A Brush with Danger

This is an animal based, humourous crime book.... how do you categorise that?! Adam Frost has written a series of Fox Investigates , and I've read two of them - this one and A whiff of mystery. I found them both fast-paced, witty and funny whilst also being easy for children to access. The story follows Wily Fox, a detective, who solves crimes and mysteries in a variety of settings around the world. This particular story features France and Russia (or Venice and China in A Whiff of Mystery) - and includes references to the scenery and landmarks in both! The characters are all animals, and all amusing - from Albert the Mole, who provides Wily with gadgets and gizmos, to Dimitri Gottabottomitch, the Russian criminal - this story had my giggling and I'm sure it would amuse many children. The story is well illustrated and well written - the language is appropriate for children but quite formal, it contains lots of description and it was nice to read a children's story that didn't feel like it had dumbed itself down or tried too hard to make children laugh! A good read, that will appeal to both boys and girls - and capture the imaginations of wannabe detectives everywhere! 128 pages / Ages 7+ / Reviewed by Lizi Coombs, teacher.

Suggested Reading Age 7+