Sue Morris

Themes: mystery, observations, detectives, humor Genre: Children’s Fiction Picture Book Synopsis: “Help Whobert Whover, Owl Detective, keep his woods safe in this hilarious who-who-dun-it. “What happened to Perry the Possum? Whobert Whover, Owl Detective, is on the case! Did Debbie the Duck whack Perry with her wicked wings? Or did Freddie the Frog soak Perry in his sickening slime? And what if the culprit is closer to home than Whobert expects?” [PUBLISHER WEBSITE] Opening: “Whobert Whover, Owl Detective, was on the lookout for his next case. He always tried to keep his neck of the woods safe.” Why I like this book: Whobert Whover, Owl Detective is Jason Gallaher’s debut children’s books. I love reading debut children’s books. Owls, known as wise, intelligent creatures, would make great detectives, but not Whobert Whover. Whobert misses clues right in front of his big bright eyes. A wise owl would consider an opossum’s fight or flight reaction: to fall over, stiffen, and play dead. Not Whobert. He looks for clues in, on, and around Perry, never noticing Perry’s changing facial expressions. He doesn’t notice Perry trying to slip away or the effect he has on Perry himself. Whobert makes bad remarks about his suspects. Whobert claims Debbie Duck “whacked” Perry with her “wicked wings,” and Freddie Frog “soaked” Perry with his “sickening slime.” I love author Gallaher’s use of alliteration. I also like his set up for the final two twists. I love the final accusation and denial, the twist, and where it all sends Whobert Whover. So will kids. Whobert Whover never quits. No matter the evidence, the missed clues, and the suspects’ denials Whobert never gives up. Persistence is a good quality. The illustrations make the story. Jess Pauwels did an excellent job with Perry. His sneak-peeks are hilarious. Pauwels brings Whobert to life adding humor in the little details. Readers will need to be observant to catch the details Pauwels added to her version of Whobert’s story. Being observant is a good skill to learn. Whobert Whover can help young readers hone their observation skills while they laugh at his goofy antics.