Fabio The World's Greatest Flamingo Detective: The Case of the Missing Hippo

by Laura James, Emily Fox (Illustrator)

Overview

This hilarious, brightly illustrated chapter book starring Fabio the flamingo detective and his sidekick Gilbert the giraffe is perfect for fans of CatStronauts and The Bad Guys.

In a small town on the banks of Lake Laloozee lives the world's greatest flamingo detective. His name is Fabio. He's not tall or strong, but slight and pink. And he's very, very clever.

When Fabio and his giraffe associate Gilbert drop in to the Hotel Royale for a relaxing glass of lemonade (pink, naturally), Fabio is persuaded to judge the hotel's talent contest. But when the most promising contestant--Julia the jazz-singing hippopotamus--goes missing, Fabio must put his thinking cap back on and solve the mystery!

Don't miss these other books from Laura James!

The Pug series
Captain Pug
Cowboy Pug
Safari Pug

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547602162
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	08/06/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	174,320
Product dimensions:	5.21(w) x 7.38(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Laura James is the author of the Pug series, including Captain Pug, Cowboy Pug, and Safari Pug. Her love of storytelling began at an early age and led her to study writing for young people at Bath Spa University in England. She continues to live near Bath with her two dachshunds, Brian and Florence.

laurajamesauthor.com

Emily Fox is a Bristol-based illustrator who graduated from Falmouth University. She loves to experiment with color, funny stories and animals, which means that Fabio is the perfect project for her.
www.emilyafox.co.uk

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2019

Gr 2–5—In this playful mystery for beginning chapter book readers, Fabio is a flamingo who loves to solve crimes and drink pink lemonade. When Julia the hippo goes missing during her talent show performance, Fabio steps in to help. Using the clues left behind and interviewing key witnesses, the sleuthing flamingo must put his skills to the test to catch the kidnapper and save Julia. Young readers will find Fabio and his best friend, Gilbert the giraffe, likable. The engaging plot and bright neon pink and green pages will draw readers into the story. Though the fast pace can make the text occasionally hard to follow, fans of the author's "Pirate Pug" books will applaud this series debut. VERDICT A wild and fun mystery for young readers; recommended for elementary libraries where James's previous series thrive.—Elizabeth Pelayo, St. Charles East High School, IL

School Library Journal

"[Fabio’s] twists and turns are fun to follow and, combined with its beautiful illustrations, make this story both thrilling and playful." - Foreword Reviews, starred review

"Shifty characters, clues hiding in plain sight and a big reveal make for a satisfying introduction to the detective genre in this neon-bright caper for children." - Wall Street Journal

"The engaging plot and bright neon pink and green pages will draw readers into the story. . . A wild and fun mystery for young readers." - School Library Journal

"Giggleworthy . . . the cheeky tone, and, of course, the whodunit appeal will motivate some readers to test their literacy chops and help our pink protagonist solve the mystery." - BCCB

"A classic detective story with some quirky, fun animal flair . . . . The bright neon green and pink illustrations compliment the fun plot." - School Library Connection

"Young sleuths will enjoy the easy mystery and the cheeky illustrations." - Kirkus Reviews

"With plenty of fun, outlandish scenarios, and a few new friends, this is sure to please." - Booklist on COWBOY PUG

"Pug is a fun, engaging character, while Lady Miranda is caring and will remind young readers of Fancy Nancy and Eloise. . . . Fans of dogs and animal adventures will have a hard time putting this one down." - Starred review, School Library Journal on CAPTAIN PUG

"This charming chapter book will delight young readers ready to tackle longer stories. The breezy tone and adventurous plot will keep the pages turning, while comical illustrations--accented with blue and red--add to the fun." - Booklist on CAPTAIN PUG

From the Publisher

2019-04-10
How does a hippo go missing? Fabio and Gilbert are on the case!

Bright pink Fabio is the world's greatest flamingo detective, and his favorite place for a pink lemonade, taken in the company of his giraffe sidekick, Gilbert, is the Hotel Royale on the shores of Lake Laloozee. But all is not well there. Smith, the vulture who runs the place with his sister, chef Penelope, is none too keen on her daughter's ideas to bring in more customers: Violet wants to have a talent contest. When head contest judge Daphne, a rhino who goes by "the General," catches cold, Fabio takes her place…and then contestant Julia the hippo vanishes—from the stage. Was it a rival contestant? A crooked judge? Or is the disappearance connected to the strange events at the Gold Cup athletic competition, where many of the contestants seemed strangely sleepy? No need to fear with dapper, superobservant Fabio investigating. With this caper, James, British author of the Adventures of Pug chapter books, kicks off a new series of easy-reading mysteries peopled with jungle animals. Fox's cartoons are offset by an arresting design that incorporates copious applications of bright pink and electric green. Characterization is broad: Fabio is quite self-assured and Gilbert, gangly and bumbling.

Young sleuths will enjoy the easy mystery and the cheeky illustrations. More cases on the way! (Fantasy/mystery. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews

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