Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza (The Fina Mendoza Mysteries) (Paperback)
"A lively mystery with a touch of spookiness, an intriguing setting, an appealing family dynamic, and an enterprising Latina heroine." – KIRKUS REVIEWS
Legend has it: anyone who sees the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill will be cursed with bad luck.
Ten-year-old Fina Mendoza just saw it. And the last thing her family needs right now is more bad luck. Fina and her older sister Gabby just moved to Washington, D.C. after the death of their mother to live fulltime with Papa, a congressman from California. After Fina encounters a mysterious creature in the Capitol Crypt, a string of disasters follows. Jars of spaghetti sauce explode. Her beloved Abuelita breaks her leg. And Fina’ s only friend in Washington, a congressional dog named Senator Something, becomes the target.
The only way for Fina to save her family from future “ cat” astrophe is to solve the mystery of the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill.
Fina gives us a backstage peek at life inside the U.S. Capitol - voting in Congress, the fight over amendments, and the beloved congressional dogs who come to work every day with their political owners. An introduction to civics for elementary age children.
Award-winning public radio journalist 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. The native Angeleno created the Washington bureau for Southern California Public Radio where she covered Capitol Hill, explaining how government works to grownups. Now, she explains it to kids in a series of mystery novels and podcasts called The Fina Mendoza Mysteries. Kitty was named LA Radio Journalist of the Year three times by the LA Press Club and the Society of Professional Journalists. She fell in love with kidlit while working at her local public library.
"Fina's lively first-person observations of Washington, DC, are perceptive without being too precocious, and her relationships with her father and sister ring true. The characters are convincing and well rounded, especially Gabby, who takes big sisterhood to a mercurial level, and Michael, a soft-spoken and seriously overscheduled classmate. Felde's novel weaves together the themes of mystery, change, family, and grief into a resolution that satisfies on all levels." —Booklist
"At a time where civics education is more important than ever comes along Kitty Felde’s Fina Mendoza Mysteries series. It is a delight following Fina on her Capitol Hill adventures. As a public school teacher from Los Angeles It is especially important to have my students get a glimpse into how politics work at both the local level and in DC. Kitty’s book tackles themes of family, friendship and pre-adolescent life through the eyes of Fina Mendoza. It is both a mirror for my students with familiar experiences and a window to the life of a congressperson’s daughter. A welcome addition to our First Chapter Friday readings and our classroom library. Don’t forget to check out the Podcast that accompanies the book for more fun." —Joe Rodriguez, 4th grade teacher in Los Angeles
"Fina Mendoza is the kind of bright, lively, curious, loving little girl you want for a best friend forever. The book is a marvelous introduction to the workings of government, and of a young lady of spunk and smarts." —Susan Stamberg, NPR
"A fun read disguised as a book for grade schoolers, it gives keen insight into the everyday workings of the U. S. Capitol and its inhabitants." —U.S. Congressman David Dreier (R) - former Chair Rules Committee
"A beautiful story told through the eyes of a gutsy Latina protagonist, it introduces children to the daily hum of life in our nation’s capital. Told with unerring accuracy, my son and I recognized the perfect descriptions of the Capitol and Fina’s rich cultural traditions". —U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D)
"Readers like me, old and young, will love learning about the customs and eccentricities in the halls of power that are interwoven into a moving comedy/drama of two sisters adjusting to the loss of their mother, of a congressman coping as a single parent, and of an abuelita protecting her grandchildren. And they’ll laugh out loud at the antics of the goofy orange dog, Senator Something. This patriotic and nonpartisan whodunit is both timely and welcome!" —Gail Carson Levine, author of Ella Enchanted
"This heartwarming story about life’s obstacles, taking responsibility for your actions, and overcoming fears also serves as a tender reminder to children and adults alike, that even when parents seem busy, they are always paying attention." —U.S. Congressman David G. Valadao (R)
"Embracing true Mexican traditions and family values, she captures a child’s imagination from the viewpoint of Washington’s multi-faceted world while providing insight into Los Angeles’ culture. Great read. I could not put the book down." —U.S. Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D)
"Fina Mendoza is the kind of friend you want whether you walk on two legs or four, and Welcome to Washington, Fina Mendoza is the kind of book you’ll love to read!" —Leah Henderson, author of One Shadow on the Wall
"With an engaging combination of mystery and history, Fina Mendoza takes readers on an insider’s tour of Capitol Hill while warding off the curse of the Demon Cat. You'll never look at DC the same way again." —Wendy Wan-Long Shang, author of The Great Wall of Lucy Wu
"At a time where civics education is more important than ever comes along Kitty Felde’s Fina Mendoza Mysteries series. It is a delight following Fina on her Capitol Hill adventures. As a public school teacher from Los Angeles It is especially important to have my students get a glimpse into how politics work at both the local level and in DC. Kitty’s book tackles themes of family, friendship and pre-adolescent life through the eyes of Fina Mendoza. It is both a mirror for my students with familiar experiences and a window to the life of a congressperson’s daughter. A welcome addition to our First Chapter Friday readings and our classroom library. Don’t forget to check out the Podcast that accompanies the book for more fun." —Joe Rodriguez, 4th grade teacher in Los Angeles
"Fina Mendoza is the kind of bright, lively, curious, loving little girl you want for a best friend forever. The book is a marvelous introduction to the workings of government, and of a young lady of spunk and smarts." —Susan Stamberg, NPR
"A fun read disguised as a book for grade schoolers, it gives keen insight into the everyday workings of the U. S. Capitol and its inhabitants." —U.S. Congressman David Dreier (R) - former Chair Rules Committee
"A beautiful story told through the eyes of a gutsy Latina protagonist, it introduces children to the daily hum of life in our nation’s capital. Told with unerring accuracy, my son and I recognized the perfect descriptions of the Capitol and Fina’s rich cultural traditions". —U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D)
"Readers like me, old and young, will love learning about the customs and eccentricities in the halls of power that are interwoven into a moving comedy/drama of two sisters adjusting to the loss of their mother, of a congressman coping as a single parent, and of an abuelita protecting her grandchildren. And they’ll laugh out loud at the antics of the goofy orange dog, Senator Something. This patriotic and nonpartisan whodunit is both timely and welcome!" —Gail Carson Levine, author of Ella Enchanted
"This heartwarming story about life’s obstacles, taking responsibility for your actions, and overcoming fears also serves as a tender reminder to children and adults alike, that even when parents seem busy, they are always paying attention." —U.S. Congressman David G. Valadao (R)
"Embracing true Mexican traditions and family values, she captures a child’s imagination from the viewpoint of Washington’s multi-faceted world while providing insight into Los Angeles’ culture. Great read. I could not put the book down." —U.S. Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D)
"Fina Mendoza is the kind of friend you want whether you walk on two legs or four, and Welcome to Washington, Fina Mendoza is the kind of book you’ll love to read!" —Leah Henderson, author of One Shadow on the Wall
"With an engaging combination of mystery and history, Fina Mendoza takes readers on an insider’s tour of Capitol Hill while warding off the curse of the Demon Cat. You'll never look at DC the same way again." —Wendy Wan-Long Shang, author of The Great Wall of Lucy Wu