State of the Union

Overview

A mysterious bird poops on the president's head during the State of the Union address. Can Fina Mendoza and her dog detective sidekicks outsmart the Capitol Police to find that bird and uncover its secret message?

Fina, the ten-year-old daughter of a congressman, is watching the State of the Union address from the gallery of the House of Representatives when a mysterious bird poops on the president's head! Is it Chickcharney, the legendary bird from the Caribbean that her friend in the snack shop told her about? Did it fly to Washington D.C. with a secret message for the president? Or Congress? Or is the message for Fina from her mom who passed away not so many months ago?

While she looks for clues, Congress is fighting over immigration reform. The battle becomes personal in Fina's multigenerational home when her grandmother is nearly arrested at an immigration protest.

Fina enlists the help of Senator Something, her canine Dr. Watson, and her new dog-walking client St. Sebastian to outsmart the Capitol Police and the Secret Service to find that bird and solve the mystery of its secret message.

* * * * * *

Combines knowledge of the behind-the-scenes workings of Congress and Capitol Hill's historic locales with suspense, humor, and a young, first-person Latina protagonist who is alive with realistic curiosity, empathy, and determination. —KIRKUS REVIEWS

This is book 2 in the Fina Mendoza Mysteries series, but it's more than just a mystery story:
It's THE WEST WING meets NANCY DREW.

Also available in Spanish! Look for Estado de la Unión by Kitty Felde, translated by Jorge Flores González.

Introduce civics to your students with "The Fina Mendoza Mysteries" series!

Build reading skills while teaching integrated lessons:
– ELA, social studies, and history designed for grades 3-5 Common Core Standards
– NCSS curriculum standards, C3 Social Studies Readiness
– California Public Schools' History-Social Science content standards
– Designed for elementary school teachers, librarians, parents, homeschoolers, scout leaders, and other community educators.

Help address students' diverse learning needs:
– FREE downloadable Teachers Guide
– Dramatic podcast based on the books and current events
– Facts Behind the Fiction newsletter/blog with ongoing historical and civics context for the series

* * * * * *

THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES SERIES:
Book 1 – Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza
Book 2 – State of the Union: A Fina Mendoza Mystery
Book 3 – Snake in the Grass
Book 4 – Home of the Brave
Book 5 – Let Kids Vote!

Novella – Losing is Democratic: How to Talk to Kids About January 6th

Podcast – The Fina Mendoza Mysteries
Newsletter & Blog – Facts Behind the Fiction

ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH:
Libro 1 – Bienvenida a Washington Fina Mendoza
Libro 2 – Estado de la Unión
Libro 3 – Serpiente en el Césped
Libro 4 – Hogar de los Valientes
Libro 5 – ¡Dejen a los Niños Votar!

For fans of:
The Secret Lake
Greenglass House
The Mysterious Benedict Society
National Park Mystery Series
White House Clubhouse Series

And classic books and detective series like:
The Westing Game
The Boxcar Children
Encyclopedia Brown
The Virginia Mysteries
Hardy Boys

Reviews

"A lively, diverse mystery with enjoyable, informative plotting and a relatable young female protagonist." —Kirkus Reviews

"Many kids will not only learn about civic education in an engaging manner, but also find enjoyment in the learning process." —U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor

"Kitty Felde is teaching our children all about Capitol Hill in a way that grabs and keeps their interest. Personally, I can say she knows every nook and cranny of the place because she interviewed me in almost all of them." —Former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D)

"State of the Union is a civics lesson disguised as a mystery for kids, a family story where Papa just happens to serve in the U.S. Congress. In an era of bitter partisan politics, it's a sneaky way to excite the next generation about government and the possibility of public service." —Former Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Buck McKeon (R)

"State of the Union is a heartwarming read, a gem of a book." —Ginger Park, author of The Hundred Choices Department Store

"State of the Union is another stellar entry in Kitty Felde's outstanding Fina Mendoza Mystery series. State of the Union has it all -- a protagonist you will cheer for, warmth and humor, and a good mystery story underpinning it all. Readers will get an inside look at how their government works -- Felde handles this beautifully, weaving her expertise in seamlessly -- and so much more." —Jan Burke, author of the Irene Kelly mystery series

Author Biography

Award-winning public radio journalist, writer, and TEDx speaker KITTY FELDE hosts the BOOK CLUB FOR KIDS podcast named by "The Times" of London as one of the top 10 kidcasts in the world, with more than 2M downloads. The Los Angeles native created the Washington bureau for Southern California NPR, explaining how government works to grownups, and hosted a daily talk show in L.A. for nearly a decade. Now, she explains it to kids in a series of mystery novels and podcasts called THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES and writes the companion blog FACTS BEHIND THE FICTION for the Chesapeake Press’ website.