Children’s Literature – (Ages 8 to 12)

“Move over Encyclopedia Brown, here come Doyle and Fossey, science detectives. In a quartet of stories, Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey solve the mystery of the garbage can monster, assist frogs in trekking to their breeding ground, come to the aid of a trucker whose rig is firmly wedged under a bridge, and reveal the identity of a love letter writer for a shy classmate. Solid science is wrapped in a quick narrative with snappy dialogue, and the sleuthing duo has just the right balance of savvy and keekiness. The reader cannot help but be drawn into the mysteries and may find she is solving the cases along with Doyle and Fossey. The parents, who are supportive and involved, play subordinate roles. There are tips about setting up a lab, using scientific method and even a few experiments for would-be scientists to try. Watch for this engaging book to catch on and sequels to follow.”

School Library Journal – (Gr. 3-5)

“When one of their fifth-grade classmates finds a monster in her garbage can, science detectives Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey rush to the rescue. After discovering that the receptacle is in a warm place and smells like bread, they have the solution. The pair go on to save local frogs from a gruesome death on the highway, free a truck stuck under a bridge, and reveal the identity of another classmate’s secret admirer. The first in a new series, this book will appeal to fans of short mysteries and kids with an interest in science experiments. Torrey’s style is light and funny, and the stories move at a rapid pace. Newman’s quirky drawings appear throughout the text. While readers may quickly guess the cause of the ‘gasping garbage,’ the other mysteries and solutions are clever, and are explained in the ‘Activities and Experiments’ section. Kids will enjoy reading about these young scientists who sometimes outsmart adults.”

Booklist – (Gr. 3-5)

“Move over, Einstein Anderson. You have competition. Whether the ‘case’ is a baker’s unusually noisy garbage pail or a sudden wave of frog road kill, fifth-grade sleuths Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey are on the job. Doyle and Fossey have competition of their own in classmate James Frisco, a ‘bad, mad’ scientist who fudges his experiments. Still, thanks to a combination of sharp observation, scientific method, careful thought, and decaf coffee (‘Real scientists don’t drink hot chocolate. Ditto for detectives.’), the good guys always win out. Tongue firmly in cheek, Torrey bases the four problems and their solutions on basic, well-articulated scientific principles and techniques, reinforced by several related experiments or activities at the end to keep fans of this hardboiled series opener busy as they pine for the next installment. A scattering of small ink-and-wash illustrations by Barbara Johansen Newman adds comic details.”

The Bulletin

“Doyle and Fossey (fifth-graders Drake Doyle and Nell Fossey) are business partners-they’re science detectives (with their own new easy-reader series). In competition with their arch rival James Frisco, Mad Scientist, they employ science to solve the mysteries of their schoolmates. In eight short chapters they save a girl from a garbage monster (live bread dough making respiratory noises), create a traffic bypass for frogs, extricate a truck stuck under a bridge, and ascertain the author of a series of love letters. There are some entertaining science slants (and kids who haven’t previously heard the ‘let the air out of the tires’ story will adore the solution’s elegant simplicity) . . . A fifteen-page section on activities may galvanize some readers into beginning science or at least into clicking on relevant websites. Black-and-white spot art and full-page illustrations have a loopy intensity that adds a bit of spice to the story.“