Annabel the Detective: The Case of the Missing Tooth

Joan Buchanan is a writer, storyteller and instructor and author of
Taking Care of My Cold.

Those beginning to read on their own will appreciate this Ready*Set*Read
book. Developing an interesting text with limited vocabulary and short,
simple sentences is a challenge, but Harris has succeeded in creating a
highly readable, suspenseful story that flows.

Annabel’s detective job is to find out what has happened to
Michael’s tooth. He is sad because he has lost his tooth that just
fell out. Unless he finds it and puts it under his pillow, the tooth
fairy will not visit. Like a good detective, Annabel solves the case by
logically following clues.

Even when you know the outcome, this story is fun to read over and
over, because of the humor and the very believable situation. Children,
especially those just beginning to master text, will enjoy the fact that
a child is in charge of solving the mystery. A minor but important
detail is the sentence fragment on the first page; it could easily have
been avoided without loss to the rhythm. The rest of the story is
punctuated well.

The illustrations are not my favorite, but I grew accustomed to them
over time. The perspective is somewhat askew: large heads are coupled
with angular frames. However, others may enjoy this style. The page
borders contain picture clues, an innovative touch children will like.