A Complicated Case
by Ulf Nilsson (Author) and Gitte Spee (Illustrator)
Booktalk: The BIG Picture
There is something going on among the forest animals that’s making everyone unhappy. Detective Gordon and police assistant Buffy have a new case to investigate!
#kidlit Writing Lesson: the small details
In chapter four, Buffy goes out to look for suspects. She sees the rabbit who ran away earlier:
“Hello!” she said.
“Help!” the rabbit jumped and shrieked. “No, I don’t want to talk to the police. That will only make it worse.”
Buffy sat down beside him. She patted him a little on his soft, fluffy coat which smelled of wool, carrots, and torn grass.
Notice the action and reaction:
“Hello!” she said.
“Help!” the rabbit jumped and shrieked.
The rabbit’s dialogue reveals more about the case that the little mouse is investigating:
“No, I don’t want to talk to the police. That will only make it worse.”
Buffy’s reaction to the rabbit’s information is unexpected. It is also filled with sensory details:
Buffy sat down beside him. She patted him a little on his soft, fluffy coat which smelled of wool, carrots, and torn grass.
Later in this mystery story, these sensory details are used as clues.
Copyright © 2016 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.