Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Lunchnapper, by Rick DeDonato | Book Review

The Children’s Book Review | February 16, 2017

Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Lunchnapper

Written by Rick DeDonato

Illustrated by Tracy Bishop

Age Range: 3-7

Hardcover: 40 pages

Publisher: Two Lions Publishing / Amazon

ISBN: 978-1503950610

What to expect: Nature, Adventure, Friendship

Pipsie and her turtle friend, Alfred, must finish their field trip scavenger hunt and find whoever stole their lunches!

Pipsie is a sweet little elementary-school detective with long dark braids and a turtle for a best friend. What child wouldn’t be enamored with her? On a field trip, Pipsie and Alfred the turtle are excited to hear about a special nature-themed scavenger hunt. It doesn’t bother her when a boy makes fun of her for having a turtle as a scavenger hunt partner, because she knows Alfred is a great friend. But they get more trouble than they bargained for as they set out when someone steals their delicious sack lunch! The search begins to find their sandwiches, as well as find all the clues on the scavenger hunt along the way. After all, there is a really cool prize for whoever photographs all of the items on the list. Luckily Pipsie’s detective skills save the day, and she discovers the lunch thief, as well as finds all of the scavenger hunt clues.

Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Lunchnapper is a great book with perfectly adorable illustrations and sweet narration. The story is intriguing without being too scary – no one gets lost or hurt, which I appreciated. I found all of the nature facts to be a fun surprise – my daughter loved to hear about what deer ate or how beavers made their homes. This book does a great job injecting facts into a storyline, making learning fun, while also touching on friendship and bravery. Pipsie holds her head high and defends her friend the turtle, doing what she knew to be right. A brave little girl! I look forward to reading more Pipsie adventures with my daughter in the future. Highly recommended.

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About Rick DeDonato

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. He is the author of Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar, illustrated by Tracy Bishop. When he’s not dreaming up new 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.

About Tracy Bishop

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 of Not the Quitting Kind by Sarra J. Roth and Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar by Rick DeDonato. She lives in San Jose, California, where she is inspired on a daily basis by her son, husband, and a hairy dog named Harry.

Take a peek inside Tracy Bishop’s studio »

Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Lunchnapper, by Rick DeDonato and Tracy Bishop, was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like The Environmental Pack: Little Reader Series by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Adventure, Backyard Books, Friendship, Nature Studies, Pipsie Nature Detective Series, and Rick DeDonato.