Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Whimsical, upbeat mystery tale starts fun series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Minerva the pygmy shrew lives happily in her cozy woodland home, where she's papered the walls with dictionary pages and has a fine vocabulary, but she's soon called upon to prevent a murder by solving THE CASE OF THE PILFERED PEARLS. Her house-dwelling cousin Tenacity is in a panic, because items keep disappearing around the house, most recently a string of pearls—and the lady of the house is planning to bring in the exterminators to put an end to the problem if she doesn't get those pearls back, quick. A family of wealthy mice, another of flying squirrels, and assorted others are in dire peril, and do their best to help Minerva solve the mystery before it's too late.
Is It Any Good?
It's not about solving a murder, it's about preventing a whole lot of them, as a tiny sleuth rushes to save her cousin and assorted other critters from the exterminators. The human lady of the house has lost some jewelry and blames the loss on "vermin," and so begins The Case of the Pilfered Pearls, the first book in a lively, whimsical introduction to the mystery genre, packed with vocabulary, math, and science along the way. Junyi Wu's cute, detail-packed illustrations enrich the tale, as Margi Preus delivers irresistible characters facing dire peril. A great read-aloud choice for younger kids, it's sure win over series fans as the stage is masterfully set for further adventures.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about detective stories like The Case of the Pilfered Pearls and why they're so popular with readers of all ages. If you've read other mystery tales, how does this one compare? If this is your first, do you want to read more?
How did all the animals use teamwork to help Minerva solve the mystery and save them all?
One of the fun things about the mystery genre is spotting the clues before the detective points them out. Did you spot any along the way? Which ones?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Junyi Wu
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Animals ( Wild Animals ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Curiosity , Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Amulet Books
- Publication date : May 19, 2026
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 128
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : July 27, 2026
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