School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5-Entomology and comics come together in this entertaining mystery. Capitalizing on the success of Joey Fly, Private Eye in Creepy Crawly Crime (Holt, 2009), Reynolds and Numberman have created another case for the hard-boiled private investigator. Tarantula Harry Spyderson reports that butterfly Greta Divawing, star of his Scarab Beetle Theater, is missing. Joey proceeds to round up the suspects, including understudy moth Trixie Featherfeelers. "She was playing a small part in the production. But as they say in showbiz, there are no small parts, only small insects." Rapid-fire puns will keep young readers chuckling. Sammy Stingtail, the scorpion with a rear end that takes up an entire zip code is the bumbling sidekick, unable to piece together the evidence. However, readers with an understanding of insect behavior will deduce what has happened to the leading lady and will enjoy following the clues that reveal her location. An abundance of interesting information on the world of insects and arthropods finds its way into this ever-clever, always-engaging tale. Nice visual foreshadowing gives attentive readers the information that they will need to help Joey solve the case. Illustrations are playful, and nicely suit the atmosphere of the story. The use of alternating monochromatic panels to signal a change of scene is excellent. A find-the-character quiz on the last page will send readers back to the story, searching again for clues.-Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
In his second graphic novel, private investigator Joey Fly looks into another crime in the "bug city." Butterfly actress Greta Divawing has disappeared on the eve of her opening-night performance of Bugliacci; the suspects are other members of the cast. Varied cartoon-panel illustrations feature details of bug life that add interest and humor to the mystery. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
This second volume in the Joey Fly, Private Eye graphic-novel series has the trench-coated bug investigator and his goofy scorpion sidekick, Sammy Stingtail, hired by a panicky tarantula stage director after Greta Divawing, the star of his upcoming show, goes missing. The mystery winds up being fairly tame but only after a terrific twist that no one will see coming. Kids just getting into detective capers will enjoy the bug-related gags, medium-boiled dialogue, and Joey Fly's droll voice-over narration. Numberman's shifting color schemes and clean, expressive artwork enhance the noirish atmosphere.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist
