Detective Beans: Adventures in Cat Town by Li Chen

Who's ready for a cute mystery? I know I am! Today's read will, hopefully, be an adorable adventure, which gives a fun twist on detectives and cats. At least, those are the vibes I'm getting from this cover and the blurb. There are already two books in this collection, and I'm pretty sure these are stand-alones, since there doesn't seem to be a specified order to them (no 1 or 2 anywhere to be seen).

Plus, these are cats. So, cat lovers are sure to smile, right? Let's just dive into this graphic novel for beginning readers and see what it holds.

DETECTIVE BEANS:

Adventures in Cat Town

by Li Chen

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Children's Mystery

Graphic Novel

208 pages

ages 6 to 9

COMING...

SEPTEMBER 9th!!!

The world's cutest cat detective is back on the case in this indie bestselling series. Li Chen's newest Detective Beans adventures are a must-read for anyone who loves mystery stories, cute animals, and hilarious original storytelling.

Detective Beans is back on the case! In this series of mysteries and adventures, the world's cutest cat detective comes to the aid of her fellow villagers, searching for a cooky thief (with surprising results!), aiding a deceptive duck in the recovery of lost goods, and even doing his best to help a confused bear prove that the moon is made of cheese. In addition to these small capers, Adventures in Cat Town features behind-the-scenes footage of the crime-solving documentary directed by Beans best friend, Biscuits, as well as comics, stories, and even horoscopes illustrated by Beans himself. Called a "must-read" by School Library Journal and "absurdly funny and clever" by Kirkus, it's no mystery why this new series is such a hit!

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Small capers and adventures pack these pages to keep boredom far away.

When I saw the length of this book and the intended audience age group, I wondered if it might be a bit on the heavy side, but it's a smorgasbord of short adventures, which can be read in any order with as many pauses in between as desired. There are thirty-three short stories, each one around 3 to 6 pages. These are lined out in the Table of Contents at the beginning of the book to make it easy to find favorites or jump back in where readers left off. While the overall theme sticks with Detective Beans' mystery solving skills, some of the stories head in other directions, too, such as a day at the beach. The variety keeps monotony far away and lets readers really get to know Detective Beans well...and he is a kitten with tons of energy and ideas.

While there is mystery involved and clue-sleuthing goodness, it always stays very age appropriate. From following a ketchup trail to helping an elderly cat find her missing bag, there's a large range of cases for Detective Beans to solve. Many of the tales end with an interesting twist of humor, which is sure to bring a smile or two. There's also friendship goodness and family warmth as well. But then, everyone in Cat Town seems to be kind...even if a bit odd like the ice cream cat.

The illustrations are bright and hold details to draw in. The bring the situations to life, while the text lets the stories flow. Readers, who are sure of their words but not ready for larger reads or tons of words in one go, will feel at home in these pages. It works the word skills a bit but never pushes too hard, either. The shortness of the tales makes it nice for reluctant readers or those with shorter attention spans.

At the very end of the book there's a word search, crossword puzzle, and humorous horoscope for a last dab of fun. It's an entertaining read with a very adorable main character and constant dabs of sweet humor. It's sure to be enjoyed by more than just mystery fans. 

And here she is...

Li Chen is the creator of the internationally popular ExtraOrdinary Comics. She lives in New Zealand.