Cock Robin's death can't be ignored by the town of Saddleboro, because it means that something is drastically wrong with the town's ecology. Tony Isidoro threads his way through a maze of clues: Among other things, the town park is overrun with trillions of ants; nights are quiet because there are no frogs singing; the nearby river contains a dangerous amount of an unknown chemical; and the town dump is emitting strange fumes. What does it all add up to? It's a mystery all right, and it's up to Tony to figure out who really killed Cock Robin.
With an intriguing mystery, a timely message about protecting the environment, and Jean Craighead George's award-winning, accessible writing, Who Really Killed Cock Robin is the perfect eco mystery kids--and educators--are sure to love.
Citizens of Saddleboro are mourning the mysterious death of their beloved mascot, Cock Robin. Tony suspects there's more to the story than people assume.
The truth must be hidden in the clues: The town park is overrun with trillions of ants; nights are quiet because the frogs stopped singing; the nearby river contains a dangerous amount of an unknown chemical; and the town dump is emitting strange fumes.
What does it all add up to? There's a story here, and it's up to Tony to figure out who really killed Cock Robin.
"The tone of the whole adventure is buoyant, and the ecological complexities that constitute its theme are so neatly reflected in the plot that the scientific search for Cock Robin's murderer has an edge-of-the-chair excitement." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Jean Craighead George wrote over one hundred books for children and young adults. Her novel Julie of the Wolves won the Newbery Medal in 1973, and she received a 1960 Newbery Honor for My Side of the Mountain. Born into a family of famous naturalists, Jean spent her entire career writing books that celebrated the natural world.
Target age: 8 to 12
HarperCollins
Pub Date: July 2, 2019
0.48" H x 7.7" L x 5.24" W
208 pages
Paperback