Though danger, not detecting, is the hook in this latest in the mystery series, fans should be pleased.
Actor Winkler and co-author Oliver’s duck detective channels her inner rock star.
Music is Willow’s new passion, but this duckling lacks an ear for melody, and her guitar playing “sounds like a crab claw scraping across a rock,” according to Harry the catfish. Willow’s loving adoptive dad, Beaver McBeaver, begins noisily constructing a soundproof room in their dam. The racket annoys Snout, the grouchy weasel, who swims off in a huff. Soon a sudden, growing hole threatens the dam—who could be responsible? Unlike previous installments, this tale is light on mystery; Snout is swiftly identified as the guilty party (turns out he inadvertently damaged the dam while pushing off from its wall and then lied about it). Beaver’s lecture—“We all have to think about how our actions affect others”—comes off as sanctimonious, given his and Willow’s own thoughtless behavior (their noise led to Snout accidentally creating the hole). Because the animals investigate before repairing the hole, it widens, and the rising water produced by the heavy rain sweeps Sal, a little lizard, away on a log. But Snout finds a way to redeem himself. There’s not much of an environmental message here, as in Willow’s earlier outings, but the storm provides suspense, Santat’s dynamic illustrations grab attention, and the messages about collaboration and honesty are clear.
Though danger, not detecting, is the hook in this latest in the mystery series, fans should be pleased. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9781419780516
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
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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