Books For Keeps
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Articles
  • Past Issues
  • Latest Issue
  • Authors and Artists
  • Latest News
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
July 5, 2016/in Fiction 5-8 Infant/Junior /by Angie Hill
BfK Rating:
BfK 219 July 2016
Reviewer: Anne Faundez
ISBN: 978-0008132491
Price: £6.99
Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks
Genre: Fiction
Age Range: 5-8 Infant/Junior
Length: 176pp
Buy the Book

Dotty Detective

Author: Clara Vulliamy

Dot is starting at a new school, having moved flat with her mum, the twins and her beloved dog McClusky. She’s looking forward to it, but, to ensure that she gets off to a good start, she wears her red lucky shoes on her first day. She’s a happy-go-lucky child who loves puzzles – wordsearches, crosswords, mazes, maths – any activity that requires a solution. She soon discovers that classmate Ben, aka Beans, also enjoys problem-solving and, just like her, is a fan of the television series starring ace detective Freddie Fantastic. Together, they set up their own detective agency, which soon comes in handy when they suspect a fellow pupil of sabotaging the class talent contest.

Based on a reality that is familiar to many children in this country, this is an essentially sunny story, carried along by Dot’s harmonious personality. She is friendly and highly imaginative. She enjoys school and learning, and her home life is secure and loving.

In the form of a diary, the writing is clear and elegant, perfect for newly independent readers, the plot straightforward and the characters believable. The exuberant energy of the storyline spills over into the vivacious and always varied black and white drawings that break up the text. A deeply satisfying read, this is the first in a series starring Dot as detective.

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png 0 0 Angie Hill http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png Angie Hill2016-07-05 18:46:002021-07-01 17:47:05Dotty Detective

Search for a specific review

Author Search

Search







Generic filters




Filter by Member Types


Book Author

Download BfK Issue BfK 253 March 2022
Skip to an Issue:

About Us

Launched in 1980, we’ve reviewed hundreds of new children’s books each year and published articles on every aspect of writing for children.

Read More

Follow Us

Latest News

Diverse, accessible, essential: shortlist announced for the CLiPPA 2022

May 4, 2022

The 2022 Little Rebels Award Shortlist

May 3, 2022

Longlist for 2022 Information Book Award Announced

April 29, 2022

Contact Us

Books for Keeps,
30 Winton Avenue,
London,
N11 2AT

Telephone: 0780 789 3369

ISSN: 0143-909X (this is our International Standard Serial Number).

© Copyright 2022 - Books For Keeps | Proudly Built by Lemongrass Media - Web Design Buckinghamshire
If I Was Your Girl The Wrong Train
Scroll to top