New Chapter Book Series: Bibsy Cross and Detective Sweet Pea

Bibsy Cross, an irrepressible third-grader, and Sweet Pea, a hound with a nose for mystery, are the loveable protagonists of two new series for early readers.

Bibsy Cross and the Bad Apple by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Dung Ho. Knopf (PRH), 2024, 128 pages.

Reading Level: Chapter Book, ages 6-8

Recommended for: ages 4-6 as a read-aloud; 7-9 for independent readers

Bibsy (Elizabeth) enjoys her easy-peasy, regular-pegular life as a precocious eight-year-old. She loves her parents, her best friend, her bike, and school. Except maybe this year, because her teacher Mrs. Stumper seems to think Bibsy talks too much. But that’s not true: “She’s just a third grader with a lot of say.” Some of what she has to say interrupts Mrs. Stumper, or adds to what Mrs. Stumper already said, or veers in directions Mrs. Stumper doesn’t want to take, so the teacher has a subtle means of getting her displeasure across. Each day begins with paper apples stuck to a tree on the bulletin board. Students who misbehave get a hole punched in their apple. More often, Bibsy sees her apple taken off the tree and stuck to the dirt beneath. But one dreadful day Mrs. Stumper takes out her hole punch and punches a HOLE in BIBSY’s apple! How can she get on this teacher’s good side?

Best friend Nadia, Isaac Newton, and a science project save the day. Talky, precocious readers can certainly identify with the protagonist, but her exuberant spirit and unique voice should appeal to any second-through-fifth grader. Especially those who ever made their teacher sigh. The text is a little longer (with smaller type) than most chapter books. For new fans, Bibsy Cross and the Bike-A-Thon is available now.

Bottom Line: An appealing protagonist with a relatable dilemma.

The Case of the Golden Bone (Detective Sweet Pea #1) by Sara Varon. First Second, 2024, 200 pages.

Reading Level: Chapter Book, ages 7-9

Recommended for: ages 7-10

To begin with, Sweet Pea is not a detective—she’s an artist with an exceptional nose. Her neighborhood is populated with dogs like herself, as well as squirrels, hamsters, and other furry, as well as scaly, friends. It’s the dogs, however, who are most interested in the Golden Chew Bone exhibit at the Parkville Art Museum. The bone is for chewing, not just admiring, and it’s essential to the canine’s dental health. But when Sweet Pea takes new residents Casper and Jelly to introduce them to the Bone, it’s missing! What villain could have stolen it? Suspicion falls on Wayne the Raccoon and Roseanne the Possum, but it’s unfounded. (“You diurnal animals are always thinking the worst of us!” Roseanne complains.) More false leads lead to more dead ends.

Golden Bone isn’t a standard chapter book; it’s a graphic novel for early readers, with appealing characters drawn in Varon’s colorful, slapdash style. Though anthropomorphic, they display animal characteristics too, such as Sweet Pea’s love for garbage and Wayne’s attraction to bright tidbits for his artwork. The mystery will be solved and all will be well in Parkville—until the next puzzle poses itself to Sweet Pea’s extraordinary nose.

Bottom Line: A light mystery series with loveable characters.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reviews: Sara Varon’s New Shoes is a favorite. And Tedd Arnold’s Noodlehead series is good for chuckles.
• Reflection: Betsy has advice on Finding Good Chapter Book Friends. Like Lulu and Freddie.

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Order Bibsy Cross and the Bad Apple from Amazon.

Order The Case of the Golden Bone from Amazon.