A clever and entertaining tale of crime-fighting creepy-crawlies.
An investigation of a miniature, invertebrate sort.
Wrongdoers in Bugopolis must contend with the brilliant detective Sherlock Roach and his trusty assistant, Dr. Wormston (the book’s narrator). Lucille the ladybug arrives with news of stolen food, and faster than you can declare the game is afoot, Sherlock is on the case. Sherlock and Wormston’s investigation takes them to the scene of the crime (“on the countertop, behind the flour jar”); they also gently interrogate three suspects: Fast Eddie the fly, Old Twitch the cricket, and Greasy Pearl the centipede. Sherlock quietly observes each suspect, then reveals his deductions. Readers—and Dr. Wormston—will be in suspense until the final act, when a subtle visual clue is made evident and closes the case. Ho’s compositions rely on an average of two to three large panels per page; the use of action lines, sound effects, thought bubbles, and narrative exposition makes the story easy to follow. The tale moves at a brisk pace while highlighting recognizable characters who are more friendly than gross. A subtle running gag involves Dr. Wormston managing to turn the pages of a newspaper or write notes despite not having any appendages—talk about a handy sidekick. The tale ends with a promise of more to come; this detective’s newly minted fans will be delighted.
A clever and entertaining tale of crime-fighting creepy-crawlies. (insect trivia) (Graphic mystery. 5-9)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9798347101702
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Models attention to detail and deductive reasoning in a fun beach setting, complete with interesting facts.
Beachcombers and shell seekers, gather ’round and meet Shelby and Watts, Planetary Investigators.
When Fred the hermit crab can’t find a new, larger shell to move into, he seeks out the “brilliant brains” of Shelby and Watts. Shelby, a fox, is the detective in the duo, and Watts, a badger, loves facts, adding simple fun ones—about hermit crabs, tides, tide-pool dwellers, how shells are used, etc.—throughout the story. Watts also loves to catalog clues in his notebook. In fact, the first mystery that Shelby solves is that of Watts’ lost notebook. Young readers can watch Shelby investigate, solve, and explain her deductive process, all while learning to carefully examine all the details in each graphic panel. Once the missing shells are found, it’s “time for the hermit crab shuffle,” in which the members of a colony of hermit crabs all line up and trade up to larger homes. Final pages include “Earth-Saving Tips from Shelby & Watts,” such as taking pictures of shells instead of collecting them, eating seafood from sustainable sources, and cleaning up the beach. The seven chapters are of varying length, but with several one-panel pages and many pages with low word count, the book is shorter than it appears, which should be a confidence boost for young readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Models attention to detail and deductive reasoning in a fun beach setting, complete with interesting facts. (Graphic early reader/mystery. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-20531-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
Not terribly remarkable, but the series has lots of growing room.
Second-grade twins prepare to leave the country, but not without first solving a time-sensitive mystery.
Ella and Ethan Briar are devastated by their parents’ announcement that the family is leaving their beloved hometown. Mrs. Briar has accepted a new job as a travel writer, a job that will send the family to new places all over the globe on a weekly basis. In an attempt to soothe the twins’ unhappiness about the move (“What about school? And soccer?” they ask), their grandfather—a retired, globe-trotting archaeologist himself—gives each a special gift for their travels. Mystery-writing Ella gets a journal; Ethan gets a special gold coin. On their last morning in town, Ethan realizes that his gold coin is missing—and they only have a few hours before they have to leave for the airport. While their grandfather does their chores, the twins methodically determine when Ethan last had the coin—the previous day—and make a list of places he visited to retrace his steps. This allows the twins to say goodbye to friendly faces throughout the town. This series-launching installment’s light on mystery, but it’s welcoming and accessible through expressive, frequent illustrations. The Mystery of the Mosaic, publishing simultaneously, takes the kids to Venice for their first overseas adventure.
Not terribly remarkable, but the series has lots of growing room. (Mystery. 5-7)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-9719-1
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 28, 2014
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