The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake (Wilcox & Griswold Mysteries #1)

by Robin Newman (Author) Deborah Zemke (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
When food goes missing on Ed's farm, Detectives Wilcox and Griswold do what it takes to track down the thieves. In this case, Miss Rabbit's carrot cake has disappeared. Has it been stolen? Or eaten? Or both? Who dunnit?
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Kirkus

Starred Review

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 Griswol
d!

Publishers Weekly

This hardboiled first entry in the Wilcox and Griswold Mystery series follows two mice on the hunt for the carrot cake that has gone missing from Miss Rabbit's home. Simultaneously no-nonsense and full of nonsense, Newman's Dragnet-style narrative works in a bevy of food- and animal-themed crime jokes as the two Missing Food Investigators interview suspects across the farmyard (Porcini the pig's rap sheet "was a mile long for corn robberies, but he had no cake priors"). Zemke's cartoons, a mix of spot illustrations and full-page images, keep step with the lighthearted mood; it's a good pick for fans of Geoffrey Hayes's Otto and Uncle Tooth, Jennifer Lloyd's Murilla Gorilla, and other literary sleuths in the making. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency. Illustrator's agent: Ronnie Ann Herman, Herman Agency. (Apr.)

Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3--When crime happens, especially when food goes missing on the farm, everyone knows who to call: Wilcox and Griswold, mouse crime fighters and food detectives. When Miss Rabbit's carrot cake goes missing, they're on the case. Using the latest technology (video surveillance) and old-fashioned police interrogations, they get to the bottom of the mystery. There are plenty of amusing characters and even more hilarious puns to be found along the way. With lovely, warm full-color illustrations on every page and case file/journal-style entries, this simple tale will be a hit for advanced beginning readers. It is a fantastic choice for that last step before chapter books (perhaps before another famous mouse detective/journalist known for his illustrated easy chapter books). Sweet and charming, this title offers a simple mystery that provides just the right amount of whodunit mixed with humor and good friendship. VERDICT Reminiscent of Marjorie Weinman Sharmat's "Nate the Great" series (Random), this well-illustrated work will find plenty of readers and should find a home in most school and public libraries.--Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

 

Robin Newman
Robin Newman was a practicing attorney and legal editor but she now prefers to write about witches, mice, pigs, and peacocks. Her debut book, The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake, earned a starred review from Kirkus. Robin lives in New York. Learn more at robinnewmanbooks.com

Deborah Zemke: Deborah Zemke is the author/illustrator of more than twenty children's books, including the popular Doodles at Dinner books and placemats. She is a frequent contributor of Critter Crackups to Ranger Rick magazine and the designer of the font ITC ZemkeHand. For more information, visit deborahzemke.com
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781939547170
Lexile Measure
580
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Creston Books
Publication date
May 12, 2015
Series
Wilcox & Griswold Mysteries
BISAC categories
JUV002090 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Farm Animals
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
Library of Congress categories
Humorous stories
Lost and found possessions
Lost articles
Mice
Animals
Mystery and detective stories
Detective and mystery stories

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