Here’s hoping for more hard-boiled detecting from Wilcox and Griswold! (Mystery. 5-9)
Two police mice, one missing cake, a bunch of suspects—it’s a big case!
When Miss Rabbit leaves her carrot cake (with cream-cheese icing) out to cool and returns later to find only a mess of crumbs, she calls Detective Wilcox and Capt. Griswold. Over 100 animals on Ed’s farm means there’s a lot of suspects. Tongue firmly in cheek, Wilcox tells the story of this challenging case in clipped tones reminiscent of Dragnet. Fowler, the observant owl, loves rabbits, he informs readers. “She liked them for breakfast. She liked them for lunch. And she loved them for dinner.” His narration is peppered with food references that elevate this entertaining mystery, already fizzing with humor and inside jokes. To open their investigation, they slide down the rabbit hole, but Miss Rabbit does not have a crumb of an idea. The repeated food-based idioms (hard nut to crack, slower than molasses, take the cake) alternate with puns that a young reader will appreciate. When questioning Porcini the pig, Wilcox accuses, “Seems like you’ve spent some time in the pen.” The droll language is complemented with full-color cartoon illustrations that extend the text and add to the laughter. Readers ready for chapter books will solve the crime and then be surprised by the twist at the end.
Here’s hoping for more hard-boiled detecting from Wilcox and Griswold! (Mystery. 5-9)Pub Date: April 20, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-939547-17-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Creston
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The forecast is for frequent checkouts for Freddy during weather-study units.
A weather-loving frog finds a forecasting career in his future after he saves the town picnic.
Freddy’s loved weather from a very young age—his first word was “rain.” He uses his backyard weather station to make predictions and checks them against the forecasts of Sally Croaker on the Frog News Network, and he is uncannily right. But when Sally goes on maternity leave, Freddy’s forecasts no longer match those on TV—Polly Woggins, the new frogcaster, is frequently wrong in her predictions. Her popularity keeps her too busy to look for weather clues. So when the mayor needs an accurate forecast for the Leapfrog Picnic, he turns to Freddy, whose years of practice give him the confidence and knowledge to prepare the Frogatorium for a thunderstorm and be Polly’s new assistant. While the story is lengthy and littered with exclamation points, Dean, a meteorologist herself, knows her stuff. Six pages of backmatter use easy vocabulary and explanations to introduce weather words, maps, instruments, types of clouds and the job of a meteorologist (though it’s a shame this wasn’t better incorporated into the text). Still, Freddy’s confidence and enthusiasm are catching, and readers may find themselves keeping their own weather logs and browsing the publisher’s website for directions on making weather-forecasting instruments (not seen). Cox’s seemingly digital illustrations are bright and cheerful, and each frog has his or her own expressive face and personality.
The forecast is for frequent checkouts for Freddy during weather-study units. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-62157-084-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Regnery
Review Posted Online: July 2, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Though there’s a plethora of choices in the rodent canon, this shines bright.
Cuddly classroom pets must stop a group of rapacious rodents from ruining the elementary art show in this sequel to The Great Pet Escape (2016).
In the second-grade classroom of Daisy P. Flugelhorn Elementary lives George Washington, a lovably plump tawny-and-white hamster. GW spends his days palling around with the other class pets, Sunflower the guinea pig and Barry the bunny, and also with his best friend, a pigtailed, white-skinned second-grader named Carina. When Carina’s picture is chosen for the art show as the only second-grade submission, GW is thrilled. But the mischievous mouse Harriet and her murine minions have other plans for the art show, plotting to steal Carina’s picture and having GW’s gang sent away to St. Bart’s Obedience School for Unruly Pets. Can GW and his friends work together to outsmart Harriet before she wrecks the show? This gentle graphic adventure’s warm and inviting illustrations portray snuggleworthy characters resembling stuffed toys brought to life. The animated and adorable menagerie displays a pleasing blend of silliness and good-natured naughtiness, imparting a kind message of friendship without a hint of saccharinity. A sweet surprise ending with equal emphasis on humans and animals sets this apart from many critter tales.
Though there’s a plethora of choices in the rodent canon, this shines bright. (Graphic fantasy. 5-9)Pub Date: June 13, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-62779-118-2
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
