Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Racooon by Kate DiCamillo

Francine Poulet is the best animal control officer in the town, maybe in the whole state.  She has 37 animal control awards, and has had her picture in the newspaper.  One night she is called out to capture a "ghost raccoon," a racoon with shimmery gray fur that screams. When it seems to scream Francine's name, Francine is so frightened she loses her nerve.  Can she still be the town's best animal control officer if she is frightened by one screaming raccoon?  It is a long road back, but with the help of her friends on Deckawood Lane she regains the confidence she needs to be who she really is.  This is the second spin-off chapter book from the successful Mercy Watson series. It is increasingly unusual to find a children's book that has an adult as a main character (except, of course, for superhero books). This was not always so.  Mr. Popper's Penguins, and Esio Trot are examples from yester-year.  Now days writers seem to think that books for children should be about children.  (that was mostly just an interesting historical note.) Di Camillo makes Francine have a simple enough problem, and personality,  that the target audience (2nd and 3rd graders) with relate with her predicament.  I don't know if this book will get all the attention that LeRoy Nicker Saddles Up did, but it was a fun read. 91p.