and even cute but sometimes it’s not so much. But with that said, often she is served a bit of humble pie in the book.

I think it’s really great for kids, young kids and can lead to some interesting conversations. Definitely recommend.

[Jessica F · Rating 3 out of 5]

"To each animal, the right to live its natural life."

Esquire Fox and Mr. Pepper the Rooster are an unlikely pair who pull off even more unbelievable animal rescues. In this first installment, they head far from home to save a polar bear cub from the villainous clutches of the Man with the White Fur Hat. After they've saved the day, they add the man's picture to a largely empty Villain Wall... clearly, there's plenty of space for new adventures!

Facts about climate change and additional resources for kids in the endpapers (presented as Esquire's case notes).

[Wendy Poteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the e-arc.

This is a positively delightful book, filled with adventure, friendship, danger, and love. Conservation presented in an approachable way for young readers, along with a call for action and resources to learn more. I can’t wait for more adventures from Esquire and Mr. Pepper!
This is a must have for animal lovers and school libraries!

[Kevin Hogg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book. I enjoyed the investigative duo, and the side characters were fun as well. Little Claws was cute--a nice combination of needing help while also being a small ball of fury. There was some good humor along the way. The villain was done well--sinister enough to keep the stakes up but not too overdone for the age range. I thought things came together well, unpredictable at times but with a logical progression. Looking forward to the second book.

[Celeste Trimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Wyndre, age 9: I like the part when the Man in the white fur hat shoots a harpoon gun and then Esquire says, “Little Claws, can you hear me?” And Little Claws says, “No I can’t, the harpoon hit me, I’m dead!”

From an adult perspective, I enjoyed the relationship between Mr. Pepper and Esquire, as well as the environmental message, and I look forward to the next adventure.

[Wina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Action adventure for ages 8-12, with talking animals that live in our regular human world. Animals keep their speaking ability secret from the humans. I have tried and can't figure out why I didn't really like this book. It was "meh". Kids might enjoy it just fine, but I don't imagine them loving it and getting excited to read more in the series.

[Debbie Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is on the Battle of the Books list our local public library holds for 4th & 5th grade readers. The idea of a fox & rooster at the helm of a rescue agency should engage many readers. In this first in a series we journey to the Arctic to save Little Paws, who is on an ice floe & headed for danger. I am wonder if some Bad Guys readers would like The Animal Rescue Agency series?

[Leslie Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid grade school story for animal lovers. Lots of silly banter between Esquire Fox and Mr Pepper the rooster as they go about rescuing animals in danger. The book slides in messages about climate change and is pro vegetarian!

[Ms.Gaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esquire Fox and her companion Mr. Pepper are an unlikely duo involved in perilous adventures in the Arctic as they attempt to rescue a polar bear cub. Their exploits are both dramatic and humorous. This is the first in a series that is sure to be popular with animal adventure fans. Ages 8-10

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, personally, this was a 3 star read. But I think my students will rate it higher. It has fewer pages than most of my library, which will make students more likely to pick it up. Plus, the story is fast paced and straight-forward. I loved the illustrations.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun read with adventure, daring, polar bears, a sinister man in a white hat, and an admirable rescue duo: a sartorially secure fox and a bantam rooster that fights above his weight. Delightful.