Fowl Play - Hardcover

Travis Nichols writes books, draws, paints, and makes comics. He is the author of a number of award-winning books for young people, and his comics have appeared in Nickelodeon magazine.

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