Inspector Hopper's Mystery Year (I Can Read Book 2)
Grade 1-3-In this appealing follow-up to Inspector Hopper (HarperCollins, 2000), the grasshopper sleuth and his sidekick, McBugg, investigate four mysteries, one for each season. In autumn, the private eyes help Emma Worm find out why strange noises are coming from a pumpkin. In "A Winter Mystery," Inspector Hopper visits the doctor because of a bad cold, only to discover that the physician has disappeared. A string of clues and some windy spring weather play a part in the next chapter, as the detectives uncover the whereabouts of Mrs. Beetle's missing child. In the final installment, Holly Cricket's sheet music has been stolen, and the investigators interview various winged suspects, finally determining that a wasp has used it to patch a hole in his nest. Cushman uses vibrant colors in his playful full- and partial-page cartoons, and the artwork extends the gentle humor of the text. Each story is just the right length for sharing aloud or independent reading. Colorful, larger-than-life critters appear on every page. A great choice for beginning readers, and a fun selection for units on insects.Wanda Meyers-Hines, Ridgecrest Elementary School, Huntsville, ALCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.