Little Wolf, Forest Detective - Hardcover

Until August 2000, Ian Whybrow was a teacher and Head of Sixth Form at the John Lyon School in Harrow. Now a full-time author, he specialises in writing humour and this is reflected in his Little Wolf titles as well as his picture books for Collins [Where's Tim's Ted] and other publishers. His wife, Anne, is also a teacher and one of his daughters is Lucy Whybrow, the actress.

Grade 2-4-A continuation of the series begun in Little Wolf's Book of Badness (Carolrhoda, 1999). Here, baby animals are disappearing from the forest and it is up to Little Wolf, his brother Smelly Breff, and Stubbs the Crow to crack the case. Together they form the Yellow Eyes Detective Agency. As the investigators stumble across increasingly bizarre clues, Little Wolf sends letters about his adventures home to his parents. These notes, full of misspellings, alarm the little wolf's father so much that he is compelled to send a "real investigator" to bail the group out. The story is aimed at beginning chapter-book readers, but Little Wolf's cobbled-together language may be difficult for them to follow at first. Visual aids are offered in the form of scrawlings and scribblings from the talented artist. A good sense of adventure may keep otherwise confused readers rushing along to the end. Dav Pilkey fans might find this comical tale a good gap filler while waiting for the next "Captain Underpants" (Scholastic).
Alison Kastner, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
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