hardback: 979-8-9894934-3-2

ebook: 979-8-9894934-1-8

It’s The West Wing meets Nancy Drew.

Everybody’s mad at everybody on Capitol Hill. Members call each other names on the floor of the House of Representatives. A former Speaker of the House elbows a fellow lawmaker. 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 10-year-old Fina Mendoza, the daughter of a congressman, to find the real snake in the grass.

A great book and series for CIVICS EDUCATION!

Snake in the Grass features a 10-year-old Latina protagonist of spunk and smarts. As the daughter of a congressman, she solves mysteries after school in the U.S. Capitol with the help of a big orange dog… and introduces civics to kids.

Teachers, Librarians, and Homeschoolers:

THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES SERIES of Books, Podcasts, Teacher’s Guides, and "Facts Behind the Fiction" newsletter/blog provide a multidisciplinary approach to civics education for elementary school readers. As our amateur detective solves mysteries on Capitol Hill, she and your students learn about American democracy with an emphasis on the legislative process, the role of party leadership, the toxicity of partisan politics, and the annual congressional charity baseball game.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fina was inspired by a young woman Kitty mentored for many years. But are the politicos based on real people? “No comment,” Kitty says. “I was always more interested in the human side of politics, something that didn’t always fit into a news story. Telling the story of Fina allowed me to describe the real Capitol Hill.”