Introducing African-American Girl Detectives in Katrin's Chronicles: The Canon of Jacqueléne Dyanne

Remember Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden? Now meet girl detectives Katrin and J. Dyanne DuBois! Written by screen and television writer, Valerie C. Woods (http://www.vcwoods.com) this breakthrough novel, Katrin's Chronicles: The Canon of Jacqueléne Dyanne, expands the girl detective genre to include these smart, sister sleuths from the south side of Chicago.

On the verge of entering high school, precociously eloquent 13-year-old Katrin DuBois feels it's never too soon to start an autobiography. She decides to set the record straight about the outrageous rumors concerning certain adventures that began when she was in sixth grade. That's when her elder sister, 8th grader J. Dyanne, began exhibiting extraordinary detecting powers.

Set during the latter half of the historically turbulent year of 1968, these African-American tweens live in a working class neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. They manage to thrive in a world of social change with multi-generational family support, creative quick-thinking and fearless inquisitiveness. The dog days of August 1968 find them prohibited by their parents from visiting the Central Library downtown because of the riots during the Democratic Convention. However, there's plenty of adventure in their own neighborhood as they become swept up in family mysteries, neighborhood political schemes and discovery of a surprising legacy of psychic, even supernatural, talent.

A refreshing addition to the girl detective genre, early reviewers have acclaimed the combined mystery, history and magic realism woven together by an ingenuously delightful young narrator. Katrin enchants us with her chronicle as she follows her grandmother's advice: "If you don't write your own history, somebody else will make it up for you."

Katrin's Chronicles is bound to be a valuable resource for History and English teachers, an entertaining story for parents to read aloud, and a fun and empowering adventure for readers ages 11 and up! Read an excerpt at http://www.jdyanne.com.

Valerie C. Woods grew up on the South Side of Chicago and is the author of the novella I Believe... A Ghost Story for the Holidays, published in November 2012 by BooksEndependent and Something for Everyone (50 Original Monologues), offered by Samuel French, Inc. Ms. Woods continues to write for the entertainment industry.

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