  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 02/15/2017 Since Detective Gordon, a toad, left the police station to take a break and possibly retire, things haven’t been the same. He misses his work, while Buffy the squirrel misses her old chief, particularly after a mysterious, hulking thing comes scrabbling around the station at night. When two children from the kindergarten go missing, the two detectives investigate together and, after some wrangling over who’s in charge, solve the mystery cooperatively. The case ends, as every case should, with the eating of cake and the stamping (“KLA BOOM!”) of an official report. There’s a lot to love in the third volume of the Inspector Gordon series, from Spee’s captivating, colorful illustrations depicting these dressed-animal characters and their woodland world, to Nilsson’s down-to-earth dialogue and sensitive depiction of the two police officers. When emotions overtake reason during Buffy and Gordon’s argument and they resort to name-calling, the depiction of their anger and its resolution will resonate with kids. An engaging book for early independent readers and for reading aloud to younger children. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. School Library Journal - 03/01/2017 Gr 1–4—Everyone's favorite cake-eating toad, Detective Gordon, has retired from police work and has embarked upon a life of leisure. Buffy, his stalwart deputy, is now chief detective, and the little mouse takes her job most seriously. Unfortunately, she is plagued by strange noises at night and longs for her old friend and confidant. Meanwhile, Gordon is beginning to find his retirement less than stimulating and misses his beautiful police hat and magnificent stamp with its thunderous "kla-dunk." When two young animals go missing from a kindergarten class, Gordon and Buffy decide to rejoin forces to solve this most vexing of cases. Charming, droll, and approachable, this series is old-fashioned in the best sense of the word. Life lessons are imparted within these pages but with a gentleness and brevity that allow a simple yet engaging plot to move forward. Spee's illustrations, done in warm and enveloping tones, set the perfect, cozy mood. VERDICT While kids don't need to have read the first two volumes, they will enjoy the repetitive quirks of the two main characters if they have. Perfect for graduates of early chapter books and a guaranteed hit as a read-aloud, this is a definite purchase for all children's collections.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
 |