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Big Hairy Drama

by Aaron Reynolds
128p. 978-0-80508-243-2.
COPY ISBN
Gr 3—5—Entomology and comics come together in this entertaining mystery. Capitalizing on the success of Joey Fly, Private Eye in Creepy Crawly Crime (Holt, 2009), Reynolds and Numberman have created another case for the hard-boiled private investigator. Tarantula Harry Spyderson reports that butterfly Greta Divawing, star of his Scarab Beetle Theater, is missing. Joey proceeds to round up the suspects, including understudy moth Trixie Featherfeelers. "She was playing a small part in the production. But as they say in showbiz, there are no small parts, only small insects." Rapid-fire puns will keep young readers chuckling. Sammy Stingtail, the scorpion with a rear end that takes up an entire zip code is the bumbling sidekick, unable to piece together the evidence. However, readers with an understanding of insect behavior will deduce what has happened to the leading lady and will enjoy following the clues that reveal her location. An abundance of interesting information on the world of insects and arthropods finds its way into this ever-clever, always-engaging tale. Nice visual foreshadowing gives attentive readers the information that they will need to help Joey solve the case. Illustrations are playful, and nicely suit the atmosphere of the story. The use of alternating monochromatic panels to signal a change of scene is excellent. A find-the-character quiz on the last page will send readers back to the story, searching again for clues.—Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY
In his second graphic novel, private investigator Joey Fly looks into another crime in the "bug city." Butterfly actress Greta Divawing has disappeared on the eve of her opening-night performance of Bugliacci; the suspects are other members of the cast. Varied cartoon-panel illustrations feature details of bug life that add interest and humor to the mystery.
A well-plotted and engaging story with plenty of appeal. Readers will enjoy the film noir spoof and all the bug-related jokes (“I put on a strong front . . . but inside I was quaking in my exoskeleton.”). Neil Numberman’s moody monochromatic illustrations—alternating tones of sepia, blue, purple, green, and red—invite poring over. A spot-the-insect-character list at the end of the book sends readers back through the pages for additional fun (answers are provided on the copyright page). This graphic-novel mystery will delight fans of Creepy Crawly Crime but also functions effectively as a stand-alone title.

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