Meet Murilla: the messiest, hungriest and hairiest detective around, and her Jungle friends, who constantly need her help to solve their mysteries, including, in this third book, a destroyed hammock. In this third mystery of the Murilla Gorilla Detective series, Okapi discovers that one of his hammocks has a hole in it. What could have happened? It is up to Murilla to find out, following a set of strange-looking prints leading away from the hammock.
About the Author :
Jennifer Lloyd is the author of Ella's Umbrellas, One Winter Night and Looking for Loons. When she is not at her writing desk, she works as a kindergarten teacher in Blainville, Quebec. Her students provide her with a wealth of ideas, as do her own two children. Jennifer loves teaching beginning writing to her students, many learning in a second language. She also gives workshops in classrooms around the Laurentians and Montreal. Jennifer lives in Blainville, Quebec.
Jacqui Lee graduated from the Alberta College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Design, and currently lives and works in Vancouver, BC. This is her first book.
Review :
2014 Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design, first prize winner! Part of The Horn Book magazine's "Summer Reading List" 2015!
"The titular primate in Jennifer Lloyd's Murilla Gorilla and the Hammock Problem lives in the rainforest of an unnamed African country. Okapi (an indigenous central African mammal) hires Murilla to figure out who put a hole in the hammock she's selling. This accessible book is easy to read without looking babyish, and the mystery is easy to solve without being too obvious. Jacqui Lee draws with muted tones, highlighting Murilla's pink cheeks and prehensile feet and Okapi's gray-striped legs and arms. (Simply Read, 6-8 years)"
`The Horn Book magazine
"reS-Gr 3-Jungle detective Murilla Gorilla is back in this charming new story. When she heads to the Mango Market to fill her empty fridge, Murilla is immediately sent to Okapi's hammock stall to investigate a mysterious hole in one of his hammocks. Using items from her detective backpack (a notebook, magnifying glass, and fish disguise), Murilla discovers the culprit (no spoilers here). She is so tired from the work that she nearly goes home without any groceries, but her grumbling tummy reminds her of her original task. This story has short chapters with appropriate vocabulary and plenty of low-key humor. Lee's illustrations weave in and out of the text but also take up entire pages. As in the other books in this series, the images continue to be the perfect accompaniment to the text, with their soft colors, easily readable expressions, and humorous touches. This lively easy mystery will engage independent readers and those being read to."
School Library Journal, Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH
Praise for the Murilla Gorilla Series: Murilla Gorilla, Jungle Detective is a 2013 Alcuin Society Award for Excellence in Book Design second prize winner, and was selected as a 2014 Canadian Toy Testing Council 'Recommended Read', a 2013 Ontario Library Association 'Best Bets for Children', and a 2013 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens STAR!
Murilla Gorilla and the Lost Parasol is a spring 2014 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens selection!
Murilla Gorilla and the Hammock Problem is a 2014 Alcuin Awards for Excellence in Book Design first prize winner!
"Readers will be hungry for more."
New York Times
"Will delight emerging readers."
School Library Journal
"Charming."
Publisher's Weekly
"This early reader is a pleasure."
Kirkus Reviews
"The playful silliness of the book will appeal to emerging readers. Give this one to fans of Amelia Bedelia--Murilla Gorilla has the same sort of clueless charm."
Booklist
"Maybe this series should be called 'My First Page Turner.'"
Barnes & Noble Kids Blog
