State of the Union: A Fina Mendoza Mystery

A great book and series for CIVICS EDUCATION

Combines knowledge of the behind-the-scenes workings of Congress and Capitol Hill's historic locales with suspense, humor, and a young, first-person Latina protagonist who is alive with realistic curiosity, empathy, and determination. --KIRKUS 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: Find the mysterious bird that pooped on the president's head during the State of the Union address.

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 she solves mysteries on Capitol Hill, Fina learns about American democracy and Congress, along with your students. Take them deeper into Common Core knowledge with standards-based instruction through the series' multimedia sources!

SYNOPSIS: Fina Mendoza is sitting in the gallery of the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill for the president's State of the Union speech when a mysterious bird pooped on his head! Is it Chickcharney, the legendary bird from the Caribbean? Did it fly to Washington D.C. with a secret message for the president? Or Congress? Or maybe Fina's friend, a cashier at the Capitol snack bar? Or is the message for Fina from her mom who passed away not so many months ago?

Fina, Senator Something, and St. Sebastian (Fina's new dog-walking client) must outsmart the Capitol Police and the Secret Service to find that bird and uncover its secret message. While our amateur detectives search for clues, readers are introduced to the inner workings of the legislative branch, including a congressional battle over immigration reform. There's another battle in her multigenerational home when Fina's grandmother is nearly arrested at an immigration protest.

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This is the second book in the series, and it's more than just a mystery story!

It's THE WEST WING meets NANCY DREW.

Also available in Spanish! Look for Estado de la Unión 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 - Bienvenida a Washington Fina Mendoza
Libro 2 - Estado de la Unión: Un Misterio de Fina Mendoza
Libro 3 - Serpiente en la Hierba (Otoño 2025)
Libro 4 - Casa de los Valientes (Otoño 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

Author: Kitty Felde
Publisher: Chesapeake Press
Published: 08/13/2021
Pages: 206
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.63d
ISBN: 9781737097815
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2021 pg. 198

About the Author
Award-winning public radio journalist, writer, 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 Los Angeles native created the Washington bureau for Southern California Public Radio and covered Capitol Hill for nearly a decade, 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.