I enjoyed this sweet, funny book about a young girl and her family.
Summary from the publisher:
Mitzi Tulane
may be only three years old, but she sure knows how to follow a trail of
evidence and solve tough mysteries. From the strange happenings in the kitchen
to the sudden arrival of every family member she’s ever met, Mitzi pieces
together the clues and (finally) realizes that she’s . . . in the middle of her
own surprise birthday party!
Kids and parents will laugh along as Mitzi
sorts through not-so-subtle hints and comes to her conclusions. Readers will
love figuring out the surprise ahead of the private-eye protagonist! Debbie
Ridpath Ohi’s bouncy illustrations bring an extra layer of fun to Lauren
McLaughlin’s clever story.
Mitzi Tulane, Preschool Detective in
What’s That Smell? was
written by Lauren McLaughlin and illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. It was
published in 2017 by Random House Children’s Books.
Opening:
“Mitzi
Tulane knew every smell that came from her kitchen. As a detective, it was her
job to know what happened at 123 Maple Street.”
My Thoughts as a Writer:
I really
liked the idea of Mitzi being a detective to find out more about what was
happening in her own house. It’s also very sweet that she turns to her baby
brother, Kev, to think things through. The author has nicely shown the perspective
of a young child with Mitzi’s observations and conclusions (“Everyone one in
the whole wide world was standing in Mitzi’s living room.”) The illustrations
follow this same perspective and most scenes depict the world around Mitzi from
her eye level. I also enjoyed the subtle humor that often seemed
designed to give adult readers a chuckle.
My Thoughts as a Teacher:
I don’t
often come across fiction picture books that focus on the sense of
smell, and I liked the concept of using it to solve a mystery. This different
way of telling a story about a birthday was refreshing. The illustrations show
diversity in the skin colors of family members, and it was interesting to read interviews
with Debbie that explained the reasoning for her artistic choices (http://debbieohi.com/bk-mitzi-creation/).
Ages: 2 - 5
Grades: preK - 1
Themes:
birthdays, family, detectives
Activities:
Draw a
picture of your own birthday party. Who was there?
Go on a “smelling
walk.” Use your nose to smell what’s in the air around you and try to identify what you are smelling.
What is your
favorite smell? Draw pictures or make a list of smells you like—and smells you
don’t like.
Check out the Teacher's Guide on Debbie Ridpath Ohi's site for more activities.
