Big Hairy Drama

Reynolds and Numberman have teamed up once again for a bug's-eye view of detective Joey Fly and his lovable sidekick, Sammy Stingtail, in a sequel that will delight fans of the duo's popular first adventure, Creepy Crawly Crime. This time, Greta Divawing, a painted lady butterfly and star of Harry Spyderson's upcoming stage production of Bugliacci, has gone missing, less than a week before the show opens. Spyderson hires Joey Fly to take the case, and both he and Sammy must wade through a cast of arthropods to figure out who—or rather whatdunnit. Some readers may be bugged by Joey's penchant for puns or protracted narrative voice-overs. However, they will have no objection to the overall hijinks. Numberman's stripped-down art combines just the right amount of grotesquerie with lively storytelling to propel the story along. Ages 9–12. (Nov.)