Puss Reboots: Blog: March 2022: Private I. Guana: The Case of the Missing Chameleon

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Private I. Guana: The Case of the Missing Chameleon by Nina Laden
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Private I. Guana: The Case of the Missing Chameleon: 03/28/22

Private I. Guana: The Case of the Missing Chameleon by Nina Laden is a picture book missing persons mystery. Or more precisely, it's a missing chameleon story, written in a child friendly homage to the hardboiled detective novels and movies of the past.

The mystery hinges on the realization that Leon is working under the name Camille. See they're a gender queer Camille-Leon. This plot twist has been done before in this genre; it was a trope in the 1970s and 1980s. Often the plot twist is cringeworthy. But here it's done respectfully and matter of factly.

My one quibble is in the epilog. Leon's family is supportive of their new career as a performer. He's encouraged to follow his dream but in his epilog show he's performing as Leon, not Camille. It would have been nice to show that the familial support includes being openly gender queer.

Four stars