A wonderfully educating childrens book that once again teaches that we can all achieve more together. My younger grandchildren loved it.

This is the story of a stylish fox and her business parter, a chicken named Mr. Pepper. Together they form the Animal Rescue Agency, and work with animals around the world to help those in need. In this first story, they are sent to the arctic to save a polar bear from a poacher. While very cute and informative, I feel as though there is not enough backstory. I wish we saw how the fox and chicken started the agency I I first place. I think this would have been a perfect second book in the series.

This is an excellent concept for a series. We have all the benefits of both real world and invented world settings, with a hidden society of animals going on below human notice. The animals are largely true to their nature, with just a few more human attributes and habits. Much like in The Rescuers there's a large element of investigation, finding the distressed creature and figuring out a way to help. This takes logic and creativity. There's also a strong ecological and social justice message, fitting for a modern audience. With colorful characters and some quirky humor, there's a lot to like.

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.

The Animal Rescue Agency
Book 1, Case File: Little Claws
Eliot Schroeder
5⭐️

This is an absolutely delightful book! It’s filled with adventure, friendship, danger, and conservation presented in an approachable way for young readers. I can hardly wait for the next installment. You will love Mr. Peppers and Esquire!

This is marketed as Middle Grade, though I would have devoured it in 3rd grade. It is completely appropriate for any age group and would only be limited by reading level. It would also be a great classroom (classzoom ?) read aloud. I highly recommend this to be in every elementary and middle school library! Parents, if your reader loves animal adventures, this is a must-buy series!

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.

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.

This is a great recommendation for all readers especially reluctant readers. The mystery is simple but engaging.

An enjoyable romp through the frozen north. The story was engaging, the characters funny, and lots of action. I also liked that it shines a light on animal trafficking, endangered species, and climate change. It was nice that the author made all of these themes accessible for kids but didn’t beat them over the head with them. The recipes at the end are a really nice touch, too. I will definitely be watching for the future adventures of Esquire and Mr. Pepper.

This is such a fantastic book. It would hold great appeal for a child, but there was enough humor that would appeal to an adult to make it a great book for a parent and child to read together!

Super cute and fun book. It was fun and funny and enjoyable. This would be a great addition to any library. I think that children will love this and I look forward to more in the series.