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Publisher - Clarion Books
Ages 4-9
“This is good clownish fun, and
the rough-and-tumble art keeps the farce bubbling.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Gold Best Book Award—Oppenheim
Toy Portfolio
One of Smithsonian’s ‘Notable Books for
Children—2002
Other books about mysteries & magic...
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| The Story: |
Whenever there's trouble on Detective Doggedly's beat, that low-down,
no-good, chicken chasing, pig-poaching Big Bad Wolf is always the
prime suspect. But when the three little pigs' house is huffed
and puffed into a pile of straw and only a sheep named Esmeralda
is found at the scene of the crime, Doggedly has a new mystery
to solve: Where's the Big Bad Wolf?
With the help of some wise, elderly cows, Doggedly sniffs out
the clues. But can he catch the culprit before the three little
pigs are gobbled up?
This is a new wrinkle on a classic tale!
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| Where did you get the idea?: |
This is another book inspired by a story I read in a newspaper!
Each year, the town of Brattleboro, Vermont has a mock trial in
the courthouse. Each year a fairy tale character is put on trail.
One year it might be the big bad wolf. Another year it might be
Goldilocks. Local students take part as lawyers, jurors, and defendants.
I decided to tell the story of the trial of the big bad wolf. But
as I wrote, I realized that the story of a trial is all talk and
no action. Picturebooks need action! So, my story became a mystery.
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| Tidbits: |
Detective Doggedly has the same markings as my dog, Emma. But they
don't have the same personality. I think Emma would have figured
out what was going on long before Doggedly did!
My first draft of this story was 4,000 words-way too long! I had
to cut out almost 3,000 words and several characters. A chicken,
the big Bad Wolf's mother and the mother of the 3 little pigs all
had to go.
The illustrations:
The line is drawn with a Hunt's 'school house' pen point dipped into black
Calli ink. I photocopied the line onto Whatman 90 lb cold press watercolor
paper. I painted the illustrations with Holbein acrylic gouache.
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| Other
Books About Mysteries & Magic: |
(The following books are out-of-print but, may still be available
at your local library.)
- Glenda Feathers Casts a Spell
- Gertrude, the Bulldog Detective
- Olive and the Magic Hat
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