The Lunchnapper

Pipsie, Nature Detective

by Rick DeDonato

A nature hunt…and a missing lunch!

Pipsie and her turtle friend, Alfred, are on the best school trip ever—a nature scavenger hunt! The team who finds “Seven Wonders of Nature” first wins. But that isn’t all Pipsie and Alfred have to find. Someone has stolen their PB&Js!

The search is on for the lunch that left, and soon Pipsie and Alfred are following animal tracks and discovering deer, birds, and even some beavers. Can Pipsie make this mystery history and finish the scavenger hunt? And hopefully before lunchtime, because Alfred is one hungry turtle!

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Animals, Childrens, Mystery, Friendship, Fiction

22 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 12, 2016

About the author

Rick DeDonato started writing and drawing storybooks for his two kids, Alexis and Matt, when they were little. They’re grown now, but Rick is still creating stories! When he’s not dreaming up adventures for Pipsie and Alfred, he’s an award-winning creative director in advertising. Born in New Jersey, he now lives in Wilmington, Delaware, with Nancy McAleer, their two dogs Tugger and Nacho, and their turtle Alfred E. Turtle.

Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar, is Rick's first published book. You can see sample pages of the book and meet Pipsie and Alfred at http://www.amazon.com/Pipsie-Nature-D...

Pipsie and Alfred's second adventure is The Lunchnapper. Go on a NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT with Pipsie and Alfred and you'll learn about many animals in the forest and help them solve the mystery of "Who stole their lunch?"

Turtle Trouble is Pipsie and Alfred's third adventure and in it, they have to solve the mystery of what made Alfred's foot all sticky and bumpy and stinky. You'll learn a lot and have a lot of fun solving this mystery following all the clues around the park.

You can have more fun with Pipsie and Alfred at http://www.pipsienaturedetective.com/

Pipsie is a fun book to read and it's also educational. Every book has FUN FACTS about nature by experts in animals and insects.

All Pipsie books have received good reviews from The School Library Journal and/or The Library Connection with a verdict to BUY the books for libraries. We are VERY PROUD of that.

We hope you fall in love with Pipsie and enjoy all of her and Alfred's adventures.

Thank you for your interest in Pipsie.

Reviews

[Somia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Light Stars

Another adventure for detective Pipsie and her trusted sidekick and best-friend Alfred, the turtle. On a school trip they have a scavenger hunt to complete and a mystery to solve - someone has stolen their lunch.

This will entertain the little ones and they can take part in the scavenger hunt as you/they go through the book.

Fun educational facts add the end - e.g. earthworms don't have lungs, they breathe through their skin (I had no idea, did you?).

Acquired via KU, will be picking up again when I need to look after the little ones in my family. Again looks good and easy to navigate via my tablet.

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for my toddler’s bedtime. Pipsie loves a scavenger hunt and today her school is having a nature scavenger hunt. Her partner is a turtle. While busy they lost track of their bag lunch. When they remember it, it’s gone. Now they have a mystery to solve on top of the school scavenger hunt.

Read from kindle unlimited.

[Ally Web · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this review and more at The Bohemian Housewife Blog




What was your favorite part of the story?

I liked the turtle. He was so sad about his lunch and I am sad about his lunch. Lunch is my favorite because of Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches.

Would you want me to read the story again? 

It's too long for bedtime, maybe for school time. (He likes really short before bed stories)

Would you like to go on a nature hunt with Pipsie? 

Oh yes. She has a cool turtle and I like turtles.

 



I thought this book was pretty cute. My son is about to be four and is in love with space along with the outdoors. He has been asking for a turtle/lizard for a while so he really had to point out how much he loves the turtle. I enjoyed the facts about the different animals. It's nice to know he is learning as I read to him, even if it's meant to be fun. I also liked that it pointed out the separate tracks animals left behind. I'm hoping he will see some next time we go camping. My favorite thing about this children's book was the fact the main character didn't win in the end. You don't always win, and I think it's important to show that in children's books.  All around, we will probably read this one again before our camping trips.

 

 

[Deon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, educational story. Illustrations are very nice!

I read this on #KindleUnlimited

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pipsie and her friend, Alfred, the turtle, are on a school trip. Pipsie is especially excited because the trip is a nature scavenger hunt. Since Pipsie is a nature detective, she was anxious to get started. After getting a list of seven items to find on their nature hunt, Pipsie and Alfred started off. Midway through the hunt, Alfred realizes they have lost their lunch. While searching for items on their list, they also had to look for clues to who might have stolen their lunch. Alfred's stomach is growling and the scavenger hunt is almost over. You'll have to read to find out if Pipsie and Alfred won the prize and found their lunch.

Kids won't even realize they are learning while joining the fun along with Pipsie and Alfred. They will explore the pages looking for parts of nature and clues to the mysterious lunchnapper. Even non-readers will be kept busy looking at the creative illustrations on each page.

The illustrations by Bishop are adorable...she even makes a porcupine cute. The pages are full of color but there is a softness to the artwork. Pipsie's facial expressions give her a realistic character. Details abound on every page including birds, trees, and animal tracks. I also love the whimsical font used to tell the story.

This is another winning children's book in my opinion. Pipsie and Alfred are delightful characters that kids will enjoy. The end of the book offers factual information about the animals they saw on their nature hunt. This book would be great for a classroom or home library.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pipsie and her helpful sidekick, Alfred Z. Turtle, are back with more science-based sleuthing in this second installment of the Pipsie, Nature Detective series.

What's more fun and challenging than a scavenger hunt? A mystery to solve along the way! Someone (or something) has filched Pipsie & Alfred's lunch when their backs were turned. Now, while on a scavenger hunt, they're also on the look out for clues to deduce who their Lunchnapper might be. With growling stomachs and focused sleuthing, Pipsie and Alfred are determined to make this new mystery history!

Unlike some educational children's books that lose their charm to dry, boring information-packed pages, Pipsie & Alfred keep the story fresh, fun, and exciting. This newest, outdoor adventure will continue to intrigue children with the wonders of science and nature surrounding them.

Pipsie is a fantastic role model. I want to buy a purple pith helmet and join her and Alfred on ALL their adventures!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lushly illustrated tale of a field trip to the park with a scavenger hunt. The items on the list are captured with cameras, not hands, and the environment is not violated. A good story, a good lesson, a fun time!
"This book was provided by the author or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Goodreads Giveaways."

[Julie Boudreau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beautifully illustrated, and the story line was fun. my granddaughter LOVES it.. although she calls the girl "peepees" "mimi.. can we read pee pees again?"
overall. makes for a good bedtime story, long enough.. but not too long..

[Patricia Bergman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this wonderful book from Goodreads Giveaway.

I absolutely love this book. The illustrations are outstanding and the story is both educational and fun. This is promised to a little girl who just celebrated her 4th birthday.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots going on in this mini-mystery, and the story line moves along precisely without confusion. Youngsters may enjoy using the scavenger hunt list to explore their own natural environment.

Full color illustrations support the text and help give the reader clues.

[Susan Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a cute book. I love that Pipsi and her friend Alfred are obsessed with finding who store their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The book also has beautiful illustrations.

[Karthika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations. My daughter loved it.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story to read to the little ones and a great learning experience. charming illustrations add to make the story come alive.

[yinon shay ben-anat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was amazing☺☺☺😊😊😊😉😉😁😇😇😇😇

The book was amazing because it is not boring😉😮😮😮😮😮😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😃😃😃😇😇😇😇☺☺
And it is interesting, well written and
It is a nice book

[Hayley Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting story of a nature scavenger hunt. This is a really good idea to do with a class around the school field to see what they can find. It creates awareness of nature and can be linked to topics on seasons, animals, habitats. Its also a good story to discuss teamwork. You could develop so many areas from this, a newspaper article around the missing lunch, getting children to make their own scavenger hunt and linking in to grammar etc, art work could be developed with things collected on the walk such as leaves if its autumn, or you could get the children to discuss what they could see at different times of the year. You could also get the children to think about the different types of animals they see and why they live in that environment and the food chain.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book might be worth reading just for these immortal lines, addressed by Pipsie to her turtle friend Alfred:

"You have a terrible case of the SMELLIES."

Soon it turns out...

THAT PIPSIE IS AIMING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS LIKE AN EMERGING SCIENTIST

Adorb, the logic and the discoveries, the process of eliminating causes of stink!

"When I see a BEE, I need to..."
No spoiler from me, but this is an excellent line.

The beautifully paced narrative ends with a satisfying solution to the mystery. Plus, there's wonderful Insect Insight at the end.

IN CONCLUSION

This whimsical yet fact-filled book is a perfect gift for children who may eventually excel at STEM studies. How refreshing, the concept and execution and just-right illustrations!

[Ammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not one I loved reading aloud, but perfect for emergent readers.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scavengers!

A really fun mix of a scavenger hunt and a mystery with some amazing facts to boot. Another great book in the Pipsie series and as always Alfred steals the show.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pipsie always has something to teach us about nature!

[Apoorva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing exploratory book

A great book for children too read in class and with parents. Plenty of activities could be conducted for kids. Great illustration too.

[Fatemesadat shahravesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

ترجمه میتونست بهتر باشه

[Dornel Cerro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pipsie Nature Detective: The Lunchnapper by Rick DeDonato and illustrated by Tracy Bishop. Two Lions, 2016. Recommended for ages 3-7.

In their second adventure, Pipsie and her friend, Alfred the turtle, are off on the " ...BEST school trip ever ..." The two will partner up on the “Seven Wonders of Nature” scavenger hunt and try to locate and photograph all seven items on the list (an animal home, animal tracks, etc.). Pipsie and Alfred have just set out when they realize their lunch is missing. Did a classmate take it? Or one of the forest denizens? Nature lover and detective Pipsie couldn’t be happier:

“Looks like we have a nature hunt AND a mystery to solve! … What could be better than that?”

The search for the items on their scavenger hunt list leads them closer and closer to uncovering the culprit. Along the way, Pipsie spots clues such as animal tracks showing a something dragging in the tracks. Could this be the missing lunch? When the tracks lead to a family of beavers, Pipsie uses her knowledge of nature and observation skills to eliminate the beavers as suspects:

“Beavers mostly eat trees and plants! And they weren’t dragging our lunch. Those are the marks their big flat tales make when they walk!”

As Pipsie records the facts in her detective’s notebook, Albert inadvertently gives her the clue she needs to catch the thief, but can they win the scavenger hunt?

This short story can serve as a guide for outdoor activities on a young child's first family hike or school field trip. It can also be used to introduce mystery as a genre, story sequencing, and the value of journaling (detective’s notebook). Most importantly this book is valuable for demonstrating how children can use critical thinking skills such as cause and effect and observation to solve problems. Visit Pipsie’s website (see link below) for some excellent educational activities.


Bishop’s colorful and spirited illustrations create excitement and add to the fun. Have children check out the end pages which include items needed for the field trip (such as a field guide) and photos of some of the nature objects Pipsie and Albert found on the scavenger hunt (a feather, animal tracks, etc.). Backmatter introduces some fun facts about some of the woodland creatures children see in this story.

Check out the free downloadable activity kit here! Visit PipsieNatureDetective.com for more games and coloring, fun facts, more details about Pipsie and her friends, along with info about the author and illustrator. There’s also a link to Alfred Z. Turtle’s blog!

About the Author and Illustrator

Rick DeDonato started writing and drawing storybooks for his two kids, Alexis and Matt, when they were little. They’re grown now, but Rick is still creating stories. He is the author of Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar, illustrated by Tracy Bishop. When he’s not dreaming up new adventures for Pipsie, he’s an award-winning creative director in advertising. Born in New Jersey, he now lives in Wilmington, Delaware, with Nancy McAleer; their two dogs, Tugger and Nacho; and their turtle, Alfred E. Turtle.

Tracy Bishop won an art contest in kindergarten, and she’s been creating art ever since. A graduate of San Jose State University, she is also the illustrator of Not the Quitting Kind by Sarra J. Roth and Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar by Rick DeDonato. She lives in San Jose, California, where she is inspired on a daily basis by her son, husband, and a hairy dog named Harry.

Thanks to Blue Slip Media for letting me review the book and participate in the blog tour.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pipsie and her friend Alfred, a turtle, have lots of fun together, and when they go on a school field trip, they team up for a scavenger hunt. Not only must they find seven different natural wonders in their surroundings, but they need to figure out who made off with their lunch. As Alfred grows increasingly hungry, he and Pipsie find all the items on the list, but the lunch culprit is the last thing they find. I like the careful attention the two pay to details such as animal tracks and the fact that Pipsie is not squeamish or reluctant to work hard in order to complete her assigned tasks. Back matter includes additional information about the animals in the book, which might make this a good title to read before heading off on a nature hike.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are adorable! It's definitely a fun book to look at. The story is cute and manages to include information about nature while reading like a mystery. I plan to check out Pipsie, Nature Detective: The Disappearing Caterpillar as well now, since this one was so cute.

Note: I received a hardcover copy of this book from the publisher through the Goodreads First Reads program.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and educational story about a Pipsie the nature detective. She goes on a nature scavenger hunt but also has to figure out who stole her lunch.

[Rick DeDonato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pipsie and Alfred have a lot of fun and teach so much when they solve this mystery. I think every little one who loves to discover new things in nature will love it.