The Case of the Missing Cheetah

Secret Spy Society #1

by Veronica Mang

It's a dark and stormy night when three sleuthing little girls get pulled into a web of mystery. They have mistakenly uncovered a secret society of some of the most famous female spies in history. A glamorous spy named Josephine Baker enlists the girls to find out who has kidnapped Chiquita, her precious pet cheetah. Do the girls have what it takes to become spies themselves?

A pastiche full of masters of disguise, martial artists, codebreakers, and double agents in the first of this new illustrated chapter book series. The Case of the Missing Cheetah introduces young readers to three mischievous girls and some of the most enigmatic and unforgettable women in history.

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Chapter Books, Adventure, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Juvenile

96 pages, Hardcover

Published March 23, 2021

About the author

Veronica Mang is the author and illustrator of the Secret Spy Society series. She grew up in Perkasie, PA and later moved to New York City to attend college at Parsons School of Design where she now teaches as an adjunct. She lives in Jersey City, NJ with two cats and an engineer.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the writing style, the illustrations are ADORABLE, I liked our three protagonists and the concept of budding young spies teaming up with those already experienced in espionage is fun. However, I found the actual plot rather dim. The whole book felt more like an introduction than a fully realized mystery, the bits involving the missing cheetah are fairly belated and lackluster and the effort the youngsters put in to finding the missing cheetah felt superficial. (It also makes no sense that the experienced adult spies couldn't have solved this on their own... maybe they simply wanted to give the girls an easy case to see how they did and if they are worthy of training?) Also, while on the one hand, it's a neat idea to include real women spies from across history, it is definitely fantastical that they all come together for this novel at the same time and place. So, a bit of a mixed bag for me. I will probably check out the next one in the series when it becomes available in the hopes the plot is stronger and I do see this appealing to young readers who enjoy Nancy Drew and the like, particularly the "old-fashioned" versions.

[Lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book via the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Three curious little girls find their way into the midst of a secret spy organization in The Case of the Missing Cheetah by debut author-illustrator Veronica Mang. Meet Peggy, Rita and Dot as they take on the work to solve the mystery.

I really enjoyed this one. The illustrations are delightful and work so well with the story. Peggy, Rita and Dot are each fully fleshed out and will appeal to children of all ages, especially young girls. Peggy is the charmer, who can talk her way into and out of anything, Rita is the planner, and Dot is the puzzle solver. Together they make a dynamic team. One night while playing with cards, they see a mysterious figure sneaking about in the rain.

Following her leads them to a house filled with women who also happen to be spies. The interesting thing to note here is that these women are based on real life spies. I loved the illustrations introducing them and what they are known for. The spies see something of themselves in the little girls and offer to make them junior members of their organization. Their first task is to find the missing cheetah, a pet of one of the spies.

Overall I really liked The Case of the Missing Cheetah. While it acts to set up the series going forward, the plot and introduction of the characters serves to entice readers to read more of the series going forward. The mystery kept me guessing, and the little girls reminded me of my nieces (and nephews). Perfect for early readers and girls who love mystery!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Case of the Missing Cheetah, authored and illustrated by Veronica Mang, was published in 2021 and evaluated and recommended in the Kirkus Review.

This historical fiction book is about three young girls who are aspiring detectives. They come across their teacher who they find out is a member of a spy society with several other spies which are historically factual. Eager for a new mystery to solve, the spy women let the girls know they can help finding a spy’s cheetah. In the end, the girls are successful with the help of the women spies and are included in their society.

I thought this book was entertaining. I found this book on the Imagination Soup website (https://imaginationsoup.net/historica...). And I listened to this book through audible. The audio of this book had several sounds woven into the story, such as rain, splashing, footsteps, crashes, clanging, a cheetah growl, and a phone ringing, which enhanced my engagement. Because I listened to the audiobook, I missed the illustrations, which would have been even more engaging. At the end of the book, the author briefly detailed the lives of several factual spies from whom she drew inspiration for the book. I thought this was a smart ending to a historical fiction story.

This book would be suitable for younger readers. It will be helpful for the word ‘espionage’ to be explained before reading. An engaging extension activity involving solving a mystery and morse code would be a great addition. Also, a discussion with a list of activities to do with friends, such as playing cards.

[Jessica Deany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m shocked this was written in 2021 and not the 90s, or at least sometime pre-Tiger King. Even if IRL Josephine owned a cheetah, having a cheetah for a pet is not something I would glorify or advertise to today’s youth. I also wouldn’t make my main characters (young girls) go into a strange man’s house, even with a walkie talkie. Lots of raised brows from me during this read with my daughters. Definitely provided some material for discussion…

[Janssen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and quick.

[KIRIAKI(Dominica Amat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Πρώτη δημοσίευση εδώ: https://www.dominicamat.gr/2024/11/1....

Όποιον/α κι αν ρωτήσουμε για το αν επιθυμούσε να εξερευνά και να ανακαλύπτει πράγματα, αλλά και απαντήσεις σε ό,τι φάνταζε μυστηριώδες όταν ήταν μικρός/η, η απάντηση σίγουρα θα είναι ένα ηχηρό ''ναι''. Και δε χρειάζεται να το ψάξουμε τόσο πολύ. Αρκεί να σκεφτούμε το τί κάναμε εμείς στην παιδική μας ηλικία. Γοητευόμασταν από το άγνωστο και ξένο προς εμάς. Νιώθαμε μία ακαταμάχητη έξαψη που προ(σ)καλούσε τη σκέψη και τη φαντασία μας και μας οδηγούσε μέχρι και να φτιάχνουμε τα δικά μας σενάρια, τα οποία θα λύναμε έπειτα με μεγάλη μαεστρία και ικανοποίηση. Γιατί, λοιπόν, τα σημερινά μικρά παιδιά να διαφέρουν από εμάς, αφού όλοι κι όλες περνάμε από τα ίδια στάδια;

Διάβασα και σας παρουσιάζω (με μεγάλη μου χαρά) το βιβλίο της συγγραφέως Βερόνικα Μανγκ (Veronica Mang), με τίτλο ''Μυστική Λέσχη Κατασκόπων 1: Η υπόθεση του εξαφανισμένου τσιτάχ" (Secret Spy Society 1: The Case of the Missing Cheetah), το οποίο ''ανοίγει'' τη σειρά ''Μυστική Λέσχη Κατασκόπων¨ και απευθύνεται σε παιδιά ηλικίας 7 ετών και άνω. Το βιβλίο κυκλοφορεί από τις εκδόσεις Μεταίχμιο (όπως και ο δεύτερος τίτλος της σειράς) σε μετάφραση της κυρίας Μάρως Ταυρή και εικονογράφηση από την ίδια τη συγγραφέα.

Η ιστορία έχει αναδείξει τη δράση πολλών και σπουδαίων γυναικών, οι οποίες πρωταγωνίστησαν την εποχή τους σε θέματα κατασκοπείας. Η συγγραφέας, θέλοντας να τιμήσει τη μνήμη αυτών των αινιγματικών προσωπικοτήτων, επιλέγει να γράψει μία σειρά βιβλίων που απευθύνονται σε παιδιά και τα βοηθά να αναπτύξουν την κριτική τους ικανότητα, σκέψη και φαντασία. Με πολύ απλό και κατανοητό τρόπο, βασισμένο σε καθημερινά παραδείγματα, ακόμη και την έξυπνη τοποθέτηση μερικών από αυτών των γυναικών κατασκόπων στην πλοκή, καταφέρνει και προσφέρει ένα ευχάριστο και ψυχαγωγικό βιβλίο που ικανοποιεί μικρούς και μεγάλους. Η περιπέτεια πιάνει από το χέρι το μυστήριο και ένα ευφάνταστο ταξίδι της ψυχής ξεκινά.

''KΑΤΕΡΓΑΡΙΚΑ ΚΟΡΙΤΣΙΑ
ΓΕΝΝΑΙΕΣ ΓΥΝΑΙΚΕΣ
ΥΠΟΠΤΕΣ ΥΠΟΘΕΣΕΙΣ
Είναι μια σκοτεινή, βροχερή νύχτα. Τρία περιπετειώδη κορίτσια βρίσκονται μπλεγμένα σε μια μυστηριώδη υπόθεση: Ανακαλύπτουν μια μυστική λέσχη που την αποτελούν μερικές από τις πιο διάσημες γυναίκες κατασκόπους στην Ιστορία.
Μία από αυτές, η Τζόζεφιν Μπέικερ, αναθέτει στα κορίτσια να ανακαλύψουν ποιος απήγαγε την Τσικίτα, το αγαπημένο της τσιτάχ. Θα καταφέρουν η Πέγκι, η Ρίτα και η Ντοτ να λύσουν την υπόθεση και να γίνουν και οι ίδιες κατάσκοποι;" (Από το οπισθόφυλλο)

Διάβασα μέσα σε λίγη ώρα το βιβλίο. Έγινα και εγώ ένα με εκείνα τα κοριτσάκια και τις γυναίκες που προσπάθησαν κι εντέλει κατάφεραν να λύσουν με επιτυχία το μυστήριο. Λάτρεψα την ασπρόμαυρη εικονογράφηση με τις πινελιές του κίτρινου χρώματος που μοιάζει σαν να ρίχνει φως στο σκοτάδι που ξεδιαλύνει την όποια υπόθεση. Και ναι, δεν το κρύβω ότι θα ήθελα να είμαι κι εγώ κομμάτι αυτής της όμορφης παρέας. Το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι μελλοντικά θα ήθελα να διαβάσω βιβλία με τις επόμενες περιπέτειές τους.
Αναζητήστε το! Καλή ανάγνωση.

[Kirsten Amaniampong · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Case of the Missing Cheetah is definitely worth reading! In this book, three curious girls Josie, May, and Nell form a secret spy club after a chance meeting with the real life performer and spy, Josephine Baker. Their first mission is to solve the mystery of who stole Josephines pet cheetah. I thought it was super creative how the author mixed history with fiction in a way that was still fun and easy for kids to follow. The major themes in the book were teamwork and empowerment. The girls had to work together and trust each other’s strengths, and the presence of Josephine Baker as a role model showed how girls can be brave, smart, and independent.

The main genre of this book is mystery. Children reading this book could learn about collaboration how working with others can help solve problems and also about famous women from history, like Josephine Baker, who stood up for what they believed in. This book was a WOW book for me because it kept me guessing, and I loved the idea of young girls being clever detectives.

Two of the writing craft techniques the author used in this book were dialogue and suspense building. The dialogue between the girls felt real and funny, which helped bring their personalities to life. For example, each girl had her own way of speaking, which made them easy to tell apart and connect with. The author also built suspense by dropping little clues and questions throughout the story that kept me wanting to know what would happen next. These techniques made the story fun and fast-paced.

I would consider this book to be an anti-bias book because it shows girls in smart, active roles and introduces readers to a strong Black woman from history, Josephine Baker. The author portrayed anti-bias perspectives by showing how anyone no matter their gender or background can be brave and make a difference.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rita, Peggy, and Dot need a new case. When they see a lady acting oddly out on the street they decide to follow her. They notice her using Morse code and then realize she is their teacher, Ms. Kahn. Ms. Kahn introduces the girls to her Secret Spy Society of other women spies. They need some fresh faces to go find out if the man they suspect has really kidnapped Josephine's cheetah Chiquita. Can Rita, Peggy, and Dot use their skills to help these lady spies?

All of the lady spies in this book are based on historical women spies. Each one gets a short bio in the back of the book. I had heard of probably half of them before, and now I'm curious to learn more about the others. I really liked the inclusion of these real women from history. The story itself is a quick read with lots of illustrations on each page spread. The plot is kept fairly simple and moves quickly. Rita, Peggy, and Dot each bring unique skills to the table, and work well as a team which I liked. This series would be a great choice for kids transitioning between lower grade and middle grade and want spy stories. I couldn't decide if the story was supposed to be set in the present or past. There's no cell phones or anything to make it definitely modern, but there's also nothing rooting it solidly in the past. It feels very timeless, which feels fitting since it brings together women from a variety of time periods. It will probably also age very well thanks to the timeless feel.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. At one point violence is threatened, but no one is seriously hurt. The girls do sneak into a house under false pretenses, but it is for a good cause.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

What fun it was to read this fast-paced chapter book featuring three girls interested in mysteries and spy craft! Rita, Peggy, and Dot have their own distinct talents, but those talents seem to be going to waste as their story begins. Dot was the stunt girl, Rita the problem solver, and Peggy the performer. When the girls see someone moving quickly through the night during a fierce storm, they decide to follow her, and are surprised when they learn the person's identity. One thing leads to another, and the girls are eventually enlisted to help find the missing pet cheetah of Josephine Baker. As things turn out, the talented entertainer is part of a ring of women spies. Because the girls were so effective in finding Chiquita, the cheetah, they are invited to join the others, and they'll be known as the Petite Private Eyes. Back matter includes information on the women who are members of the Secret Spy Society in the book. Although the story itself is fiction, these women actually existed and served as spies for their countries. With abundant illustrations, many of them featuring yellow, this book is a quick read. It's encouraging to find a book that highlights the role of women in espionage, making this one for elementary readers unique. Part of a planned series, this book will delight many youngsters who dream of becoming spies or at the very least solving mysteries in their own neighborhoods. I can think of several youngsters who would grab this book off the shelf as soon as they saw its cover.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peggy, Rita, and Dot are three best friends who also have a clubhouse in Rita's attic where their spy club meets. On a slow rainy night, the girls happen to see a mysterious woman under a yellow umbrella walking outside in the middle of the night. With not much to cure their boredom, the girls immediately follow the lady. In doing so, they come upon a diverse group of women who form the Secret Spy Society! Eager to help, the girls are given their first case. Soon after they are now given the opportunity to form the Petite Private Eyes.

The author, Veronica Mang, notes in the back that her story has a fictional setting but her characters are real. In honor of these women spies throughout history, she imagined them together here as her characters. The illustrations are adorable (I especially loved the cover which automatically drew me in) and the story of all these women spies together is exciting to say the least. To know that these characters were real women in history adds an even greater appreciation for the story. Mang also shares about the two women spies this first book focuses on, and lists the names of the other spies who are also her characters.

[Danielle Booey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute early chapter book reader's angst-less mystery. Peggy, Rita, and Dot are spies without a case when they discover a mysterious woman in a bright yellow raincoat out on a very stormy night.

From their innocent snooping they are brought face to face with a real adult spy society who needs their help! And so begins their first case with the Secret Spy Society.

Super cute illustrations and a VERY fast paced plot will be lapped up by budding mystery readers. Actually that was my only real complaint. The mystery raced by so quickly there wasn't even a red herring thrown at us. Although, with actual professional spies involved and pointing the girls in the right direction there shouldn't be much question.

Still a fun series and I will keep my eyes open for the next volumes.

[Margaret Boling · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/23/21 ~ A lovely syncopated rhythm to the text in the first chapter. Lots of illustrations will appeal to many readers. The idea that many famous women spies all live at the same time and interact was fun. The book did inspire me to read more about Josephine Baker. Also, Virginia Hall is mentioned in the end notes & I highly recommend reading her biography.

Several things about the plot bothered me: an open window during a torrential rainstorm that caused all the playing cards to suddenly whoosh outside. Kids roaming for blocks outside, in the dark, during a storm; kids roaming through a sinister house on a sleuthing mission.

[LS Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent beginner chapter book. In fact, the perfect size, vocabulary and topic for a reader that's ready to move from "readers" to a chapter book. It's not too long. The text is varied and helps move the story along. There are enough pictures for a beginner reader as well. And FINALLY - a beginner chapter book that is actually interesting. I would set this one out on a "Women's History Month" display. But it would also be interesting for readers that like mysteries, spy books, books with codes, animal lovers, etc. I'm so excited for more books from this series to come out.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ohio E Book Library

Petite Private Eyes Peggy, Rita, and Dot find out that there is a secret spy society comprised of many famous female spies from the past that encourage them to hone their spy techniques. When entertainer and spy Josephine Baker asked the girls to find out who kidnapped her cheetah Chiquita, they do their best to investigate.

While this looks like a beginning reader, the text is on the small side, and the reading level is set at grade 5.4, which is on the high side for middle grade books, which usually come in at 4.5. The pictures are fun.

[Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is OK. I really like the illustrations because they used black and white like gray scale and then they highlight with only one color and it’s like a yellowish green. I really like that color choice by the illustrator. Oh actually, this is an author/illustrator, so she’s pretty cool.

These are the parts that stood out to me:

P10
They had, after all, just lost their only entertainment, and perhaps it was time to find their own mystery.

P32 (book name)
Cryptography, ciphers, and the art of codes

[Beth Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud to the younger kids in one sitting. There was so much to like in this book - the illustrations and length were fantastic for the early chapter book age. The mystery was pretty contrived, but the use of different codes and spy techniques was still fun. A bit of a history blend as well, and I appreciated the author’s note telling about how she used historical figures and imagined them all together.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three girls, Dot, Peggy, and Rita, love all things spy. One dark and stormy night, they discover their teacher is a member of the Secret Spy Society, a group of female spies from throughout history. They are tasked with finding Josephine Baker's stolen cheetah, Chiquita.

Such a weird book. It's aimed at 5-9 year-olds, which is such a huge age range. It has a lot of pictures (which are super cute, and all in black, white, & yellow!), but then small type for a book with a lot of pictures. It isn't very long, and has a super simple plot, but a big vocabulary. Literally, the book jacket summary describes it as a "playful pastiche". I suppose I would recommend it to a younger kid who is reading above grade level, but there are better mystery series to recommend. I do like the back matter descriptions of female spies throughout history and explanation of morse code.

[Caity · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute book! I love the illustrations and the overall vintage vibes of the story. The characters are great and I enjoyed learning about the actual spies that inspired the Lady Spies in this series. That said I did find the plot a bit thin even for a book of this length, I would have liked to see the girls get to use a bit more of their skills. Still a fun read and left me curious what adventure they'll go on next.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three sweet girls, one spy society, and a mystery for a missing cheetah!


I came across this one on Twitter and it just so much fun! I love books about kids being spies or detectives and so this one had to be added to my collection.

It all starts with three girls (each good at their own thing and I had such a big laugh at one being more of a stunt girl, that is just fab) are absolutely bored, there are no cases for them, nothing is happening, it rains outside (correction, storms). I was wondering what would happen, would a case just appear to them? Well, yes. Haha. I loved how these girls just went out of the window, in the middle of a storm, just to trail a mysterious person! These girls are DEDICATED. I know I wouldn’t have gone outside even if something mysterious was happening. What happens next will change their lives and I was absolutely squealing in delight seeing all these spies just gathered in the house and having a grand old time.

And of course, the missing cheetah also comes by, however I did feel that it felt a bit like an afterthought? It felt a bit short, a bit over soon, so I would have liked it to have more focus, to be a bit longer.

I love that this one had two colours, gray/black + very bright yellow. I love it when books pick a colourscheme and stick with it for the entirety of the book. Definitely curious what the next book’s colour will be, yellow again? Or maybe another colour? Oh, and I really really liked the art style.

I like that at the end we get some information on the spies in the society + morse code.

All in all, give me more! I am definitely looking forward to more mysteries with these girls and their mentors/fellow spies. I would recommend this one to all, I am sure kids will absolutely love it!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Dest · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 7yo enjoyed this, especially the illustrations and the mini-biographies of real spies. The story itself didn't always make sense to us (e.g. where are the girls' parents?) but once I told her not to expect the story to be realistic, she was content. It was a quick read.

One quibble: I don't think the Morse Code illustration in the back of this book is correct. Specifically, S is wrong.

[Kat Ice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute kids book! I wasn’t the biggest fan of the artwork but it wasn’t the worst. This was a book about a group of girls that wanted to become spy’s! I loved the premise and all the art through the book! It was really cool that the author put in actual people from history! Then they talked about them at the end. It really impressed me! Great quick read for kids!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

My seven year old loved this. He is an advanced reader, though still preferred this as a read aloud. It’s a cute and quick story, though the chapters are a bit long (which can make it hard to know when to stop). We enjoyed learning about the real-life spies, though I had to do a bit of editing to make their stories less scary for my sensitive guy.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an adult, I loved reading this book a loud! Rita, Dot, and Peggy took me into a world that leaves me wanting more! The illustrations have captured my heart! Looking forward to the next in this series.
Thank you, Veronica Mang!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery itself underwhelmed me a bit, but overall I loved the concept of this book and the adorable illustrations were what sold me on this. Very quick read but we're looking forward to more in this series.

[Lenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm completely hooked!! Growing up, I was a huge fan of The Three Investigators series by Robert Arthur and I read so many detective mangas. I can imagine myself as a young kid gushing over this book. It's so well written and illustrated by Veronica Mang!!

[Tiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty cute except for the part where their teacher and the lady spies endanger them for a wild animal that shouldn't have been kept as a pet, but we can suspend disbelief and enjoy a good strong girls story :)

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really wanted to like this. I love the idea and design of the book. However… there is absolutely no plot. I’ve read board books with more storyline. And the author doesn’t seem to know the difference between “spy” and “detective”, which is really annoying.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic adventure in the same vein as Harriet the Spy, and a wonderful way to introduce young readers to some fantastic historical figures as well as Morse Code

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!