Will Shakespeare Mysteries: The Pearly Pants

By Author / Illustrator

Kaz Penney, illus Sammy Elgie

Genre

Historical Fiction

Age range(s)

Publisher

Andersen Press

ISBN

9781839137600

Format

Paperback

Published

27-08-2026

Synopsis

Loki meets Horrible Histories, starring a young Will Shakespeare. A murderous, madcap mystery awaits Will at the Macdeaths' castle.

When my best friend Tybalt and I accidentally volunteered for the school archery trip to Scotland, I thought things couldn't get any worse . . .

But now, a terrible crime has been committed at the Scottish castle and we have to find out: Who are the three witches? Is Gracious Dunkin still alive? And who stole his pants? And what on earth is 'death by thistle'?

I'm in a haggis load of trouble!

Find out more from author Kaz Penney, introducing the first Will Shakespeare Mysteries: The Stinky Stolen Toenails!

Reviews

Donna

Will Shakespeare Mysteries: The Pearly Pants is another hilarious adventure from Kaz Penney. Once again, Will and his trusty sidekick Tybalt set out to prove that Will is "the greatest person-who-solves-crimes in the world". This time, the pair find themselves in Scotland, supporting the school archery team and Will's brother, Gilbert. When the legendary Pearly Pants go missing, the archery team are blamed for the crime. With the team facing a rather thorny fate, can Will and Tybalt solve the mystery before it's too late?

Kaz Penney has once again created a wonderfully funny romp through the life of a young William Shakespeare. Will is presented as the archetypal mischievous boy, constantly finding himself in trouble while attempting to solve crimes with his best friend. The scrapes, misunderstandings, and gloriously disgusting moments all add to the nonstop humour that runs throughout the story.

Younger readers will particularly enjoy the diary-style format, which is packed with illustrations from Sammy Elgie and amusing little asides from Tybalt that add an extra layer of comedy.

Written from Will's perspective, the story fully embraces the chaos and mayhem of childhood. Will is forever getting into mischief and being misunderstood by those around him, making him an instantly likeable and relatable character. Penney keeps the jokes coming through witty wordplay, entertaining banter, and plenty of slapstick comedy. As with the previous books in the series, the gross-out moments are perfectly pitched for younger readers and are sure to raise plenty of laughs.

Each chapter begins with bullet-pointed hints that teasingly foreshadow the chaos about to unfold. The whodunnit element keeps readers guessing as clues send Will and Tybalt down a variety of paths. Loosely inspired by Macbeth, the story is packed with clever wordplay and inventive character names. Another fun, engaging, and thoroughly entertaining read for younger middle-grade readers.

256 pages / Reviewed by Donna Burkert, teacher