  | Homer on the case Author: Cole, Henry | |
| Price: $21.88 | ||
Summary:
Homing pigeon Homer and his parrot friend Lulu learn that something foul is going on when they witness four-legged criminals stealing valuables from the animal and human communities alike. Lulu and Homer track down the bandits, but need human help to stop them for good.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (04/01/21)
School Library Journal (04/30/21)
Booklist (03/01/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/01/2021 Something is amiss in Keeler Park, one of Homer the homing pigeon’s favorite places to hang out after a stimulating morning race. A string of petty thefts there is upsetting the humans, but it gets personal when the crime spree targets one of Homer’s humans (Grandpa!). Taking cues from his favorite comic-strip detective, Dick Tracy—Homer taught himself to read Human by studying the newspapers that line his rooftop cage—Homer resolves to crack the case. Cole’s gentle animal fantasies can always be depended upon, and this light mystery is just right for young readers. Delicate pencil illustrations, arranged in panels, begin each chapter, offering a glimpse of events to come. Cole mixes humor with intrigue to keep the narrative bouncing along, and readers will get a kick out of the unusual detective team that forms of Homer and his boy, Otto, and new friends Lulu (an Amazon parrot) and her girl, Charlotte. Hand this to fans of Chris Riddell’s Ottoline and the Yellow Cat (2008) and A. B. Greenfield’s Ra the Mighty: Cat Detective (2018). - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 04/30/2021 Gr 3 Up—A literate pigeon fights crime. There are jewel thieves in the park and Homer, a homing pigeon, is a witness! With help from some friends, new and old, and a little assistance from his favorite comic detective, Homer is ready to crack this case! The setting of the story is generic: a nondescript city in a nonspecific time period. There are references to Dick Tracy and "Hints from Heloise" and illustrations of older cars, implying maybe the 1960s, but it is unclear. All of the human characters present as white. Carlos, a city pigeon, says a few stereotypical Spanish words. The mystery itself is underwhelming and could have used more backstory. The illustrations are appealing, and the way Homer figures out how to communicate to humans is clever, but the vocabulary is sometimes too advanced for the content. Although this could be a nice introduction to raising homing pigeons, the story lacks substance. VERDICT For larger collections.—Rebecca Fitzgerald, Harrison P.L., NY - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
