Detective Duck: The Case of the Missing Tadpole

Gr 2-4–Detective Duck is back and Franny the Frog is frantic; her son, Tad the Tadpole, has gone missing. The ducky sleuth immediately sees Franny’s problem and sets about solving it. She organizes the citizens of Dogwood Pond into a search party; two members, Beaver McBeaver and Harry the catfish, begin their search along the rim of the far side of the pond. They quickly uncover more problems than the missing Tad. They have trouble seeing in the murky brown water spilling out of a big metal pipe. Algae plants that have taken on a weird blue-green color are much thicker, making it harder to breathe. Gradually, a pond that has always felt safe is becoming dangerous, and there’s still no sign of Tad. This second book in the “Detective Duck” series is perfect for young fans of read-aloud chapter books. Detailed, colorful artwork, drawn by Caldecott Award–winning illustrator Santat, brings Winkler and Oliver’s story of perseverance and conservation to life. This is a message story, but it has plenty of spirit and character and offers readers a well-paced adventure that ends with, in the words of Detective Duck, “Poof! Problem solved!”