Who did that? A whodunit for children

PreS-Gr 2-A hairy culprit with a broad, flat tail is terrorizing a small town, gnawing everything he can get his teeth on: a street pole, a seesaw, a recorder, and more. The town is aghast. A brave police officer with magnifying glass in hand doesn't have to look too far to track down the vandal. Shortly after the animal is apprehended and thrown in the clink, he chews through the bars over his window. It's only when a little girl simply asks him to stop that the animal ceases his destruction. Kids with a keen eye will spot glimpses of the culprit along the way; a tail here, paw prints there. This first picture book published in English from the Dutch animators-turned-authors/illustrators is a sign of good things to come. The gritty, spray can look of the backgrounds, the scenery, and the characters themselves gives the digital art a softness. This book doesn't take itself too seriously and it's the lighthearted playfulness of the child-centered, stylized cartoons that makes it fun to inspect. Laforest's translation captures all of the subtle humor. For an "Intro to Mystery" storytime, pair with Moose Tracks by Karma Wilson and Jack E. Davis. It could also be used as a primer on respecting others' property and the importance of listening. VERDICT This title won't be able to hide for long on library shelves. Its broad appeal will have kids tracking it down in a hurry.-Kristy Kilfoyle, Canterbury School, Fort Myers, FL © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A community investigates petty vandalism."The ruckus began with a broken seesaw. It was cut in half." And thus, the game is afoot as the multicultural citizens of an unnamed town discover ever more items destroyed with nary a motive in sight. Hockey sticks, fishing rods, even street signs aren't safe from the mysterious vandal. Could it be the hairdresser and his scissors? Or knight Melvin and his sword? Or the lumberjack and his axe? The lumberjack provides the first clue, as he tells the boat captain, "Your mast seems to have been gnawed!" Aha! It's the fluffy beaver, caught just as it's about to topple a local wind turbine. Little readers will delight in the increasingly absurd mischiefs. The color palette leans on reds, oranges, and browns that color peculiarly shaped people with flat-topped heads and oval bottoms, giving the book a distinctive look. The mystery is sweetly resolved (the beaver doesn't do any hard time) and holds a convenient lesson about awareness and empathy baked in. The creative team is a Dutch collective.A lovely, silly mystery. (Picture book. 2-4) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.