Real Pigeons fight crime!

Gr 2--5--A goofy tale of cartoon pigeons that fight crime. Rock lives a simple farm life--he has perfected the art of disguising himself and then jumping out to surprise his friends. No one is very impressed until one day, when an old pigeon called Grandpouter encourages Rock to join up with his crime-fighting pigeon squad. Along with Tumbler, Frillback, and "Homey" (the homing pigeon), Rock and Grandpouter embark on three crime-stopping missions. Each section of this high interest title contains chapters that unfold mysteries with complex and silly twists, including; the "Missing Bread Crumbs," the "Bat Trapper," and the grand finale that ties everything together: "Danger at the Food Truck Fair." The villains have benign motivations, and each bad guy is revealed to be a different species of flying animal. Wood's black-and-white sketches enhance the humor, and McDonald's puns will offer kids and parents alike a chuckle. Readers have the opportunity to learn "real" facts about "real" pigeons; rock, tumbler, frillback, and pouter pigeon traits are explained at the end. A fun readalike with Aaron Blabey's "Bad Guys" series or Cyndi Marko's "Kung Pow Chicken." VERDICT Perfect for emerging readers who want action, hilarious hijinks, and crime-fighting mysteries. This is the first in a series and is sure to earn fans ready for more adventures from these plucky pigeons.--Tara Kehoe, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Charlotte, NC

When crime rears its ugly head, who better than pigeons to have on your side?Rock Pigeon loves nature and dressing upas other birds, animals, even vegetation. He's a master of disguise, and that's why Grandpouter Pigeon flies from the city to the farm where Rock lives to recruit him to join a crime-fighting pigeon team. Rock Pigeon joins Tumbler, Homing, and Frillback, pigeons who each have their own special talent to apply to their first case: Where have all the breadcrumbs in the park gone?! The crime fighters stage a stakeout. Rock disguises himself as a bag of chips. Frillback uses super strength to create a pile of acorns to hide in. Tumbler's ultraflexibility makes hiding in a crack easy, and Homingwell, Homing takes a nap. Eventually they realize there are no animals or, more importantly from the breadcrumb standpoint, humans in the park. Though the humans are still buying bread at a nearby bakery, both humans and animals think the park may be haunted. What haunts the park? It's terrifying (and foolish). This series opener from an Australian author-and-illustrator team (three others are already out Down Under) is a goofball farce, Wood's line drawings visually amping up the slapstick. Following the breadcrumbs mystery, this episodic volume offers two other cases for the crime-busting birdies, and young readers will make quick work of them all.Totally coo! (Graphic/fantasy hybrid. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.