JOEY FLY, PRIVATE EYE, IN CREEPY CRAWLY CRIME
by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Neil Numberman
What detective wouldn’t benefit from being a fly on the wall? Well, Joey Fly, a cool Sam Spade–esque private eye clad in trench coat and fedora, is just that insect. After hiring the surly Sammy Stingtail, a bumbling scorpion who’s all thumbs—er, make that tail—he finds a case knocking at their door. Delilah, a beautiful butterfly, believes that her best friend, a ladybug named Gloria, has stolen her diamond pencil box. As the two gumshoes set out to crack the case, they encounter an imaginative cadre of insect witnesses. Joey Fly tries his best to be the suave sleuth, but is often comically kept on his toes by his hot-tempered young assistant. This playful pun-a-minute comic-book mystery is sure to charm. Numberman provides detailed backgrounds set in cool blues and warm sepia tones to create a visually engaging landscape smacking of noir-lite. Included at the end is a list of items that young detectives must then page back through the art to find. An auspicious series kick-off. (Graphic novel. 7 & up)