July 13, 2015
Nichols (Matthew Meets the Man) goes hog wild in a goofball detective story bursting with animal-themed idioms. When the window to Mr. Hound's shop is broken, he calls in the Gumshoe Zoo Detective Agency to investigate. Quentin, a goat, contacts his colleagues (Steve the monkey is in a barrel when the call comes in, while Mike the bull is in a china shop), and they head to the crime scene. "There is some definite monkey business at hand," says Reggie the fishâbefore apologizing to Steve on the next page. "No sweat," replies the monkey. "And I agree. I smell a rat." Josie (a rat) isn't offended either, and a very funny chain of comments and apologies continues. The wrap-up isn't 100% logical (the detectives realize that Mr. Hound broke his own window "and called us so you could get it fixed for free"), but that's easily written off as criminal incompetence rather than a narrative problem. It's a highly entertaining comic mystery, and the closing pages both explain the many idioms referenced and tease a potential sequelâif we're lucky. Ages 5â8. Agent: Daniel Lazar, Writers House.
June 15, 2015
Idioms get a run for their money in this good-humored and stimulating piece of wordplay from Nichols. Nichols lays the figurative speech on thick in this mystery being tackled by the Gumshoe Zoo detective team, and he keeps the humor on high alert by using a team of animals as investigators. Animals, of course, are a favorite idiomatic tool, so apologies are flying as fast as the idioms: "Hmm...Yes. There's something fishy going on around here. / Oh! No offense, Reggie," says Quentin the goat. "None taken," says Reggie the fish, adding, "There is some definite monkey business at hand, my friend. / Ooh. I didn't mean anything by that, Steve," says Reggie. "No sweat," says Steve the monkey, adding, "And I agree. I smell a rat." Nichols has illustrated the story in comic-book panels-some full-page, others with two or more a page-which gives the book both compression of language and expansion of story. The art itself is finely cartoony and as elemental as the periodic table. There are also zoomed-in panels that work a bit like a jigsaw puzzle to help readers determine if foul play is afoot. A concluding note provides further information, and it seems pretty natural that kids will want to learn something more about idioms from this first pleasing immersion. Amusing to the point of provoking an inquiry. Really, it's the bee's knees. (Picture book. 5-8)
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September 1, 2015
Gr 2-4-Nichols presents a comic-format picture book using a plethora of idioms to hilarious effect in this deadpan mystery. Someone has broken Mr. Hound's store window, and the Gumshoe Zoo Detective Agency is called in to solve the case. The agency is comprised of a bull, rat, duck, horse, goat, fish, monkey, and chicken. Throughout the story, each character cannot help but use expressions such as monkey business, I smell a rat, foul play, and scapegoats, followed by apologies to the particular animal teammate referred to in the idiom. As they discuss the crime, they manage to solve it satisfactorily. Just as the bad guy is being led off to jail, breaking news reveals an oxymoronic story-a jumbo shrimp is on the loose downtown, requiring the services of the Gumshoe Zoo detectives! The back of the book describes exactly what idioms are, followed by easy-to-understand definitions of the ones used in the story. VERDICT This enjoyable introduction to idiomatic speech gives lots of laughs, a mystery to solve, and a funny cliff-hanger.-B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, CA
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