A Mountain of a Problem

by Ashlyn Anstee

Overview

Mystery-solving duo Shelby & Watts are back on the trail! They're saving the environment, one case at a time.

Violet the bear has awoken early from her hibernation, but she doesn’t know why. She’s called on Shelby & Watts to solve the case before her son, Theodore, is roused from his hibernation, too. With Shelby’s deductive skills and Watts’s scientific know-how, they’ll leave no stone unturned or question unanswered.

In this follow-up to Tide Pool Troubles, our two environmental detectives uncover the larger issue underlying Violet's early start to spring: climate change. With accessible language and tips for what readers can do in the face of environmental change, this is a gentle introduction to one of today's most pressing issues.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593464113
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	02/22/2022
Series:	Shelby & Watts , #2
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	28 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Ashlyn Anstee grew up in a rainy city in Canada and then settled in a sunny city in the United States with her husband and four cats. She works in the animation industry and, in her spare time, drinks tea and takes naps. She writes, draws, illustrates, animates, and is the creator of the books No, No, Gnome!, Are We There, Yeti?, and Hedgehog!. Shelby & Watts: Tide Pool Troubles is her first graphic novel, and its sequel, A Mountain of a Problem, is her second.

Editorial Reviews

Love for Tide Pool Troubles:

"Models attention to detail and deductive reasoning in a fun beach setting, complete with interesting facts."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

03/01/2022

Gr 1–3—While investigating why a bear woke up too soon from hibernation, Shelby the fox and Watts the badger end up shedding light on the consequences of climate change. An earlier deduction by Shelby about the whereabouts of their mail carrier models how the bear investigation will work—through careful observation and reliance on evidence. Shelby and Watts gather clues from their surrounding environment, which are written in a notebook, and connect them all to reach the truth. Their observations include insights about animals, seasons, and whether you can fry an egg on the sidewalk. The animal characters are cute and have small mouths, though sometimes Shelby's head rears back, like a Pez dispenser. Shelby and Watts return home and encourage everyone to reduce pollution. They suggest that readers use cars and energy less often and communicate with friends and corporations. There's a slight plot hole—an Australian character mentions that back home in the Southern Hemisphere, it's winter, but it's also meant to be winter in Shelby and Watt's home, located in the Northern Hemisphere. However, this doesn't detract from the strong environmental message. VERDICT One warm cause has many effects for the plants and animals of the world, including a call for readers to help. A solid stand-alone tale.

School Library Journal