The Case of the Stinky Stench

May 1, 2017
With a “horrible stench” assailing the fridge, the stars of Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast attempt to locate its source, assisting an eager sleuth, Inspector Croissant. Funk crafts his rhymes with care, and readers will giggle their way through this refrigerated fantasyland: “They started their search crossing Salsa Ravine,/ And lumbered through smog around Mount Everbean.” Kearney’s candy-colored cartoons are attuned to the book’s brand of culinary comedy, conjuring marshmallow vistas, a sludgy lake of chowder, and even a literal red herring on the way to a happy ending that doesn’t even require baking soda to solve. Ages 5–8. Author’s agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Hannah Whitty, Plum Pudding Illustration.

March 15, 2017
Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast return for another excursion through the hidden universe of the refrigerator. While the first book was all about competing, this title takes a U-turn and focuses on cooperation.Funk and Kearney have created a delicious treat by combining clever rhyming verse with captivating illustrations. Inspector Croissant, the nephew of Sir French Toast, arrives on the scene searching for the source of -nefarious odors- that are ruining whole shelves of food. The three companions follow clues across Salsa Ravine, around Mount Everbean, over Applesauce River to Corn Chowder Lake. Done in pencil and digital media, this visual smorgasbord creates bridges out of tacos and will have readers returning to closely inspect the edible landscape. Nutritionally, the doughnuts, candy, and marshmallows are offset by fruits and vegetables. With simple dots and dashes as features, most food items are enlivened with faces, populating every page with witnesses to the detective work. The confident storyline marries complex vocabulary with an easy syncopation and reaches a surprising level of drama when the stench is revealed. How will the edible residents of this icebox world punish the stinker? Inspector Croissant not only solves the mystery, but does a good deed, demonstrating compassion to his fellow foodstuffs. Crisp writing, engaging illustrations, and sweets--this is a recipe worth keeping. (Picture book. 4-8)

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