R.C. Duck, Private Eye

The White brothers deliver an unapologetically pun-filled story about a duck private eye trying to figure out who is breaking Hen’s eggs. “I didn’t think you were supposed to keep all of your eggs in one basket,” R.C. quips as Hen shares her tale of woe. R.C. looks like a classic sleuth in his slouchy brown hat, suit, and tie, and he acts like one, too, questioning the animals who live in a suburban neighborhood. Rex White brings a case-file aesthetic to the pages in illustrations that mix digital cartooning for the animals with photo-collage backgrounds, all made to look like Polaroid-style photographs taped and stapled to the pages. Suspect number one is a rooster with an alibi, albeit a slightly disreputable one: “Last night the pigs invited me for a card game. It got late, and I fell asleep in their trough and missed sunrise completely!” Cow insists that she was in the barn being milked when Hen’s eggs were broken, and Fox isn’t guilty either. It’s a fun, farcical whodunit with a happy resolution that’s more “facts of life” than “just the facts.” Ages 4–8. (BookLife)