These three titles feature lovable, quirky animal sleuths solving wacky mysteries and getting into plenty of high jinks along the way.

Chen,Li. Detective Beans: and the Case of the Missing Hat. illus. by Li Chen. 208p. (Detective Beans: Bk. 1). Andrews McMeel. Oct. 2024. Tr $21.99. ISBN 9781524895167.
Gr 1-4–Detective Beans (known as Jellybean by his mom) can solve any crime—as long as he makes it home in time for dinner. When Beans’s favorite hat goes missing, he knows he’s the cat to find it, for as he says, “I can’t go detecting without my hat! It’s unprofessional!” And so begins a wild chase that leads him to a wise and wacky bird, who ominously tells him, “The wind giveth and the wind taketh away,” a pair of twin kittens searching for their own pair of matching hats, a magician with a magic hat, a jazz club with a diva hiding a secret behind a hat, a restaurant that serves food in hats, and much more. As Detective Beans encounters each quirky character, he gathers clues and learns that the same hat can mean something different for everyone who dons it. The book is fast-paced and exciting, with a delightful surprise at the end. The dialogue and illustrations pay tribute to the hardboiled detective stories of the 1930s and 1940s, which children won’t know but still enjoy here. The artwork depicts adorable animals against sharp, bright backgrounds. VERDICT For readers who love their mysteries with a side of cute, this title is a must-read and would make a great addition to any library serving elementary school students.–Amy Ribakove

Preusser, Heather. Hedgehog Whodunit. illus. by Gal Weizman. 96p. Andrews McMeel. Oct. 2024. pap. $10.99. ISBN 9781524882525.
Gr 1-4–Hitch the detective hedgehog is getting ready for a nap when his sidekick Vinnie, a rat, lets him know a crime was committed in their zoo. The panda is missing from his enclosure, and someone has gone around the zoo changing the signs: “Please don’t feed the panda” has become “Please free the panda.” Hitch sets out to solve the case with the humorous, hungry Vinnie. The pair follow clues and interrogate the other animals in the zoo. These conversations with the other animals are witty and filled with puns. Each chapter contains abundant black-and-white illustrations correlating to the storyline. Grizzled, grumpy Hitch is complemented by lovable, fun Vinnie who eats absolutely anything. The story, writing, and plot is not always cohesive; some transitions are bumpy. In many scenes, they are discussing the case, then Vinnie is abruptly talking about food he wants to eat and at times eating the evidence. VERDICT Many children enjoy books that involve silliness, puns, and poop, and this book will meet that need. A solid additional purchase.–Annmarie Braithwaite

Winkler, Henry & Lin Oliver. Detective Duck: The Case of the Missing Tadpole. illus. by Dan Santat. 80p. (Detective Duck: Bk. 2). Abrams/Amulet. Oct. 2024. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9781419766817.
Gr 2-4–Detective Duck is back on the case! 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!” VERDICT This entertaining sequel is recommended for chapter book read-alouds, and for those who appreciate children’s stories that carry a gentle message of environmental awareness.–Cheryl Blevens