This oversized board book is a fresh entry in the wide-ranging Kids Can series based on the characters created by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark. Franklin the detective and his friend Bear are on the case of the missing blueberries that have vanished from the berry patch. Readers are invited to search the pages for clues and lift all 60 flaps to help them solve the mystery. Franklin and Bear have quite a task before them as they search Bear’s mother’s kitchen, the pond, and the clubhouse before finally solving the puzzle. A Sherlock Holmes-style mouse with his own flaps and adventures creates comic relief, and the final fate of the blueberries is a yummy one.

This big board book will appeal to both preschoolers and beginning readers. The flaps will engage toddlers who so love to manipulate and discover what lies beneath, and the text and ongoing mystery will challenge older children who can follow the plotline and search for the subtle clues. In fact, they will enjoy going back and finding those they may have missed.

The book is well designed, with flaps that blend seamlessly with their backgrounds. Franklin and the main characters are rendered with bold outlines and stronger colours than the gentler, muted backgrounds, and the overall effect is attractive. There is plenty of action and much to discover on each double-paged spread.

The language in this tale is spare and to the point, which is appropriate when guiding readers through an activity. Obviously intended to entertain via action rather than by virtue of a sizzling storyline, this new title will please those readers who are already firm Franklin fans.