Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar | Book Spotlight

The Children’s Book Review | March 30, 2015

Age Range: 5-8

About the Book

Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar

By Rick DeDonato; illustrated by Tracy Bishop

Publisher’s Synopsis: Pipsie loves everything wild—from dragonflies to oceans to tall, tall trees. She also loves solving mysteries. That’s why she’s a nature detective! When she and her turtle, Alfred, notice that their new friend, Frannie the caterpillar, has vanished, Pipsie is on the case. She grabs her magnifying glass, goes to her tree-house headquarters, and begins to search for clues. It’s time to make this mystery history!

Bursting with personality, this engaging story introduces a spunky new girl detective, a scooter-driving turtle who loves to eat, and a string of simple scientific clues that will keep kids turning the pages until the mystery is solved. Two pages of nature fun facts at the end of the story offer even more information for young nature detectives.

Ages 5-8 | Publisher: Two Lions | 2015 | ISBN-13: 978-1477826300

Available Here: 

Fun Stuff

Check out PipsieNatureDetective.com for games and coloring, fun facts, more details about Pipsie and her friends, and info about the author and illustrator. There’s also a link to Alfred Z. Turtle’s blog!

About the Author

Rick DeDonato started writing and drawing storybooks for his two kids, Alexis and Matt, when they were little. They’re grown now, but Rick is still creating stories! When he’s not dreaming up adventures for Pipsie, he’s an award-winning creative director in advertising. Born in New Jersey, he now lives in Wilmington, Delaware, with Nancy McAleer; their two dogs, Tugger and Nacho; and their turtle, Alfred E. Turtle!

Learn more about the inspiration behind Pipsie, Nature Detective in this exclusive article by Rick DeDonato.

About the Illustrator

Tracy Bishop won an art contest in kindergarten, and she’s been creating art ever since. A graduate of San Jose State University, she is also the illustrator ofNot the Quitting Kind by Sarra J. Roth. She lives in San Jose, California, where she is inspired on a daily basis by her son, husband, and a hairy dog named Harry.