elementary, my elementary grade readers

Young readers may not yet be ready for the stories of Sherlock Holmes, but they can jump right in on Sherlock Roach and the Case of the Crunchy Crumb. Sherlock and his assistant Dr. Wormston make sure that order is kept in Bugopolis. So when Ladybug Lucille shows up to report that someone has stolen her Crunchy Crumb right off the counter, and she wants the greatest detective in Bugopolis to solve the case for her.

Sherlock Roach and Dr. Wormston agree to take the case, and they start at the scene of the crime. There is a set of footprints in the flour, but Sherlock determines that those were Lucille’s. So they have to find someone who could get to the Crunchy Crumb without walking through the flour. Like Fast Eddie, the fly. Or Old Twitch, the cricket. Eddie could have just flown over and picked up the Crunchy Crumb, and Twitch could have hopped over the flour to get to it.

But as Sherlock Roach visited his suspects and asked them questions, he was able to eliminate them one by one. But who was left? As Sherlock used his antennae to pick up on clues no one else could, he slowly puts it all together, and he is finally ready to take down the true thief of the Crunchy Crumb.

Sherlock Roach and the Case of the Crunchy Crumb is an adorable take on the stories of Sherlock Holmes. There are facts about the different bugs at the end of the book, but they’re also woven into the story. The book is in the style of a graphic novel, so there are bold illustrations that help tell the story, along with dialogue and some exposition. It’s broken into chapters to make it easier for early readers, and each page is covered in bright, colorful art that drew me in.

I am not a huge fan of bugs, but I am a fan of Sherlock Roach. He’s smart and thoughtful, and he takes his cases seriously and investigates carefully and thoroughly. The format makes it easier to read for those who are challenged with usual chapter books or for younger readers who are ready for chapters. This is a fun introduction to more complicated stories, and perfect for bug fans.

Egalleys for Sherlock Roach and the Case of the Crunchy Crumb were provided by Simon Spotlight through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.