Who Killed Cock Robin?
Gr. 2-4.Who Killed Cock Robin?may be a catchy title, but the real mystery here is, who stole the jewels? Alert readers will note that something's fishy and may even begin to spot the clues the first time through--even though a second reading will definitely be in order. But the book is still confusing even after another look, and its picture-book format seems too young for kids old enough to follow what's happening. The dramatic jacket and colorful illustrations will attract younger children, but parents of preschoolers may find it tricky to explain that the robin faked his own death to deflect suspicion, then hid the jewels in his coffin to dig up later. In the end, justice prevails, and O'Malley provides young detectives with a list of the visual clues that lead to Cock Robin's capture. As they say about British mysteries, "Too clever by half."Carolyn Phelan