Illustrated in full color and packed with character and humor, this is the fifth whodunnit mystery in the awardwinning Detective Gordon series, fun to read alone or aloud.

A Case with a Bang is the final book in the series of funny detective stories for early readers set in a friendly forest in which two determinedly fair police-retired-toad Gordon and the indefatigable mouse Buffy-solve the mystery and stop regularly to eat cake.

Night brings a horrible humming, scraping sound in the forest. Someone has wrecked the badger's trash can. Later, three large creatures are spotted up on the mountain.

Detective Buffy discovers this seemingly small case really is a dangerous mystery-she comes back from her first investigation flat as a gingerbread, rolled over by something huge and terrifying.

Back at the station, retired Detective Gordon is training a new young police assistant, and the cakes have run out in the forest bakery!

While all the animals cower at the police station, Buffy remembers Gordon's stories about trolls. Is it possible they do exist? Taking Gordon's advice about how everyone thinks differently, she finds a way to communicate with the giant creatures-perhaps not so terrifying after all.

The book leaves readers with a memorable Gordon message: Everyone thinks differently, strangers are welcome, cakes for everybody!

This final instalment in the awardwinning Detective Gordon series is a multi-layered philosophical story about good detective work involving all, kindness to newcomers and doing the right thing.

Winner of multiple awards and accolades, Detective Gordon is a mystery series with depth-perfect for reading alone for emerging readers, wonderful for reading aloud together as a chapter book.

Translated from the Swedish edition by Julia Marshall.

"Ulf Nilsson's stories are at the heart of Gecko Press and here we have the final book in one of my most-loved series by a great storyteller and wonderful personality." Julia Marshall, Publisher

About the Author

Ulf Nilsson (1948-2021) was a celebrated Swedish children's writer, who wrote more than 100 books for all ages. He is the winner of numerous awards including the August Prize, the Astrid Lindgren Prize and the Swedish Academy's Children's Book Prize. His books have been translated into over a dozen languages and made into feature films, opera, radio, plays and other forms - even postage stamps.

Gitte Spee moved to the Netherlands from Indonesia at the age of 11. She graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, a renowned academy of fine art and design in Amsterdam, and St Martins School of Art in London. A leading children's book illustrator, she has also written numerous books, published and translated around the world.

Reviews

"Just as charming, gentle, wry, and entertaining as the rest of the series and anything that was created by A.A. Milne or Kenneth Grahame."

-- Kirkus Reviews

"A warm-hearted tale that readers will want to immerse themselves in. Instant classics, this series would make for perfect classroom read-alouds and a just-right match for chapter book readers."

-- School Library Journal

"Nilsson excels at writing imaginative, gently amusing adventures, laced with unpretentious bits of wisdom."

-- Booklist, US

"Full of humour, wit and a dash of philosophical whimsy...once you've read one you'll want to devour them all!"

-- Readings, Australia

"Simple, colorful illustrations are adorable, the creatures and their evident emotions are captivating."

-- Youth Services Book Review, US

"another multi-layered, fun tale with lovely watercolour illustrations...a great start for kids stepping up to beginner chapter books."

-- The Spinoff, New Zealand



Book Information
ISBN 9781776574889
Author Ulf Nilsson
Format Paperback
Page Count 116
Imprint Gecko Press
Publisher Gecko Press