Pugly Solves a Crime

Pamela Butchart's Pugly Solves a Crime is a daft, shouty mystery for 5 year olds starring a pug in a very important detective hat.

What happens

Things keep going missing on Pugly's street. Maddy's favourite pumpkin jumper. Tiny the chihuahua's scarf and her best tartan jacket. And now Big Sal, the very orange guinea pig, has vanished from his hutch. GUINEA PIG-NAPPED, says Pugly!

So Pugly becomes a pug-tective. Clem the cat agrees to help, as long as she's the director (which means she's in charge, apparently). Together they interview the victims, dust for paw prints with a bag of flour and Maddy's mum's make-up brushes, and go on a stake-out. Pugly brings a real steak, because obviously that's what a stake-out is for.

Pugly is completely sure the thief is Glitterpuff, the new poodle next door. Everyone knows poodles are too bouncy to be trusted. Clem isn't convinced. Is Pugly right for once? No spoilers here. Just know that it gets very, very silly (there are hundreds of guinea pigs involved).

Pugly tells the whole thing himself, in BIG capital letters whenever something is important (which is a lot of the time). He's brave, then terrified, then brave again. He hides in the washing basket when things get scary and comes out with a pair of frilly pants stuck to his hat.

Clem rolls her eyes at nearly everything he says, and she's often the one who spots the real clue. There's a laid-back dog model called Chester with new highlights, a stray cat who wants ALL the doggy biscuits and a very dramatic chihuahua who faints onto the sofa. Grown-ups reading aloud will have plenty to giggle at too.

This is Pugly's second adventure, and it's short enough for one or two bedtimes.

What to read next

If you've got a reader who shouts the funny bits back at you, this is the one. If they fall for Pugly, start with his first adventure, Pugly Bakes a Cake, where he decides to enter a TV baking show and Clem tells him it's a terrible idea.