AND THEN THERE WERE GNOMES

The denizens of Mr Venezi’s Pets & Stuff return for another hilarious mystery. Sasspants the guinea pig solved the mystery of the missing sandwiches in Hamster and Cheese (2010); now she’s doomed to be thought a detective even though she has replaced the final “G” on her cage label. Hamisher the koala (actually hamster; Mr. Venezi is nearsighted and clueless, though not neglectful) loves being a sidekick, and he comes up with so many fake mysteries that Sasspants doesn’t believe him when he has a real one. The mice are going missing one by one, and everyone’s sure it’s a ghost. Sasspants takes the case to get Hamisher off her back so she can get back to reading her much-loved books. Venable’s second adventure does not disappoint. The celebutante chinchillas—er, camels—(one of whom has a pet mouse, “Mr. Sparkles,” à la Paris Hilton’s chihuahua) and the bubble-headed goldfish will inspire giggles. The deadpan expressions of Yue’s pudgy animals colored by Hi Fi Design supply many of the laughs. A gem—please, tell us we'll be seeing more of Sasspants! (Graphic fiction. 6-11)