Watts and Whiskerton

This charmingly illustrated detective story for children introduces two friendly canines with a talent for solving problems and hunting clues.

Watts is the child of two celebrated detectives, famed throughout the land for solving crimes and uncovering mysteries. It seems only natural that he will follow in their footsteps, but Watts is a little reluctant to seek fame and much prefers writing and note-taking to crime-solving. When Watts’ parents send him to stay with Count Whiskerton – an old client – he meets a brand new friend. Pearl (the Whiskerton of the story’s title) is inquisitive and excitable and, when it comes to solving mysteries, is like a dog with a bone.

It is immediately obvious that the pair are an endearing match, brought to life by an attractive rose-pink palette, in illustrations that accentuate Pearl’s enthusiasm and Watts’ patience and calmness. Naturally, it isn’t long before a mystery arrives at Whiskerton Manor and Watts and Pearl have some serious clue-hunting to do.

Pearl’s father, Count Whiskerton, has grand designs for building a swimming pool in his grounds, but all plans are put on hold when an exciting fossil is found and an archaeological dig is arranged with the local museum. Yet things aren’t all they seem, and Pearl and Watts soon notice a few little details that simply aren’t adding up.

The patience and kindness that Watts and Whiskerton show each other is heartwarming and helps them to stand up to naughty grown-ups with nefarious intentions. As is always the case with whodunnits, there are a number of dead-ends and false suspects that Whiskerton and Watts have to navigate. Their approach to problem solving is carefully and clearly described in a manageable, step-by-step way with accompanying diagrams and labels to help young readers. The young target audience is well-served by this approach but the tone can occasionally become somewhat condescending: moments of threat or peril are avoided entirely and even the villains are loveable, really.

The world of Sherlock Holmes has been reimagined in so many different ways that it is hard to believe any new concepts are even possible, but this pair of curious young animal characters, serving a very young audience, are just original enough to capture the imaginations of some new readers.