Downright delicious.
Another theft has the Pigeon Private Detectives on the case!
During the night, someone steals a painting from the Museum of Food Art. Reviewing the security footage, Detectives Martin P. Sweets, Felix Danish, and Ralph Custard see the painting seemingly moving on its own, but upon zooming in, Sweets spots a “master of disguise” in the background. At “fur-ensics,” a rodent scientist analyzes a piece of shed skin left at the scene and confirms they’re looking for a reptile with camouflage capabilities. The detectives’ next task is to interview local reptiles at the pond and the City Park Zoo. After some research at the library, the detectives return to the museum to investigate a second theft. They’ve narrowed down the clues to identify the perp, but it’ll take a lead from a boa constrictor, a cupcake bribe, and a midnight stakeout to catch the culprit! Blending graphic novel–style panels and prose, Curran-Bauer once again delivers a riveting mystery; young animal lovers will eagerly decipher the clues along with the detectives. Like the earlier installment, this one features an inspired food theme and puns galore. Cozy colored pencil artwork brings to life a world of anthropomorphic animals. “Comic breaks” occasionally interrupt the story with discussions on modern art concepts. Frequent examples of real-life art with fun twists (including a version of The Persistence of Memory with melting pizzas instead of clocks) add to the book’s educational potential.
Downright delicious. (notes identifying the spoofed works of art, glossary, animal facts) (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 27, 2024
ISBN: 9781454943624
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre.
In the latest installment of the delightfully disturbing chapter-book series, the mundane once more takes on supernatural qualities, this time in the form of veggies.
With this follow-up to Troubling Tonsils! (2025), our host, Jasper Rabbit, once more channels Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling. As Jasper narrates, we meet our heroes: fourth graders Thaddeus Badger and Oliver Possum, who love nothing more than eating junk food, particularly the hamburgers at Hurt-A-Burger (a mildly brilliant corporate name on the author’s part). When Oliver’s parents trick the two into a dinner of salads at their favorite fast-food joint, Thaddeus feels betrayed, but Oliver experiences something a little more dire. Soon after, Oliver starts acting strangely, and his parents begin behaving even more oddly. What’s going on? And does it have anything to do with the full moon? Tone is the true star of the show in this series; the mystery unspools thanks to the buildup of unnerving moments. Reynolds combines suspense with a keen ability to artistically frame both sunny innocent sequences and those rich with dark foreboding. Notably, this is no morality tale about eating your vegetables—this tale is fully on the side of its child readers. Brown’s black-and-white images, punctuated with eerie pops of green, heighten both horrifying and comedic moments.
Disconcerting and possibly deadly dealings are afoot; certain to charm younger fans of the macabre. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781665961110
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2025
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