Casey's Cases: Everything Is Terrible

Casey's Cases

by Kay Healy

Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets Nancy Drew meets Amelia Bedelia in this hilarious young graphic novel series featuring an aspiring detective who will solve any case . . . usually accidentally.

Casey has a lot on her plate, and not just delicious tater tots: campaigning for fifth grade class president, finding perfect homes for Ms. Muffin’s seven kittens, getting the guts to ask AJ to the dance, and of course, continuing to hone her detective skills.

But just when everything seems to be coming together, it all falls apart. Casey’s nemesis Dina gets her hands on a humiliating photo, and even worse, Casey’s best friend Jan—ex-best friend??— is the one who gave it to Dina. Worst of all, Casey’s parents are keeping a secret that will change her whole life.

Can detective Casey figure out the Case of Everything Is Terrible, or is this the one mystery without a solution?

Fresh talent Kay Healy’s winsome heroine, crackling wit, and charmingly geometric characters alchemize to comedy gold. Voracious young comics fans won’t want to miss Casey’s laugh-out-loud second adventure.

Genres: Graphic Novels

208 pages, Hardcover

Published September 30, 2025

About the author

Through her life-sized drawn, painted, and screen-printed fabric installations, Kay Healy investigates themes of home, loss, displacement, and resilience with interview-based projects.

Healy received a BA from Oberlin College and a MFA from the University of the Arts. Her installation Coming Home was purchased by the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and her work has been supported by the Independence Foundation’s Fellowship in the Arts and the Leeway Foundation.

Healy has had solo exhibitions at Gallery Madison Park in New York City, Gallery Septima in Tokyo, Japan, the Windgate Gallery in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, and other galleries. She has completed residencies at KKV Print Studios in Malmö, Sweden, The Cooper Union in New York City, and Moosey Gallery in Norwich, UK.

Reviews

[Donna Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Casey solves cases with her best friend, navigating asking a boy to the dance, running for class president, and changes at home. Funny, nerdy, and simple - told in short chapters that mostly follow the arc of the 'cases' that Casey takes on. And there's a great run of rock puns.

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bumbling, big-hearted eleven-year-old Casey is back on the case, still trying to find all the answers. This time she's running for class president, struggling with some pretty big changes in her life, and trying to solve the mysteries of life. Will she find a date to the dance? Will she and her best friend Jan make up? Will she solve the case of the tiny clothing? Characters come in a wide range of shades and shapes, casually inhabiting Casey’s world with gleeful fun. Like the first book, this one is endearing and witty, and the writing is fairly accessible and appealing to readers at many ages. Its storylines and subtle inferences are clever enough to appeal to upper elementary students, while the text density and vocabulary will make it accessible to younger readers. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fifth grader Casey Cauldwell is on the case--well, several cases, actually--again in this follow-up to the previous graphic title. The would-be detective is trying to sort out some tricky parts of life that she styles as cases, including solving the mystery around small-sized clothing in her house, figuring out how to ask someone to a dance, dealing with an embarrassing bathtub photo, running for class president, and finding good homes for her cat's kittens. There's so much relatable drama in this installment that readers will surely feel seen and heard. Amid the humor, there are some serious moments such as possible friend betrayal, offering forgiveness, and accepting that parents can love more than one child. Everything turns out not to be as terrible as Casey thinks.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
Graphic novel mystery series entry - I had not read the first so was a little lost