A great book and series for CIVICS EDUCATION
Pairing the allure of Washington DC, with an animal misadventure, "Snake in the Grass" is a robust series mystery novel. —FOREWORD REVIEWS
Fina Mendoza is the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman who solves mysteries in the U.S. Capitol with the help of a big orange dog named Senator Something.
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FINA'S LATEST CASE: Everybody's mad at everybody else on Capitol Hill. Members call each other names on the floor of the House of Representatives. And anybody who dares to work with someone in the other political party is punished. Now somebody's putting snakes in lawmaker gym bags and trash cans. It's up to Fina and Senator Something to find the real snake in the grass.
TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, and HOMESCHOOLERS: The Fina Mendoza Mysteries series of books, podcasts, teacher's guides, and "Facts Behind the Fiction" blog/newsletter provide a multidisciplinary approach to civics education for elementary school readers. As our amateur detective solves mysteries on Capitol Hill, Fina learns about American democracy, the electoral process and legislative branch along with your students. Take them deeper into Common Core knowledge with standards-based instruction through the series' multimedia sources!
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This third book in the series is more than a mystery story!
It's THE WEST WING meets NANCY DREW.
Available soon in Spanish! Look for Serpiente en la Hierba by Kitty Felde, translated by Jorge Flores González.
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FREE DOWNLOADABLE TEACHER'S GUIDE AVAILABLE:
—Build reading skills while teaching integrated lessons in:
- 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.
—Promote deeper learning through:
- active engagement
- reading comprehension
- content knowledge
- creative and analytical thinking
—Designed for elementary school teachers, librarians, parents, homeschoolers, scout leaders, and other community educators.
INTERACTIVE COMPONENTS & FREE MULTIMEDIA SOURCES:
- Helps address students' diverse learning needs.
- Supports the use of technology in the classroom.
- Dramatic podcast based on the books and current events.
- Facts Behind the Fiction blog and newsletter offer historical and civics context for the books and podcast.
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Introduce civics to your students with "The Fina Mendoza Mysteries" 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 (coming Spring 2026)
Novella — Losing is Democratic: How to Talk to Kids About January 6th
Podcast — The Fina Mendoza Mysteries
ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH:
Libro 1 — Bienvenidos a Washington de Fina Mendoza
Libro 2 — Estado de la Unión: Un misterio de Fina Mendoza
Libro 3 — Serpiente en la hierba (Otoño de 2025)
Libro 4 — La casa de los valientes (Otoño de 2026)
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For fans of:
The Secret Lake
Greenglass House
The Mysterious Benedict Society
National Park Mystery Series
And classic books and detective series like:
The Westing Game
The Boxcar Children
Encyclopedia Brown
The Virginia Mysteries
Hardy Boys
About the Author :
Award-winning public radio journalist, writer, and TEDx speaker KITTY FELDE hosts the BOOKCLUB 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.
Review :
PRAISE FOR SNAKE IN THE GRASS
2026 SCBWI Spark Award Winner
"A Latina girl sleuths on Capitol Hill to help her congressman friend in Kitty Felde's entertaining, civic-minded mystery novel Snake in the Grass…. The mystery itself is light, sans real malice beyond some bumbling pranksters. More pressing is the senselessness of adults who can't seem to work across party lines, hinting at ongoing political rifts. Fina's fun visits to an arboretum to view cherry trees and other observations of the city setting are a refreshing counterbalance to these concerns…. Pairing the allure of Washington DC, with an animal misadventure, Snake in the Grass is a robust series mystery novel." —FOREWORD REVIEWS
"A fun mystery full of endearing characters. It's also a great primer on how our government works (and how, maybe, it could work a little bit better). Kitty Felde weaves an entrancing story!" —STUART GIBBS, author of the Spy School series
"Kitty Felde's writing captivates and keeps you guessing until the very last page, making this book an engaging read from start to finish." —CONGRESSWOMAN MONICA DE LA CRUZ (R)
"For decades, Kitty Felde explained Congress and government to grown-ups, and she has made a masterful turn to explaining it to kids in this fun and engaging series. Fina is smart, curious, and spunky with a child's innate sense of right and wrong. Through her eyes, it is clear what is wrong with hyperpartisan politics and what we should celebrate about those who go to Washington to make a difference in people’s lives. I could have used a friend like Fina when I was in Congress." —FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN JANICE HAHN (D)
"I was happy to see the release of a new installment of the Fina Mendoza mysteries… an entertaining mix of mysterious happenings and lessons in government. They take a look at Congress, the US Capitol, and those who serve there. Better yet, these people are brought to life as three-dimensional characters, such as Fina's congressman father. Fina's adventures entertain while sparking a young reader's interest in what is happening in the US Capitol. This kind of early exposure can lead to a lifelong interest in civic affairs." —NANCY BOYARSKY, author of the Nicole Graves mysteries
"Snake in the Grass is a fun read from start to finish and will prove especially popular with young fans of mystery and detective themed 'whodunnit' stories. Especially and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, middle school, and community library." —B. Cox, managing editor The Midwest Book Review
"Felde’s writing is full of warmth and humor, balancing political settings with childlike wonder and wit. An empathetic protagonist whose voice feels authentic and smart without being precocious. A delightful mystery for curious young minds." —Readers' Favorite Award
Children's Book Council Teacher Favorite Award Winner
