Cracking the Case of the Missing Egg (Farm Crimes #1)

by Sandra Dumais (Author)

Cracking the Case of the Missing Egg (Farm Crimes #1)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Series: Farm Crimes

A peaceful day on the farm turns to panic when Hen discovers her egg has been stolen! The only one who can crack the case?

Billiam Van Hoof, the world's number one goat detective (at least, that's what he calls himself). As Van Hoof questions the animals and collects clues--a piece of eggshell, a yellow feather, and some tiny footprints--the answer to the mystery becomes obvious to everyone except the bumbling inspector.

Readers will enjoy piecing together the clues long before the hapless goat detective and will laugh along with his ridiculous conclusions. The bright, comic illustrations in this junior graphic novel are filled with visual jokes and quirky details that kids will delight in finding. With a cast of lovable characters, this goofy mystery story is a great introduction to graphic novels.

Select format:
Paperback
$10.95

More books in the series - See All

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4—Hen wakes one morning and whips the barnyard into a frenzy—she can't find her egg. Fellow animals initially eye one another with suspicion, then agree to call in Billiam Van Hoof, the world's self-declared greatest (and admittedly only) goat detective, who lives just up the road. Though the answer is evident from the first scrap of evidence, the guileless gumshoe is stumped but determined to work toward a solution. Eventually, Hen's newly hatched chick wanders in, stopping calamity just short of catastrophe. In omelets and graphic novels, less is more. This tale contains but three essential ingredients: a quirky caper, anthropomorphic animals, and a paneled format composed of simple illustrations and pithy dialogue. Attentive readers may crack the case early on, but they'll be rewarded by laugh-out-loud details and visual gags, such as brown-spotted Cow wearing a black-and-white cow print dress. Setups and payoffs are hilarious, as when Van Hoof takes a wrong turn past two signposts at the outset and must parachute into the farm; Hen later prevents him from making the same mistake at a new fork in the road. VERDICT A quick, cute, and obvious elementary whodunit.—Steven Thompson, Bound Brook Memorial P.L., NJ

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

A "day like any other on the farm" takes an exciting turn when animals Pig, Dog, Cow, Sheep, and Raccoon, hearing a "blood-chilling scream," discover that someone has stolen Hen's egg. The barnyard friends know there's only one thing to do: with three hearty rings of Cow's bell, they summon Insp. Billiam Van Hoof, World's #1 Goat Detective. As the animals track down clues, finding bits of straw, a broken eggshell, and a yellow feather, it quickly becomes clear that the over-the-top inspector, with his assorted paraphernalia ("detective sandals") and goofy disguise (a dashing mustache), is truly terrible at solving mysteries. Dumais's paneled illustrations add extra brightness and humor to the mystery as Hen stomps around in pink bunny slippers and Sheep nervously knits. Intermediate readers will welcome the engaging inspector for investigative fun. Ages 6-9. (Sept.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

 
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781771476447
Lexile Measure
510
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Owlkids
Publication date
August 15, 2023
Series
Farm Crimes
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV002090 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Farm Animals
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV008110 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Humorous
JUV008120 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Mystery & Detective
JUV008050 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | Animals
Library of Congress categories
Domestic animals
Graphic novels
Farm life
Criminal investigation
Goats
Humorous comics
Detective and mystery comics
Animal fiction
Little Maverick Reading List
Selection 2021

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!