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Summary
Summary
Charlie Piechart's second math mystery takes place at school--when a purple, sparkly cone-shaped princess hat goes missing! Margot needs her hat in time for the school play (today!), so Charlie and his dog companion, Watson, are on the case--finding evidence of sparkles and purple paint and keeping on the lookout for geometric clues that might lead to the missing hat.
Fantastic colors, clever characters, and beginning concepts in geometry will go down easy as pie, while activities at the end of the book will reinforce the shapes and the story. Dynamic duo Eric Comstock and Marilyn Sadler bring the right level of energy and entertainment for this engaged picture book audience.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-The second mystery featuring the boy detective with a pie-chart body is built around shape concepts. When Margot's hat disappears, she asks Charlie and his dog assistant Watson to discover its whereabouts. Their school-wide search for a cone-shaped hat sets up opportunities to introduce and compare cylinders, spheres, and other shapes. Most of the geometry information is woven fairly seamlessly into the mystery plot. A ring of purple sparkly paint, for example, is a key clue but also demonstrates that the bottom of a cone is a circle. The backgrounds of several scenes are peppered with a variety of shapes that catch the eye and support the theme; a few of them are even clues. The mystery is not especially compelling, and the geometry content is strictly introductory, but the combination works pretty well. Retro-style illustrations lend a slightly goofy tone, adding just the right touch of humor to the otherwise straightforward narrative. Observant readers will notice visual hints about where the hat might be; even the dog figures it out before Charlie. A final scene reveals that the principal's hat has also been missing, prompting readers to trace backward to find out how it wound up on Watson's head. Two simple projects at the end have instructions for creating a hat and a rocket; both items tie in neatly to the story and to the featured shape of the cone. VERDICT A good choice for libraries in need of more STEM-related materials.-Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Child sleuth Charlie must find a classmate's missing cone-shaped princess hat, which she needs for that evening's school play. The authors offer an easy-does-it introduction to three-dimensional geometric shapes without derailing the story's mystery engine. The art is retro-style with a twist: Charlie has a pie-chart torso, and the cast's skin colors include purple and blue. Activities and a seek-and-find challenge are appended. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Lovable, circular Charlie Piechart is back with a new mystery, this time one designed to teach us about shapes. Along with his sidekick dog, Watson, Charlie is tasked with finding his friend Margot's hat, a necessary prop for the school play (and a perfect cone). In this quest not only do we learn about shapes but also the importance of clues. Comstock depicts familiar school things lockers, an art room, a science lab, a teachers' lounge with pencil, paper, and digital renderings. The simplistic look of the characters and the monochromatic colors place the emphasis on the shape theme, while sidebars add definitions and examples. Shapes are both front and center and tucked away in bulletin boards and costumes. The final pages review the shapes shown, offer a challenge to readers, and give directions for making a princess hat and a rocket (powered by hand). Never fear a cautionary note suggests adult help for the more complex activities!--Ching, Edie Copyright 2016 Booklist
