The Case of the Curious Canary by Jean-Luc Fromental and illustrated by Joelle Jolivet #Review

 

The first book in an irresistible new graphic novel series for young readers, featuring a cool detective dressed in her cat-ear hoodie. Meet Miss Cat, a private eye with ears on her hat and a nose for mystery!

Mr Titula, a sad old man, comes to see Miss Cat at the old dairy shop she uses as an office. Someone has kidnapped his canary, Harry, his pride and joy! He begs the young detective to find him. So, Miss Cat sets on the trail of Harry and a strange couple, the sultry Doris and the aggressive Jean-Pøl, a talking dog. What could they be trying to hide? And could the senile Titula and the dashing Titus the Magnificent, a magician with extraordinary powers, be the same person? Miss Cat, who thinks she’s a cat and hides underneath a large hoodie with cat ears, is a perfect new heroine to encourage children to read. With a Scandi-noir mood, Joëlle Jolivet’s dynamic illustrations and Jean-Luc Fromental’s thrilling plot and irresistible dialogues whisk young readers through Miss Cat's crime-solving adventures!

 This is a graphic novel for six to ten year olds which will appeal because of its humour, zany characters and surprising plot. The illustrations are marvellous. They are used to advance the story and add to the pace. You get a real feel for the world Miss Cat lives in. Divided into chapters, it will satisfy the more competent readers with the range of the vocabulary and turn of phrase. It is also ideal for sharing, with much to discuss in the pictures and I loved how Doris' way of speaking was a huge clue hiding in plain sight. 

Cat and Mouse say: We love Miss Cat too!

About the Author and Illustrator

Joëlle Jolivet and Jean-Luc Fromental are the creators of numerous internationally acclaimed children’s books, including Oops!, Bonesville and 365 Penguins, which was a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor book. Jolivet is also the author of Inside the Body, which was published by Thames & Hudson in 2022

 

Joelle Jolivet

Jean-Luc Fromental

 

 

Book link: Amazon UK

Thanks to Jean-Luc Fromental, Joelle Jolivet, Thamers and Hudson, and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

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