The Case of the Gasping Garbage (Doyle and Fossey, Science Detectives)
Gr 3-5-When one of their fifth-grade classmates finds a monster in her garbage can, science detectives Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey rush to the rescue. After discovering that the receptacle is in a warm place and smells like bread, they have the solution. The pair go on to save local frogs from a gruesome death on the highway, free a truck stuck under a bridge, and reveal the identity of another classmate's secret admirer. The first in a new series, this book will appeal to fans of short mysteries and kids with an interest in science experiments. Torrey's style is light and funny, and the stories move at a rapid pace. Newman's quirky drawings appear throughout the text. While readers may quickly guess the cause of the "gasping garbage," the other mysteries and solutions are clever, and are explained in the "Activities and Experiments" section. Kids will enjoy reading about these young scientists who sometimes outsmart adults.Ashley Larsen, Woodside Library, CACopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.