The Mystery of the Monkey's Maze (From the Casebook of Seymour Sleuth)
Kindergarten-Grade 4-Seymour Sleuth returns in another amusing adventure. Threats to a famous scientist seeking a rare plant lure the detective and his photographer sidekick to the wilds of Borneo. As in his previous outing, Seymour keeps a written account of his investigation in scrapbook style. Snapshotlike illustrations, ticket stubs, and mysterious notes share space with the sleuth's narrative, notes to himself, and occasional food spills and smudges. The text appears to be hand lettered, adding to the story's appeal and authenticity. It is nonethless easy to read with plenty of space between the lines. Cushman arranges his pages artfully, assuring that all the leads are clearly presented while the story flows smoothly around them. As before, Seymour's "Notes on the Clues" and "Notes on the Suspects" offer young readers the chance to sort out the puzzle for themselves. Humorous details abound, from Seymour's vaccination report to the characters' expressive names to the "hoof" prints taken after the culprit is unmasked. Once again, Cushman has created an entertaining story.Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PACopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.