In rollicking, rhythmic verses and energetic, detailed illustrations, Donaldson and Ogilvie tell the charming story of Nel, a dog with a nose for detective work. Her boy, Peter, has a penchant for losing things, but reliable Nel can always track them down. All that finding is great practice for the tragic day she and Peter go to school, only to discover that the class' beloved library is gone! Naturally, Nel is on the case, and with a whiff of the culprit's hat, she leads the class and their teacher in search of the thief. Ogilvie's bright, richly textured artwork, rendered in sketchy, dynamic lines and boldly colored washes, is jam-packed with eye-catching detail, from the dejected slump of the woebegone teacher's shoulders to the menagerie of animals (and some high jinks) as the class zips through the zoo. The lively, cheerful artwork is the perfect match for Donaldson's bouncy lines, which are ideal for reading aloud. That, along with the breezy resolution in a library, makes this a top-notch pick for group storytimes.

When the books in Peter's classroom go missing, his dog, "Detective Dog Nell," is on the case. The well-meaning "book thief" simply needed an introduction to the library. With peppy rhyming text (including some wording that reflects the book's UK origins), this action-packed story, illustrated with humorous, colorful vignettes and spreads, is a satisfying celebration of reading, perfect for storytime.

A talented dog named Nell uses her acute sense of smell to solve mysteries in her neighborhood, including the complete disappearance of a classroom library.Rollicking, rhyming text describes Nell's successes at solving little puzzles and finding missing items for her owner, a 6-year-old boy named Peter. Detective Dog Nell accompanies Peter to school each Monday, where she listens to children read stories from their well-stocked library shelves. One Monday, the books are all missing from the shelves, and the students and teacher are despondent. Nell leads the class of children and their teacher, Mr. Jones, on a search to find the books, which have been stolen by a (nonscary) giant named Ted. Then ever resourceful Nell leads the group to the library, where Ted gets his own library card so he can read books as much as he likes. Donaldson's pitch-perfect text effectively uses humorous twists and rich vocabulary as well as a fine sense of melodramatic pacing. Bold watercolor-and-pencil illustrations give all the characters distinct personalities and plant funny details to spot in the busy double-page spreads. Some of the townspeople have brown skin, as do two students in Peter's class; the other characters, including Peter, Ted, and Mr. Jones, seem to be white. A male primary school teacher and a female canine title character are welcome representations countering stereotypes, especially dog protagonists who default to male.Detective Dog Nell is quite a satisfactory sleuth. Surely she has more cases to solve? (Picture book. 3-7)

A canine with a sophisticated olfactory sense saves the day in this sprightly tale showcasing Donaldson-s (Zog and the Flying Doctors) finesse with rhythm and rhyming-and knack for delivering a message with humor. Nell spends most days sniffing out her master Peter-s misplaced belongings and solving other conundrums. But on Mondays, she accompanies Peter to school, where students read her stories, and she savors her favorite smell: the aroma of books. Nell-s sleuthing skills-and vibrant, detail-jammed pictures from Ogilvie (Izzy Gizmo)-kick into high gear when the classroom books disappear. Following the scent of the culprit-s left-behind cap, Nell leads the way through a bustling town, with the kids and their teacher in dogged pursuit, to a book-filled backyard. There, a benign-looking fellow sporting a mop of red hair and an argyle sweater vest tearfully confesses: -Stealing is wrong-but I just meant to borrow./ I was planning to give all the books back tomorrow.- Nell perks up at the word -borrow,- and dashes off again, leading the gang to the library, where the reformed thief gets his first library card. A lyrical and visually energized celebration of books and reading. Ages 3-6. Author-s agency: Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency. Illustrator-s agency: NB Illustration. (May)

K-Gr 2 Detective Dog Nell is always hot on a casejust how did that spider get into the bath, after all? Using her superpowers of smell, Nell is used to solving cases and saving the day with her human, six-year-old Peter. When she isn't on the job, the canine snoop goes to school with Peter and contentedly listens to the children reading stories aloud. But one day, Nell and Peter arrive at school only to find all the books are gone! The intrepid dog sets out to apprehend the book thief and save the day. The vibrant, rhyming narrative is paired with expressive, colorful illustrations. VERDICT A fun, engaging read-aloud choice to share with book lovers. Amanda C. Buschmann, Carroll Elementary School, Houston