As the sun begins to set, Wallace and Grace of the Night Owl Detective Agency awaken to a brand-new mystery. A distraught rabbit is convinced a ghost is haunting his favorite vegetable patch, and he needs someone to banish it. Though the prospect of facing a ghost is scary, Wallace and Grace investigate and gather clues, eventually discovering that the garden specter is far from frightening. Part of the Read & Bloom line of early chapter books, this gentle mystery supports newly independent readers, with short sentences, repetition, in-text definitions, and color illustrations. Bubbly Grace and keen-eyed Wallace make an ace detective team who ably demonstrate the value of teamwork and friendship. This first series installment publishes simultaneously with their second case, Wallace and Grace and the Cupcake Caper.

A new chapter-book series for young mystery fans kicks off.Wallace and Grace are partners in the Night Owl Detective Agency. Wallace is a fairly typical brown owl, but Grace is adorned with a shiny gold necklace and a red-and-white bow. "Grace liked to use big words." Her vocabulary is extensive, including "quandary," "investigate," and "courageous," and is explained in the text. Occasional puns may make adults groan, but kids will laugh: "Wallace and Grace always found out whooo-done-it!" Their first case involves Edgar the rabbit. He sees a ghost who makes spooky noises in the garden. The owls listen to his description, make notes, and hold a brief conference to decide whether to take the case. The two use their owlish abilities, things that Edgar can't do, like spying things in the distance and twisting their heads around to look in both directions. They soon realize that the ghost is a sheet from the clothesline, stolen by Mother Cat to "keep her kittens cozy," and the spooky noise is the mewing of the kittens. The mystery is simple, and the male and female partners invite interest across a broad readership. The language is accessible, and full-color cartoonish illustrations, created with pencil and Photoshop (a mix of whole-page and smaller vignettes), throughout the book are a change from many black-and-white chapter books. Nick and Nora they're not, but Wallace and Grace are a good team for the younger set. (Mystery. 6-8)

As partners in the Night Owl Detective Agency, owls Wallace and Grace always find out -whooo-done-it!- in this first book in an early chapter book series, part of the Read & Bloom line. With no case to crack when night falls, the friends decide to play hide-and-seek instead; while doing so, they run into their rabbit pal, Edgar, who asks them to chase away the ghost that-s haunting his favorite kale patch. The owls think they have the case cracked when they discover a bed sheet missing from a clothesline but are forced to reconsider. -A bedsheet making spooky noises does not make sense,- notes Wallace. -Case not closed,- Grace concurs. Alexander (the Amazing Stardust Friends series) sets the light, brisk-moving mystery over four chapters, and her ghost story ends with an -aww- rather than a -boo.- Zarrin-s cozy color artwork and Alexander-s chirpy narrative energize a story that highlights the rewards of mutual respect, collaboration, and friendship. The sleuths are back on the job in Wallace and Grace and the Cupcake Caper, available simultaneously. Ages 5-7. (May)