Giant, genial plants and bugs make up Poppy's garden neighborhood, where she lives in a hollowed-out-pumpkin house. Walking through the rows one day, she and her friend, Sam (a panda in a jaunty red kerchief), hear a wailing basil plant and rush toward the herb, who's bemoaning the fact that someone nibbled her leaves in the night. Poppy and Sam are on the case, doing some classic investigations, which lead them in circles, before they settle on trying to trap the culprit red-handed. Cathon's friendly, colorful artwork, rendered in warm, natural tones with lots of textural shading, has an Alice in Wonderland look to it ants and bugs have expressive cartoon faces and tower over tiny, brown-skinned Poppy d the gentle fantasy of the location carries through to the plot, which has the pleasant sort of logic of a child's game. The episodic narrative breaks it down into easily digestible chunks, and the large panels, clearly drawn action, and ample white space around the words make this particularly well suited to newly independent readers.

Translated from French, this graphic novel for newly independent readers features tiny human Poppy and tiny panda Sam, who live together in a hollowed-out pumpkin in a garden of anthropomorphized plants and flowers. Their solution to the mystery of Basil's leaf nibbler also communicates a lesson in consent ("Everything tastes better when it's freely offered"). The book achieves accessibility through cute illustrations, large panels, and clear text.

A tiny girl and her miniature panda companion solve a mystery and help their plant and insect friends.Poppy is a small girl who lives inside a hollow pumpkin set in a pumpkin patch. Her panda friend, Sam, who acts like a child or younger sibling, helps her tend her garden. One day, they hear yelling nearby and run to find the cause. It's Basil: Someone bit their leaves while they slept and they and the other plants are outraged. Poppy promises to help find the culprit. When interviews with Ms. Honeybee, Ladybug, and Mr. Bumblebee result in conflicting accusations, they make another plan to catch the thief. After two more failed attempts, Poppy finally figures out a clever way to find the nibbler. The thief apologizes and discovers that Basil is more than willing to share a leaf or two: "You only have to ask." The simple, clean drawings are colored in natural tones, and the panels resemble comic art, varying in size to complement action and drama. Poppy may be curiously small, but she is resourceful and smart. With a dark beige skin tone and straight, black hair in a topknot, she is ethnically ambiguous; that she is a clever girl of color will appeal to many readers. The plant and animal friends are as adorable as Poppy and Sam, and there are clever surprises to discover on several pages. An appealing whodunit about friendship and community, great for fans of comics. (Graphic mystery. 4-8)

K-Gr 2 This graphic novel for young readers centers on two tiny friends, Poppy, a young girl, and Sam, a miniature panda, who live in a beautiful garden where they make homes out of hollowed-out pumpkins and gourds. When their pal Basil, a plant, finds that his leaves have been nibbled overnight, Poppy and Sam interview the insects, stake out the garden, and even set a trap, but are unable to solve the mystery. As a last resort, they rub a bar of soap all over Basil's leaves and stem and wait for a trail of bubbles to lead them to their suspect. Adorable cartoon illustrations feature lovely details. The plants all have faces, and the busy activity of side characters adds to the fun: a sneaky ant walks off with Sam's sandwich; the worms smooch in the background in another panel. Confident, creative, and compassionate, Poppy leaps into action and thinks on her feet. The setting is enchanting and the resolution delightful. Children will build reading skills, and they'll soon be asking for the next Poppy and Sam story. VERDICT Highly recommended for most graphic novel collections. Samantha Lumetta, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County