The Case of the Gasping Garbage
Meet Doyle and Fossey, science detectives, in their first lively collaboration, a series of four pithy science mysteries. Fifth grader Drake Doyle, scientific genius, and his nature-loving lab partner, Nell Fossey, take on four tough cases. There's the "huge-giant-bloodsucking-monster" in a classmate's garbage can, a save-the-frogs campaign, a truck wedged tight under a bridge, and the problem of who is sending love notes to soft-spoken fifth grader, Lilly Crump.
For each case, the two sleuths observe, formulate a hypothesis, analyze their data, and come up with a simple, elegant solution. At the back of the book is a stimulating series of easy-to-perform science experiments related to each story, including baking bread with yeast, sending an invisible message, and analyzing ink using chromatography. All of the books in the Doyle & Fossey Science Detectives series, including The Case of the Graveyard Ghost and The Case of the Mossy Lake Monster are easy to read independently for mystery and science fans, and perfect to read aloud a chapter at a sitting. Then delve into the related areas of science in the nonfiction section of your library. Look for the Dewey number 507, and you'll find books of science experiments.
Reviewed by : JF.
Themes : FRIENDSHIP. MYSTERY & DETECTIVE STORIES. SCIENCE & SCIENTISTS.
CRITICS HAVE SAID
- The first in a new series, this book will appeal to fans of short mysteries and kids with an interest in science experiments. Torrey’s style is light and funny, and the stories move at a rapid pace.
—School Library Journal
IF YOU LOVE THIS BOOK, THEN TRY:
Adler, David A. Eaton Stanley & the Mind Control Experiment. Dutton, 1985.
Cobb, Vicki, and Kathy Darling. We Dare You!: Hundreds of Science Bets, Challenges, and Experiments You Can Do at Home. Skyhorse, 2008.
Cox, Judy. That Crazy Eddie and the Science Project of Doom. Holiday House, 2006.
Dowell, Frances O’Roark. Phineas L. Macguire . . . Erupts!: The First Experiment. Atheneum, 2006.
Dowell, Frances O’Roark. Phineas L. MacGuire . . . Gets Slimed! Atheneum, 2007.
Gardiner, John Reynolds. Top Secret. Little, Brown, 1985.
Hopkins, Lee Bennett, comp. Spectacular Science: A Book of Poems. Simon & Schuster, 1999.
Kos, Amy Goldman. Where Fish Go in Winter and Other Great Mysteries. Dial, 2002.
Newcomb, Rain, and Bobby Mercer. Smash It! Crash It! Launch It!: 50 Mind-Blowing, Eye-Popping Science Experiments. Lark, 2006.
Ross, Michael Elsohn. What’s the Matter in Mr. Whisker’s Room? Candlewick, 2004.
Scieszka, Jon. Science Verse. Viking, 2004.
Shields, Carol Diggory. Brain Juice: Science, Fresh Squeezed! Handprint, 2003.
Simon, Seymour. The Wings of Darkness and Other Cases. Morrow, 1998. (And others in the Einstein Anderson, Science Detective series.)
Sobol, Donald J. Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective. Dutton, 1964.
Torrey, Michele. The Case of the Graveyard Ghost. Dutton, 2002.
Torrey, Michele. The Case of the Mossy Lake Monster. Dutton, 2002.