A Complicated Case

acomplicatedcase

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.