Poppy & Sam and the mole mystery

Poppy and Sam, a tiny girl and panda, respectively, are back for another adventure after the events of Poppy & Sam and the Leaf Thief (2018). Snuggles the mole has lost her glasses. Poppy and Sam happily agree to help look (especially since the first step is checking all the pies Snuggles baked that afternoon), and in the process, they find plenty of lost things before finally, in the very last place they look, they find Snuggles' specs. But now, they have a huge collection of things that other people might be looking for: What will they do with that? Cathon's sweet, large-format panels depict the fantastical forest setting with warm colors and sketchy, fine-lined details. The characters are all the same size even the bees are as big as Sam but everyone's dwarfed by the whimsical, oversize plant life. The winsome plot is perfect for emerging readers, and spotting the missing objects before Poppy and Sam is all part of the fun. Hand to kids eager to make the jump from picture books to comics.--Sarah Hunter Copyright 2019 Booklist

Following their introduction in Poppy Sam and the Leaf Thief (2018), miniature girl Poppy and her diminutive panda friend, Sam, are back, with another mystery to solve.It's a lovely day for a stroll among the flowers, and Poppy and Sam decide to pay a visit to Snuggles the mole. Snuggles' home is full of freshly baked pies, which attract Sam's focus, but Snuggles' glasses have gone missing, so the nearsighted animal can't read. Sam gets right to work investigating the pies for the glasses while Poppy asks Snuggles what else the mole has done today so they can retrace steps and hopefully find the missing specs. Their efforts take the trio to the riverside, a spider web, a mushroom, and up a tree. In each place, they find lost items belonging to other creatures, and they begin quite a collection. After much walking and interviewing, they finally find what they are seeking and manage to return all the items they founda tiring but satisfying adventure that ends in bed. Cathon's sweet illustrations feature spring colors and nature scenes; various small, smiling creatures that fly or crawl and have bit parts are a fun addition to the main story. Comics panels are interspersed with full-page illustrations. Poppy, who presents as a girl of color, is a thoughtful, creative, caring leader. With its admirable protagonist, this is delightful easy reading with equal parts humor and heart. (Graphic novel. 4-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.