Pintonato, Camilla. Detective Mole. Camilla Pintonato, Illus. Picture Book. Translated from the Italian by Debbie Bibo. HarperCollins, 11/2021. [40]pp. $16.99. 978-0-06-305178-2. ADDITIONAL. GRADES K-2.
When Grandpa Squirrel goes missing, Mole, who has long dreamed of being a detective, offers to find Grandpa. However, as astute readers may quickly realize, Mole is not good at seeing clues. Photoshop digital illustrations clearly depict what Mole is good at (using his nose), what he is not (using his eyes), as well as all the other anthropomorphic animals portrayed with various types of clothing and occupations. Translated from the Italian, this story will have mystery-loving young readers happy to exclaim over what Mole is doing, or at least what he should be doing.
Joshua Rees, Daly City Public Library