A Case with a Bang (early reader, 5th of 5)

Illustrated in full colour and packed with character and humour, this is the fifth whodunnit mystery in the award-winning Detective Gordon series, fun to read alone or aloud.

A Case with a Bang is the final book in the series of funny detective stories for early readers set in a friendly forest in which two determinedly fair police — retired-toad Gordon and the indefatigable mouse Buffy — solve the mystery and stop regularly to eat cake.

Night brings a horrible humming, scraping sound in the forest.  Someone has wrecked the badger’s trash can.  Later, three large creatures are spotted up on the mountain.

Detective Buffy discovers this seemingly small case really is a dangerous mystery — she comes back from her first investigation flat as a gingerbread, rolled over by something huge and terrifying.

Back at the station, retired Detective Gordon is training a new young police assistant, and the cakes have run out in the forest bakery!

While all the animals cower at the police station, Buffy remembers Gordon’s stories about trolls.  Is it possible they do exist?  Taking Gordon’s advice about how everyone thinks differently, she finds a way to communicate with the giant creatures — perhaps not so terrifying after all.

The book leaves readers with a memorable Gordon message: Everyone thinks differently, strangers are welcome, cakes for everybody!

This final instalment in the award-winning Detective Gordon series is a multi-layered philosophical story about good detective work involving all, kindness to newcomers and doing the right thing.

Winner of multiple awards and accolades, Detective Gordon is a mystery series with depth — perfect for reading alone for emerging readers, wonderful for reading aloud together as a chapter book.

A brilliant detective story by Ulf Nilsson, one of Sweden’s top children’s writers and illustrated by Gitte Spee in full colour throughout.  A book to read alone or aloud!

Available in either Softcover, 20.4 x 14.4 cm, or Hardcover.

Gecko Press.

Ideal for children 6-9 years old.

About the Detective Gordon series:

Detective Gordon is a friendly, philosophical, humorous, and thoughtful detective series following the adventures of the rather tired—and often hungry—Detective Gordon and his chirpy assistant, Buffy.

Detective Gordon is something of a humanist, and keeps an eye out for the weaker inhabitants of his woods. The books are full of warm, witty wisdom from one of Sweden’s foremost children’s authors, Ulf Nilsson. The text is affectionately and generously illustrated in watercolor and pencil by acclaimed Dutch illustrator, Gitte Spee. This is a detective series with depth—ideal for elementary school, perfect for reading alone, wonderful for reading aloud.