Reviewed by Janelle Alex, Ph.D. for Readers' Favorite

From the moment I saw the cover of The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake: A Wilcox and Griswold Mystery, I was intrigued. Author Robin Newman and illustrator Deborah Zemke have done a fantastic job at grabbing your attention from the get go. Not only do the first few lines make it quite clear that you and/or your child will get to step into a detective story and wade through the clues right along with the cute animal characters, but the adorable imagery adds so much to the book. The book starts off with a welcome letter from the main character, Detective Wilcox. Then you move into the story and discover more than a mystery to solve. You and your child will discover opportunities that will inspire giggles. "Traffic was light - only a couple of chickens crossing the road," brought a giggle and a smile from my son immediately. Then, following the detective and his captain on their search for clues gives readers a chance to help figure out the mystery of the missing cake.

Newman's story, The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake, isn't missing anything. It is well-written and keeps young readers entertained through humorous story telling and colorful pictures on page after page, chapter after chapter. There is an added bonus with the compassion Hot Dog expresses for Miss Rabbit and her missing cake. Through Hot Dog, Newman shows how wonderful friends can take care of one another without expecting anything in return - even placing themselves at risk occasionally. To top all of this off, there are really cool pieces in the back of the book such as the evidence file that shares bio information on the author and the illustrator in true detective fashion and a recipe for carrot cake. Loved, loved, loved this entertaining story for young children!