Whobert Whover, Owl Detective

May 22, 2017
Why should adults get all the good unsolved mysteries? Debut author Gallaher’s pun-laden whodunit starts with a classic scene: Perry the Possum, “lying awfully still” on the forest floor. Whobert, a self-appointed and self-important detective (“He always tried to keep his neck of the woods safe”), doesn’t waste time with details like gathering evidence. He prefers to fling accusations around the forest with a piercing gaze and an accusingly pointed wing. “It was you! You whacked Perry with your wicked wings!” he tells a shocked duck, before moving on to a new suspect. Readers will note, however, that all of the animals seem to be trying to tell Whobert something, and that Perry is both very alive and very annoyed. Belgian artist Pauwel’s exaggerated drawings, the assured comic rhythms of the storytelling, and a facepalm-worthy ending (which turns on Whobert’s cluelessness and Perry’s characteristic possum behavior ) make this a satisfying and rousingly silly read-aloud. Ages 4–6. Author’s agent: Tricia Lawrence, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Alli Brydon, Bright Group.

May 1, 2017
An owl detective tries to discover exactly what happened to Perry the possum.Whobert likes to patrol the forest and keep it safe from danger. So when he sees Perry the possum lying on the ground, he knows something is amiss. "Poor Perry!" Whobert exclaims. "I will find out who, who done it!" He looks around and spots some feathery evidence. It must have been Debbie the duck! (Young sleuths will notice the feathers are red, like Whobert's, not blue, like Debbie's.) "It was YOU! You whacked Perry with your wicked wings!" Whobert declares. With a cleverly placed page turn and anticipated rhyme, Debbie pleads her innocence: "What a quack! It wasn't me, Whobert! It's true! Not guilty: you see, it was--" // "Who?" implores Whobert. Invoking every detective element from eyewitnesses to footprints, Whobert interrogates other forest residents. Each creature replies with the same refrain, leading readers to believe that the culprit just may be someone Whobert knows very well. Pauwels' digital forest scenes full of tiny onlookers such as bees, spiders, and worms complement Gallaher's witty wordplay. Readers unfamiliar with the idea of "playing possum" may not fully appreciate the joke--though Perry does explain his unique defense strategy so there is a teachable moment. A cracking whooooo-dunit. (Picture book. 3-6)

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October 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-Goofy, birdbrained owl Whobert Whover finds his friend Perry the possum on the ground and unresponsive, and he is determined to discover who is responsible. Gallaher's whodunit is full of puns and misunderstandings that might elicit some giggles from a storytime audience as they talk back to the befuddled detective. Alert readers will notice that each clue that Whobert comes upon is actually left by the detective himself, not the string of forest animals he wrongly accuses. Pauwels uses pencil, felt-tip pen, digital tools, and a bright palette. Her exasperated characters have comical expressions that tell the real story. The action is established on the title page; readers may want to go back to the beginning to search the cartoonish illustrations for more clues that Whobert missed. VERDICT Recommended for group and one-on-one sharing.-Jennifer Costa, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2017
Preschool-K Whobert the Owl fancies himself a detective, and when he spots Perry the Possum on his back, feet up, quite still, he knows he has his next case. First, clues! A handful of feathers makes Whobert point the finger at Debbie Duck, but Fish, Frog, and Beaver also come under suspicion. With all the detecting going on, Whobert doesn't notice that Perry is alive. Finally, the possum himself points the finger of guilt at the real culprit: Whobert! The owl's terrifying talons caused him to play dead, because that's what possums do. Little ones might not quite understand that concept (the word dead isn't mentioned until late), but they will roll with it because of the silly fun in both the text and art. Pauwels' loose-lined pictures feature characters that jump off the page. Kids will laugh at both Whobert's obtuseness and Perry's stealth maneuvers in the background. A little twist at the end puts a bow on the package.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)