School Library Journal Starred Review (Mon May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

K-Gr 3Private investigator Al F. Bet relates a recent case historythe mysterious disappearance of Number 9. It all starts with Client Number 6, who comes into the office visibly agitated about Number 7. Has shady 7 committed a horrific crime? Are his own days "numbered"? In search of some leads, the PI heads to Café Uno, and after interviewing a series of suspects and witnesses and having a generous serving of pi, he adds up the evidence in page after page of math-related wordplay. The intrepid investigator ignores all negatives, solving the mystery of the missing number by searching the streets and questioning a collection of verbose cartoon personalities (created digitally with Photoshop, colored pencil, and watercolor) featured prominently on the page. Readers will enjoy finding all of the math references hidden in the text and the art. The dialogue will gain appreciative groans up to the final moment, when Al is ready to resume his letter cases, because "they're A-OK in his book." VERDICT An A-1 purchase for those who love plays on words, mysteries, and humorous tales.Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

ALA Booklist (Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

This witty riff on the hardboiled-detective genre, featuring a lively, anthropomorphized letter and number cast (including the narrator, gumshoe Private I) and nearly nonstop puns, makes for a fun and entertaining tale. All begins when terrified 6 bursts into Private I's office, claiming, "7 is coming to get me." With streetwise cool, Private I tells readers, "I knew about this 7 fella. He was odd." And, popping on a fedora, he promises to "get to the root of this," first talking to 8 (who, he notes, is "usually caught between 7 and 9") before questioning other witnesses, like B, the waitress at Café Uno (selling "Pi" for $3.14). Private I's account, rife with droll commentary and snappy dialogue is peppy, amusing reading, and Macdonald's animated illustrations, blending colored pencils, watercolors, and vintage typefaces, have 1940s-era retro flair, depicting the cartoon-ish characters with comically expressive faces and incorporating witty period details, such as rotary telephones and old-fashioned cars. Lazar's lively pace, sharp repartee, and abundant wordplay adds up to a tongue-in-cheek mystery perfect for the youngest amateur detectives.

Horn Book (Mon May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

A panicked numeral 6 visits gumshoe "Private I" after hearing that 7 ate 9: "Now he's after me." The laconic I responds that "technically, he's always after you" but nevertheless promises his aid. The number jokes and puns are chased relentlessly through the story, aided by pictures that humorously personify numerals and letters and place the action in the not-too-mean streets of an old-time big city.

Kirkus Reviews (Mon May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

Pun fun reigns over this fast-paced whodunit.Private I of the Al F. Bet agency is at his desk when a frantic 6 races in. 7 is "after me," declares the distressed numeral. Answers Private I: "Well, technically, he's always after you." The detective, narrating his caper noir-style, dons his fedora and follows the numbers. The case is solved when he upends the evidence and proclaims that 6 is really 9. This is followed by very humorous and slightly philosophical analysis of numerical significances. Is being in "seventh heaven" better than having "NINE lives!" or not? Lazar's text is straight out of the classic detective genre, as are MacDonald's illustrations, which are a mix of colored pencil, watercolor, and 19th-century wood type, all composed in Photoshop. The scenes are clearly set in an old-time Manhattan, with the office, streets, and harbor reimagining movie sets straight out of the 1930s and '40s, albeit colorized. The oversized letters and numerals all have very entertaining faces and tiny protruding arms and legs that convey constant movement. The name of the detective agency is an adventure in pronunciation. Is it the English word "alphabet" or the Hebrew words for alphabet: "alef bet"? Counting has never been so mysterious or so much fun. (Picture book. 4-7)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Lazar-s (Normal Norman) hardboiled mystery is narrated by Private I, a pink capital letter who wears a striped tie and fedora, and gestures with white-gloved cartoon hands. His client is an agitated green number 6: -Word on the street is that 7 ate 9! And now he-s after me!- -Stay here. I-ll get to the root of this,- says I. -I hope so,- responds 6. -I fear my days are numbered.- MacDonald-s (Henry-s Hand) nostalgic artwork fits the noirish setup to a T (so to speak), and his chunky letters and numbers, created using 19th-century wood type, make for an eye-catching and highly appealing cast. His city streets feature brick storefronts and aerodynamically contoured automobiles, and a slice of pi costs $3.14 at the local diner. The solution to the mystery is pretty clever, the pace is brisk, and the arithmetic jokes approach infinity (-I knew about this 7 fella,- muses I. -He was odd-). Lazar-s numbers game stands up to repeat readalouds, which allow readers to review each groaner of a pun. Ages 3-5. Author-s agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator-s agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (May)