Detective Dinosaur Undercover

Detective Dinosaur doesn't know what 'undercover' means, can't identify the lumps at the end of his blanketed legs (spoiler: his own feet), and keeps getting rained on while trying to solve the mystery of sunshine. That's the delightful logic at work in this Level 2 I Can Read entry — young readers get to feel cleverer than the detective, which is pure gold for building reading confidence. R.W. Alley's bright watercolor illustrations give the whole thing charm to spare, and the three-chapter structure makes natural stopping points for tired eyes. Kirkus called it a 'super-silly romp,' and that's exactly right. The humor is repetitive by design, so older kids in the range may feel they've cracked the formula fast — but for ages four through seven, this is a genuine winner.