Review by Booklist Review
Mole is a talented chef with a secret dream of being a detective; he has a nose for details and knows what the job takes, thanks to his steady consumption of mystery novels. During a walk one day, he runs into a distraught squirrel whose grandfather is missing, and Mole knows his chance to investigate a case has finally come. Photoshop illustrations use paint and collage elements to charming effect and stand in humorous contrast to much of the text. You see, Mole is not a very good detective. As he moves assuredly through the different steps of the investigation, the illustrations show him missing clues, getting distracted, and solving the case purely by accident. Kids will get a kick out of the joke and enjoy seeing the details Pintonato incorporates into her artwork, including unique visual perspectives and endearing depictions of animal dwellings--from a cross section of Mole's burrow to a tree laden with bird houses. Partner this unlikely gumshoe with the likes of Jessica Olien's Shark Detective! (2015) and Meg McLaren's Pigeon P.I. (2017).
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A chef with a "great nose" that can "sniff out anything," Oscar the mole believes that he would make an excellent detective. He already has the requisite trench coat and deerstalker cap, and when an agitated forest squirrel gives a shout, announcing that their grandfather is missing, he swings into action. He has the squirrel describe Grandpa, and he makes a less than skillful drawing to show the forest inhabitants ("Is that an animal?" one of the group asks politely). But Detective Mole is undaunted as he proceeds to investigate the last place Grandpa was seen. "Did he say where he was going?" he asks officiously, surrounded by, but oblivious to, fishing paraphernalia. As Detective Mole continues to make a hash of things, Pintonato (Chickenology) drafts colorful digital artwork to accompany her tale, and her sense of humor loses nothing in Bibo's fine translation, allowing English speakers to enjoy this quiet rib-tickler of a detective yarn. Ages 4--8. (Nov.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--3--"Detective Mole, at your service!" Oscar is a chef by trade, but his biggest dream is solving mysteries as a detective. When the opportunity presents itself, Oscar jumps at the chance to become Detective Mole, and then takes readers along on his investigation. Emerging readers will rush to make sense of this screwy detective, who seems to focus only on the wrong clues versus the correct ones. Children will want to jump in with answers as the humorous story unfolds. VERDICT A funny tale that will propel children to turn pages with a delighted "What's next?"--Katherine Forsman
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Oscar the mole has a secret ambition--to become a detective. Oscar is a chef; but he reads mysteries and thrillers, and he has "a nose that knows" (he's sniffed out the secret ingredient in Aunt Mole's stink bug stew: earthworm). With his "eye for details" (questionable) and his deerstalker hat and trench coat, he knows he would make an excellent gumshoe. He just needs a case. When Grandpa Squirrel goes missing, Oscar is ready for action. He sketches a detailed (if, um, imprecise) picture of the subject and questions the forest dwellers. Then he investigates the crime scene and interrogates known criminals like the magpie. He knows not to fall for false leads. He gathers his evidence and tries to connect it. A walk to the lake might clear his mind…or put him where he needs to be to learn the most important quality of a true detective: being in the right place at the right time. Deftly translated from the Italian by Bibo, Pintonato's charming tale of a bumbling, want-to-be woodland detective is told in a mix of narration and speech bubbles. The sly cartoon illustrations of clothed creatures, created in Photoshop, provide much of the humor. Budding detectives will solve the case long before Oscar and catch the many crimes he misses. (This book was reviewed digitally.) The (ample) fun is in the details. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
