Detective Blue

Title: Detective Blue
Author: Steve Metzger
Illustrator: Tedd Arnold
Publisher: Orchard Books
Publication Date: July 1, 2011

I love books that take the nursery rhyme characters and re-mix them into a innovative new story, so much in fact that I hope that I will be able to do so successfully one day. 

Detective Blue explains the life of Little Boy Blue all grown up.  He's now a detective and he has a most difficult case to solve.  What happened to Miss Muffet?  She's missing! 

Detective Blue makes his way through the case and comic-book-style illustrations to discover something quite new about Miss Muffet that is sure to surprise all readers. What if she has a double identity?  Could you guess what other nursery rhyme character she might be? 

The only possible negative element about this tale is that some of the jokes are more aimed at an older age group, much like some the cartoons of today.  For example, Detective Blue refers to Humpty Dumpty as "a good egg."  Other than little things like this that young children might not pick up on, this is a fun read. 

Detective Blue has few words so it would also be great for older readers who might be struggling with reading.  It would be enough like a graphic novel or comic strip to keep their attention but still have simple words.

Make sure you pay attention to Tedd Arnold's illustrations, though!  There are many clues to the mystery hidden in them!

What is your favorite adaption of nursery rhymes? Why?