Joey Fly, Private Eye by Aaron Reynolds with Illustrations by Neil Numberman

November 25, 12:25 PMReading ExaminerCheryl Vanatti

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Graphic novels are big with young readers!

Older readers and graphic novel lovers will find a lot to like in Joey Fly, Private Eye in Creepy Crawly Crime. Told with the style and verve of hard-boiled detective fiction, Joey Fly, Private Eye in Creepy Crawly Crime has all the traditional fittings of the genre. There’s the cocky assistant, Sammy Stingtail. There’s the curvaceous dame in distress, Delilah. There’s even the gritty street scenes of a city painted in shadow. It seems Delilah has lost her precious diamond pencil box and she wants to hire Joey to find it. But as Joey and his new assistant will find out, not all is what it seems with this femme fatale.

Joey Fly, Private Eye's tongue-in-cheek style and witty rhetoric offers many great opportunities for the classroom as well. As with most mystery fiction, there are abundant sections for prediction and detail identification. Though the book is labeled for grades 4-6, it is, perhaps, better suited for an older student or stronger reader who can appreciate the countless examples of figurative speech. The worry with this sort of story is whether the young reader will “get it”  and average readers in 4th - 5th grade would certainly need a fair deal of support. However, I'd never want to sell my students short and Joey Fly, Private Eye in Creepy Crawly Crime is certainly a classroom keeper.

Recommended for strong readers, middle school students and lovers of the graphic novel format. Also great for inclusion in science classes or during a lesson on insects.