Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kind, brave 9-year-old solves fun mysteries in Botswana.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The PRECIOUS RAMOTSWE series is the young readers' version of Alexander McCall Smith's wildly popular No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, featuring Precious as a 9-year-old child in Botswana. Precious is gifted with both great observational skills and a wealth of compassion, which are evenly matched by her curiosity and ingenuity. She puts those skills to use in everyday situations that she and her friends and family face -- a lost cow, an escaped lion, a stolen piece of cake, or a friend's missing parents -- in stories that will take readers across the African continent.
Is It Any Good?
These fun, kid-size mysteries are full of kind, smart characters who are brave enough to jump into situations where they can help. Precious uses logic and her knowledge about everyday life in Botswana to solve the mysteries, but she isn't afraid to ask for what she needs. She's gracious and tenacious, smart and brave, and she holds a deep sense of right and wrong.
What comes through the pages of the Precious Ramotswe series, though, is often more about how happy she is to be in the world, and how lovely it is to be 9 and have friends and family she loves. The descriptions of nature and animals in Botswana are especially inviting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what Precious Ramotswe is thinking about when she decides to solve a mystery. Does she do it to get something in return, or does she just want to help?
What does Precious do when she's feeling intimidated, scared, or unsure? What do you do when you feel that way?
What other mystery books do you like?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Iain McIntosh
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Anchor Books
- Publication date : April 3, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 7 - 10
- Number of pages : 96
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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