Farm Crimes!: Cracking the Case of the Missing Egg

The animals at the farm were doing what they normally do on any given day. Pig was strumming a song on the guitar, dog was sleeping, sheep was feeding the ducks, and raccoon was making a grocery list.

All of a sudden, hen came out of the barn shouting that her egg was missing, accusing her friends of taking it.

This looks like a job for the inspector!

Inspector Billiam Van Hoof, World’s #1 Goat Detective, appeared on the scene with his detective tools, asking questions to determine who would want to steal a hen’s egg. With assigned tasks, the animals went to look for clues, discovering a straw scattered barn, a cat that scratched his back with straw, a broken eggshell, a feather, and tiny footprints.

The Inspector concluded:

There was only one possible answer

We are dealing with a very strange creature

One with little feathers and covered in straw

It has oddly small feet and nothing in its belly….

Then suddenly:

Peep! Peep! Peep!

Who is it?

It’s your egg the animals said in unison!

Farm Crimes!: Cracking the Case of the Missing Egg is a fun read. Characters are extremely likeable and uncomplicated, leading pleasant lives, exemplifying cohesiveness and friendliness towards one another when banding together to solve the mystery of the missing egg. A definite standout is Inspector Billiam Van Hoof who is like the hilarious Inspector Jacques Clouseau of the “Pink Panther” movie series – goofy, bumbling, yet endearing – and he is certainly not comparable to the methodical and disciplined detectives seen in children’s books such as the Encyclopedia Brown or Nate the Great series. Nevertheless, it would not be lost on readers that Inspector Billiam Van Hoof is the world’s top and only “goat detective.”

The plot is easy to follow in general, but it is helped along by the layout of three to four panels of action and dialogue outlined in white on most pages. Illustrations, speech balloons, and thought bubbles are clearly visible and prominent against the coloured backgrounds. Noteworthy are the human-like qualities of the animals as evidenced by their standing position, clothes, and actions. While the drawings are relatively simple, there is just the right amount of detail to make things fun and interesting, from the map of the farm, knitting needles in the sheep’s hooves, and facts written in point form within Inspector Billiam Van Hoof’s notebook.

Children are sure to enjoy this entertaining story while, at the same time, learning a little about problem solving and collaboration.