Lindie Lou can hardly wait to see what adventures New York City has to offer. She hears a legend about a big apple tree located somewhere on Manhattan Island. The legend says that if you find the tree, you’ll discover the biggest, sweetest, juiciest apples on earth. A rescue puppy named Bella, agrees to help Lindie Lou search for the Big Apple Tree. During their quest, they encounter some unusual characters including a mysterious wise woman, a curious pack of dogs, an energetic restaurant owner, and a jolly mentor. Follow Lindie Lou on an incredible journey to find the Big Apple Tree because there’s more to the story. The legend also says… “This tree holds a secret so amazing, so incredible, and so important, it can change your life!” Little Lindie Lou, a spirited brown pup with huge paws and floppy ears, has, in previous series installments, experienced early life in Missouri, found a new home in Seattle, and visited a farm in Iowa. As this lively, travel-themed chapter book series continues, Lindie Lou jets into New York with her loving owners, Kate and Bryan, to stay with their friends at a posh apartment house overlooking Central Park. Lindie Lou and the hosts puppy are allowed to explore the idealized city alone because they have tracking collars, and Bender infuses the plot with benign suspense as Lindie Lou searches for a legendary apple tree that, their host says, gave New York it nickname of The Big Apple. The pup s ability to read comes in handy as she tracks down the tree; so does her surprise ability to speak with a mysterious woman (whose eyes, strangely, are the same bright green as Lindie s) and an elderly man named Kris, who explains the legendary tree s secret and makes a significant appearance in the Macy s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The sunny, character-building revelation may disappoint children hoping for magic and may strike adults as exceedingly aspirational but Kris and the green-eyed woman retain an air of mystery. Bender s text, in which occasional words are enlarged, colored, or reshaped for emphasis, will attract young eyes, and Willows again charms with watercolor-soft digital illustrations that combine realism and a cartoonish style. The humans are diverse; Bryan and Kate are white, their friends are people of color, and the few other human characters have varying skin tones. As in previous books, Bender describes various landmarks; here, they include One World Trade Center, the Oculus transportation hub, the Statue of Liberty, and others. Post-story features include a Lindie Lou related song, New York City Fun Facts, a calendar of events, and a Quick Quiz for reading comprehension. A tale with an adorable, relatable central character, a hint of mystery, and a wholesome message. --Kirkus Big City Magic: Uncover the Secret of the Big Apple provides young readers with another Lindie Lou canine adventure. This time, the little dog is on a plane heading for New York City and adventure. Lindie Lou loves to meet new people, learn new things, and have adventures, but she also holds an active imagination, as demonstrated by her dreams about being able to fly without mechanical assistance. Her ability to learn, adapt, and wonder about the world are challenged, however, when a quest for a big apple tree leads her and a rescue dog onto the streets of New York for some unexpected encounters. Parents of children who are past the elementary picture book level and into reading chapter books and longer readers will appreciate the blend of easy language, big print, and illustrations that nudge readers from picture book to longer forms. Parents will also appreciate this story's focus on courage, flexibility, and facing life changes with hope and creativity as Lindie Lou imparts some basic insights into dealing with life through her adventurous perspective. Her enthusiasm about the wider world, her ability to communicate with humans and fellow animals alike, and her involvement with Kris, who brings her a wonderful gift, creates many unexpected moments that lend to parent and child discussion, especially recommended for adults seeking materials that contain bigger-picture thinking rather than entertainment value alone. The result is a winning story about a wise puppy who takes the world's challenges and runs with them. It's a delightful adventure with more than a light dose of messages for kids about how to live better, more emotionally cognizant lives. --Midwest Book Reviews Lindie Lou can hardly wait to see what adventures New York City has to offer. She hears a legend about a big apple tree located somewhere on Manhattan Island. The legend says if you find the tree, you'll discover the biggest, sweetest, juiciest, apples on earth. A rescue puppy named Bella, agrees to help Lindie Lou search for the big apple tree. During their quest, they encounter some unusual characters including a mysterious wise woman, a curious pack of dogs, an energetic restaurant owner, and a jolly mentor. Follow Lin