The Story Shop: Detective Dash!

The Story Shop: Detective Dash! is an absolutely charming and joyful book for newly independent readers of shorter chapter books. Puddletown High Street is home to the most unusual, curious shop; a shop that sells STORIES! Shopkeeper Wilbur and his assistant , Fred the Ferret have cupboards, drawers and shelves packed with props, costumes and all the accessories you would ever need for adventures of imagination; there is even a cauldron - a clearly magical Story Pot that swirls with inky blue liquid that awaits your chosen ingredients to mix up a mesmerising trip to wherever your story wishes to take you.

Today’s customer is Suzy Sloth who has a taste for a good mystery to puzzle over. All she needs is: a detective costume, some tennis balls, tiaras, whisks and words…maybe grab some joke teeth, just in case, too. Stir it all up and POP! Adventure awaits.

There are frequent, fun illustrations to engage the reader and make the story leap into life as Suzy and Fred navigate three fantastically fast-paced and fun mysteries from Tiara thieves to crooked chefs to demon Ducks of Doom. These are lively and energetic stories with just the perfect pitch of mild peril and with cheerfully determined and bold characters.

This book is part of a series in which the Story Shop whisks up the imagination and the different genres it can take the reader into. Warm hearted and welcoming.

144 pages / Reviewed by Jennifer Caddick, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+

We're back to The Story Shop for another adventure and this one, Detective Dash, will not disappoint.  Snoozy Suzy Sloth has waited overnight in the shop ready for an adventure, and this one involves detectives! Join Snoozy Suzy and Fred as they uncover a museum robbery and help them piece together the clues - spanners, sacks and a rather jumpy Ivar Plan museum worker. Can they solve this mystery before the robbers' speedy getaway?

After a very close call, it's off to the seaside where another mystery awaits. A big pie banquet is planned for Friday night but disaster has struck because Head Chef - Chef Humble - has vanished! The hotel is in uproar so Fred and Suzy quickly get to it, collecting clues and investigating leads. But are all their leads and suspicions correct, or have they taken the wrong path to saving the Pie Banquet?

Finally it’s on to mystery three: The Demon Duck of Doom. Suzy and Fred find themselves on a doomseekers tour where, with the help of April, they need to stay alert, sniff out clues and be fearless in the hunt for Gerald, a demon duck of doom! In true detective form, Suzy and Fred secretly follow April and discover the truth. But just as the secret is discovered, and April explains herself, there's a THUMP THUMP THUMP! Will Fred and Snoozy Suzy get out in time?

A brilliant, action-packed chapter book for developing readers who are building their speed and confidence. With three adventures in one it is perfectly broken down to build their stamina and aid in their understanding of the story. This book will definitely keep them hooked until the very end.

144 pages / Reviewed by Maria Faithorn, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 7+

In Puddletown High Street, there is the most unusual shop - The Story Shop - which sells stories you can actually BE in. When shopkeeper Wilbur and his assistant, Fred Ferret, find a sleepy sloth in the shop, they decide the best kind of adventure for her is a mystery where she can play detective. With Fred to guide her, Suzy Sloth sets off to solve a puzzling mystery in a museum, locate a missing chef by the seaside and uncover the truth about the Demon Duck of Doom in Watery Bottom.

The Story Shop: Detective Dash! is the fourth adventure in The Story Shop series from Tracey Corderoy and Tony Neal, although each book can easily be read as a stand-alone. Each of the books contains three adventures, presented in chapters which are achievable and offer a sense of satisfaction and encouragement for newly independent readers whilst the enjoyable plots are sure to keep the attention of older siblings, should these stories be shared at home.

Humour in both illustrations and text make these stories very appealing. Fred Ferret has his work cut out trying to keep Suzie Sloth awake during their investigations, but together they manage to solve each case and escape back to the Story Shop where he can have a well deserved nap! Children will enjoy spotting the clues and trying to solve the mysteries alongside detectives, Suzy and Fred!

Tracey's lively writing uses a rich vocabulary and the text is a pleasure to read aloud, offering plenty to discuss and enjoy. This series would make excellent class stories for children in KS1 as well as a very enjoyable bedtime book. Great fun!

144 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+