Detective Duck: The Mystery at Emerald Pond (Detective Duck #3)

by Henry Winkler, Lin Oliver, Dan Santat (Illustrator)

Overview

From New York Times bestselling creators Emmy Award–winning actor Henry Winkler, children’s book author Lin Oliver, and Caldecott Medal–winning author-illustrator Dan Santat comes a hysterical, full-color chapter book adventure

When the Pond Squad is invited to participate in the Emerald Pond Games, they can’t wait to compete. Playing sports, making new friends, and spending time with Maxwell—Emerald Pond’s cool mallard duck—sounds like a perfect afternoon to Willow.

But when Maxwell mysteriously disappears in the middle of a game, the animals know something’s wrong.

With all the strange plastic items floating around the pond, Willow is sure Maxwell is in danger. Fortunately, Detective Duck is on the job, solving these puzzling mysteries before they get out of hand and destroy another habitat!

The Pond Squad will have to work together to clean up their environment and rescue Maxwell in this charming new mystery.

More from the Detective Duck series:
Detective Duck: The Case of the Strange Splash (#1)
Detective Duck: The Case of the Missing Tadpole (#2)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419780486
Publisher:	Amulet Books
Publication date:	09/30/2025
Series:	Detective Duck
Pages:	80
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Henry Winkler is an Emmy Award–winning actor, writer, director, and producer who has created some of the most iconic TV roles, including Arthur “the Fonz” Fonzarelli on Happy Days and Gene Cousineau on Barry. Lin Oliver is a children’s book writer and a writer and producer for both TV and film. She is the cofounder of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and is the managing director of the SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund. Lin and Henry have written thirty-nine children's novels together. Dan Santat is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 100 books for children, including A First Time for Everything, winner of the National Book Award, and The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, for which he won the Caldecott Medal. He lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and many, many pets.

Editorial Reviews

"[P]lentiful, colorful, lively...Willow’s fans will be rapt."— Kirkus Review

From the Publisher

2025-05-30
Willow the duckling sleuth and the rest of the Dogwood Pond crew head to nearby Emerald Pond for the Spring Games.

Hosted by Maxwell the mallard, the events include Bat Ball and the Slither Slide, and everyone gets into the swing of things—except Willow’s best friend, Sal the salamander. Jealous Sal sulks, stews, and snarks as Willow swoons over the charismatic Maxwell. As usual, Snout the predatory weasel lurks until Maxwell tackles him, saving a duckling from his jaws and sending him packing—an act of heroism that makes Sal feel small. Then brave Maxwell briefly disappears, and Sal must overcome his jealousy and help Willow to find him. As in actor Winkler and co-author Oliver’s previous installments, environmental stewardship is a key part of the plot: The characters comment on the plastic refuse humans dump into the pond, and the litter is ultimately linked to Maxwell’s disappearance. Caldecott Medalist Santat’s plentiful, colorful, lively vignettes and larger illustrations help lighten the atmosphere, even when the air is charged with bad feelings. Events move briskly, while characterization is effectively broadcast through the action. Compared to the earlier titles in the series, this tale leans less heavily on humor and whodunit elements as the stakes become more serious; nevertheless, Willow’s fans will be rapt.

Danger and emotional tension sub in for mystery in the latest in this eco-friendly series. (authors’ note)(Chapter book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews