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Watts & Whiskerton: Buried Bones and Troublesome Treasure
An adorable new highly-illustrated series bursting with mystery and mischief for readers aged 5+!
Watts doesn't think he's got what it takes to be a great detective like his parents. So when they jet off on their next case, he decides to take a holiday to Whiskerton Manor instead.
But there, Watts befriends Pearl Whiskerton, a curious cat with a nose for mysteries, who persuades him to help her investigate a series of strange goings on at the manor. . .
Who's been upending the precious rose bushes? And where did the amazing dinosaur bones dug up on the grounds come from?
It looks like the two things might be connected. But can this dog and cat detective duo solve the mystery?
From Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlisted author-illustrator Meg McLaren, WATTS & WHISKERTON is purr-fect for emerging readers and fans of CLAUDE, HOTEL FLAMINGO and RABBIT & BEAR.
Watts doesn't think he's got what it takes to be a great detective like his parents. So when they jet off on their next case, he decides to take a holiday to Whiskerton Manor instead.
But there, Watts befriends Pearl Whiskerton, a curious cat with a nose for mysteries, who persuades him to help her investigate a series of strange goings on at the manor. . .
Who's been upending the precious rose bushes? And where did the amazing dinosaur bones dug up on the grounds come from?
It looks like the two things might be connected. But can this dog and cat detective duo solve the mystery?
From Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlisted author-illustrator Meg McLaren, WATTS & WHISKERTON is purr-fect for emerging readers and fans of CLAUDE, HOTEL FLAMINGO and RABBIT & BEAR.
Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 8, 2026
A really fun book featuring a new detective duo, say hello to Watts & Whiskerton!
I came across this series thanks to a fabulous bookblogger I follow. I had to wait for a bit to get them because I wanted to get all three books in one go and one didn’t release until mid February. And then in March I finally had them all and I could read them! Today I am reviewing the first book in the series in which we meet our duo + get a fun mystery!
Meet Watts and Whiskerton. Watts is a small dog whose parents are detectives and often on cases. This time he just wanted to do something different and his parents apparently agreed to let him stay with a friend who had a daughter his age (though don’t tell Whiskerton that she is just a bit older than Watts, haha). He is looking forward to just thinking about what he wants to do in the future, but mysteries follow him. I really enjoyed Watts as a character. He is quiet, but also meticulous and works hard. I loved that despite him just wanting a break he tackles this case and has fun with it along with his new friend Whiskerton. Whiskerton is a white cat living in a big mansion with a dad who may be a bit eccentric (but has his heart in the right place, though he needs to stop fawning over the roses that much, haha). She is really sweet and a hardcore detective/puzzle fan. She has a ton of books, tons of puzzles, and she is ready to tackle this case. I loved that she respected Watts dreams and wishes. Didn’t push him to participate or wasn’t disappointed that, unlike his parents, he wasn’t sure about the detective part. When he tells her about the writing she is enthusiastic. I really loved her.
I loved that we have both notes (often on his parents’ notebook paper) from Watts + also see the story unfold through him. He is writing all the things down for later and I love that. He could be a writer. He could be a detective. He could be both!
The mystery was a lot of fun. I loved that it was 4 in 1. You know they are all connected (duh not a spoiler) but they are also 4 mysteries. From the roses to the missing items. It was a lot of fun and I loved seeing our duo think which one they would tackle first. I have to say in regards to the culprit? I had one person in mind given how shady they were, but after a certain part I had to go to another suspect. Did I guess things in the end? Nah. But that is the most fun for me. I don’t mind. I am always happy when a book can surprise me.
The illustrations were oh so much fun. I am not sure if each book will have different colours (or well, by the time this review pops up I will have read them, haha) but for now I only know that the first book has white/grey/pink (bright/salmon)/orange colours. I loved the introductions to each character but also seeing various parts of the story being told through illustrations. That is always a fun way of storytelling so it made me smile.
All in all, I had so much fun with this volume. Great characters, fun mystery, wonderful illustrations, I would recommend it to all!
Review also posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I came across this series thanks to a fabulous bookblogger I follow. I had to wait for a bit to get them because I wanted to get all three books in one go and one didn’t release until mid February. And then in March I finally had them all and I could read them! Today I am reviewing the first book in the series in which we meet our duo + get a fun mystery!
Meet Watts and Whiskerton. Watts is a small dog whose parents are detectives and often on cases. This time he just wanted to do something different and his parents apparently agreed to let him stay with a friend who had a daughter his age (though don’t tell Whiskerton that she is just a bit older than Watts, haha). He is looking forward to just thinking about what he wants to do in the future, but mysteries follow him. I really enjoyed Watts as a character. He is quiet, but also meticulous and works hard. I loved that despite him just wanting a break he tackles this case and has fun with it along with his new friend Whiskerton. Whiskerton is a white cat living in a big mansion with a dad who may be a bit eccentric (but has his heart in the right place, though he needs to stop fawning over the roses that much, haha). She is really sweet and a hardcore detective/puzzle fan. She has a ton of books, tons of puzzles, and she is ready to tackle this case. I loved that she respected Watts dreams and wishes. Didn’t push him to participate or wasn’t disappointed that, unlike his parents, he wasn’t sure about the detective part. When he tells her about the writing she is enthusiastic. I really loved her.
I loved that we have both notes (often on his parents’ notebook paper) from Watts + also see the story unfold through him. He is writing all the things down for later and I love that. He could be a writer. He could be a detective. He could be both!
The mystery was a lot of fun. I loved that it was 4 in 1. You know they are all connected (duh not a spoiler) but they are also 4 mysteries. From the roses to the missing items. It was a lot of fun and I loved seeing our duo think which one they would tackle first. I have to say in regards to the culprit? I had one person in mind given how shady they were, but after a certain part I had to go to another suspect. Did I guess things in the end? Nah. But that is the most fun for me. I don’t mind. I am always happy when a book can surprise me.
The illustrations were oh so much fun. I am not sure if each book will have different colours (or well, by the time this review pops up I will have read them, haha) but for now I only know that the first book has white/grey/pink (bright/salmon)/orange colours. I loved the introductions to each character but also seeing various parts of the story being told through illustrations. That is always a fun way of storytelling so it made me smile.
All in all, I had so much fun with this volume. Great characters, fun mystery, wonderful illustrations, I would recommend it to all!
Review also posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
January 11, 2025
Got to be one of the cutest early chapter books I’ve read in ages. Funny and sweet mystery with beautiful detailed illustrations.
November 11, 2025
I generally don’t like books inspired by other books (especially classics) but with this one I didn’t really mind the inspiration taken from Sherlock Holmes and his associate Watson.
The main characters are Watts – the son of famous detectives who doesn’t know if he wants to be a detective or a writer (and is a dog) and Pearl Whiskerton who absolutely wants to be a detective (and is a cat). Watts arrives to stay at Pearl’s for a vacation but when a dinosaur bone is discovered in the garden and someone mysteriously digs in Count Whiskerton’ s beloved rosebushes, they get on the case and try to make sense of the strange mysteries that begin to pile up.
I like the dynamic between the confident and enthusiastic Pearl who has a tendency to rush into things and the calm and systematic Watts. The story isn’t just fun but also teaches the reader how to approach a problem methodically as at the end of each chapter we see Watts’ notes that sum up the facts and suggest the next steps or course of action. There are lots of cute illustrations and sketches and the format is a sort of cross between a comic book and fiction which also makes it interesting and fun to read.
The main characters are Watts – the son of famous detectives who doesn’t know if he wants to be a detective or a writer (and is a dog) and Pearl Whiskerton who absolutely wants to be a detective (and is a cat). Watts arrives to stay at Pearl’s for a vacation but when a dinosaur bone is discovered in the garden and someone mysteriously digs in Count Whiskerton’ s beloved rosebushes, they get on the case and try to make sense of the strange mysteries that begin to pile up.
I like the dynamic between the confident and enthusiastic Pearl who has a tendency to rush into things and the calm and systematic Watts. The story isn’t just fun but also teaches the reader how to approach a problem methodically as at the end of each chapter we see Watts’ notes that sum up the facts and suggest the next steps or course of action. There are lots of cute illustrations and sketches and the format is a sort of cross between a comic book and fiction which also makes it interesting and fun to read.
February 10, 2024
I don’t read many mysteries of any kind so I thought that this would be a fun way to get into it, it’s a fun middle grade story about a duo who try to solve a mystery about dinosaur bones and rose bushes, I feel as though it is much more fun to go in knowing nothing else about it.
I had issues with the formatting of this which made it difficult to read at times but other than that I enjoyed my time reading this book.
I found the art style a lot of fun and the immediate friendship between Watts and Pearl was sweet, also there were a lot of puns in the names which made me smile.
There were parts of the mystery that were confusing but other than that I did really enjoy the book, I was just expecting a little more from it plot wise, though I think that as it is aimed at younger readers, it makes it simpler to understand.
Overall, I am excited to read the next one in the series and recommend this for any young readers looking to get into mysteries.
I was sent this e-Arc on Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I had issues with the formatting of this which made it difficult to read at times but other than that I enjoyed my time reading this book.
I found the art style a lot of fun and the immediate friendship between Watts and Pearl was sweet, also there were a lot of puns in the names which made me smile.
There were parts of the mystery that were confusing but other than that I did really enjoy the book, I was just expecting a little more from it plot wise, though I think that as it is aimed at younger readers, it makes it simpler to understand.
Overall, I am excited to read the next one in the series and recommend this for any young readers looking to get into mysteries.
I was sent this e-Arc on Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 21, 2024
Shelock holmes for kids + animals = Watts and Whiskerton.
What a beautiful book. The mixture of traditional story book with comic was easy to follow. The illustrations were perfect for the storytelling and adding to the story for early readers.
The recaps at the end of each chapter are great.
I enjoyed reading this to my little one and will be looking forward to more Watts and Whiskerton adventures.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my copy of Watts and Whiskerton.
What a beautiful book. The mixture of traditional story book with comic was easy to follow. The illustrations were perfect for the storytelling and adding to the story for early readers.
The recaps at the end of each chapter are great.
I enjoyed reading this to my little one and will be looking forward to more Watts and Whiskerton adventures.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my copy of Watts and Whiskerton.
August 5, 2024
A fun twist on Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. We follow Watts and his friend Pearl as he tries to find out if he wants to follow in his detective parent’s footsteps or find his own way. Together they solve a few mysteries and find out about themselves along the way. Full of cute illustrations, this is the perfect book for younger readers ready to sink their teeth into chapter books.
Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier books for my review copy.
Thank you NetGalley and Bonnier books for my review copy.
April 19, 2024
The sweetest little book
November 1, 2024
This was a 4th birthday present for Logan. He opted out after the first 2 chapters but I had to know what happened so I finished it by myself. It’s so cute!
February 8, 2025
A sweet read for lower primary students. Highly illustrated with great characters, this is a fun mystery story.
May 4, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! It was short, sweet, simple and at some points quite amusing.
The book starts with Watts - the son of a famous detective couple - goes to stay at The Whiskerton Manor with Count Whiskerton and his daughter whilst his parents are investigating the rainforest. There he meets a curious cat called Pearl Whiskerton, who has a nose for mysteries. Watts doesn’t think he has what it takes to become an infamous detective, but suddenly his skills are put to the test when he and his new friend Pearl start to investigate a series of strange goings-on at Whiskerton Manor. Can the detective duo solve the case?
I really enjoyed reading this book. There were a lot of illustrations, which always gives me a break from all of the chunky novels that I usually read. I loved all of the characters, and the story line was easy but interesting to follow along. It was a classic whodunnit, with a few laughs and lots of fun along the way. I think it’s so important for everyone, no matter what age you are, to read these types of books, as it opens our reading range even further, as honestly, the culprit of the mysteries as very hard to solve, even though it wasn’t written for people my age, and it always made me rethink about who could’ve done it. I would definitely recommend this book!
The book starts with Watts - the son of a famous detective couple - goes to stay at The Whiskerton Manor with Count Whiskerton and his daughter whilst his parents are investigating the rainforest. There he meets a curious cat called Pearl Whiskerton, who has a nose for mysteries. Watts doesn’t think he has what it takes to become an infamous detective, but suddenly his skills are put to the test when he and his new friend Pearl start to investigate a series of strange goings-on at Whiskerton Manor. Can the detective duo solve the case?
I really enjoyed reading this book. There were a lot of illustrations, which always gives me a break from all of the chunky novels that I usually read. I loved all of the characters, and the story line was easy but interesting to follow along. It was a classic whodunnit, with a few laughs and lots of fun along the way. I think it’s so important for everyone, no matter what age you are, to read these types of books, as it opens our reading range even further, as honestly, the culprit of the mysteries as very hard to solve, even though it wasn’t written for people my age, and it always made me rethink about who could’ve done it. I would definitely recommend this book!
July 20, 2024
A very brief and lively thriller, for very brief and lively children. Our dog is going to stay with a cat, while he tries to mentally sort his future – since being a pup he's been forced to tail his parents on all their detective shenanigans, but is he really cut out to follow in their paw-prints? Can he be his own dog? Well, when the digging of a new swimming pool in the grounds of his hosting mansion reveals some strange surprises, he might just find out.
He might just find a great new friend, too, and to some extent this opening book suffers a touch as it has to set their world up, and get them hooked up, but generally this is woven really well into the actual mystery. I seldom thought 'we're just seeing this series being built, and missing out on plot', which so many books allow you to feel. Future stories, on this evidence, will have a great time with an easily established partnership, and make no mistake this opener is not shoddy either. It's on the simple side, as befits the youth of the intended reader, but manages to include touches of education and cutesiness alike in its gentle, sprightly fun. A healthy four stars.
He might just find a great new friend, too, and to some extent this opening book suffers a touch as it has to set their world up, and get them hooked up, but generally this is woven really well into the actual mystery. I seldom thought 'we're just seeing this series being built, and missing out on plot', which so many books allow you to feel. Future stories, on this evidence, will have a great time with an easily established partnership, and make no mistake this opener is not shoddy either. It's on the simple side, as befits the youth of the intended reader, but manages to include touches of education and cutesiness alike in its gentle, sprightly fun. A healthy four stars.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews