Today's read... The Case of the Missing Tarts by Christee Curran-Bauer

Readers of all ages can enjoy a good mystery. So, when I saw today's read, which is aimed toward chapter book readers, I grew giddy...okay, it might also have been because the detectives are pigeons. (Isn't that Sherlock Homes hat adorable?) Let's head off and see how this case turns out and if these sleuths are as amazing as they appear.

THE CASE OF THE MISSING TARTS

Pigeon Private Detectives, #1

by Christee Curran-Bauer

Union Square Kids

Children's Mystery

ages 6 to 9

80 pages

COMING...

AUGUST 29th!!! 

The Pigeon Detectives are looking forward to devouring a delectable platter of jam tarts—until the tasty treats are stolen from right under their beaks! With tummies grumbling, the PPD are on the hunt for clues, but can the detectives recover the tarts in time before they are all eaten—or worse—stale? As the list of suspects grows longer, our heroes wonder if they’ll ever catch the thief jam-handed.

Pigeon Private The Case of the Missing Tarts, Christee Curran-Bauer’s author-illustrator debut, pokes fun at detective procedurals with kid-friendly humor!

GOODREADS    /    B&N    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

A delicious mystery takes on all sorts of unexpected and silly twists and turns.

Mama Pigeon makes the most yummy tarts, but before the Pigeon Detectives can bite in, the entire batch is stolen. It's definitely more than enough reason to launch into the case and discover who the horrible, pastry thief is. As the clues pile up, the detectives know they are getting close to finding the culprit and, hopefully, they can do it before the thief strikes again.

This is a cute mix between a beginning chapter book and a graphic novel, and perfect for those readers who are just diving into slightly more difficult reads. The graphics bring across the birds, animals, and scenes very well with fun details and characters with quite a bit of personality. While these moments keep the text lighter and let the graphics take over the tale, other pages glide in with more text, which gives the tale added depth and information. There are also more difficult words scattered in here and there to broaden the vocabulary. Some of these terms are defined at the end of the read.

These detectives are quite the trio. Each one has their strengths, and each one has an opinion. All three work well together, even when some of their thoughts and actions lead to giggles rather than solid clues. But when the clues come, these are well-laid. Especially since the reader also learns the basics of solving a crime along the way. There are several surprises to keep the reader guessing and except for one or two slower moments, the entire read moves along nicely.

The end of the book also adds a fact page about chipmunks. I do wish there had been a simple recipe for the cookies, since Mama Pigeon bakes a batch of these, at one point, with more detail. But that's just my thoughts. It's a fun read, which is sure to help even more reluctant readers slowly work their way to more difficult reads.

And here she is...

Christee Curran-Bauer has a BFA from Pratt Institute in communications design/illustration, and is a proud member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Christee is a Jersey girl currently living in Virginia Beach with her family and spoiled French bulldog. She invites you to visit her at christeewithadoublee.blogspot.com and on Twitter at @ChristeeDoubleE.