Комиссар Гордон: Первое дело

Kommissarie Gordon / Detective Gordon #1

by Ulf Nilsson, Ульф Нильсон, Gitte Spee (Illustrator)

В лесу кто-то крадёт орехи у зверей. Найти воришку — долг чести комиссара Гордона, опытного детектива. Даже если для этого придётся всю зимнюю ночь просидеть в засаде. Но когда наконец появляется грабитель, комиссар не может сдвинуться с места: он примёрз! Какой конфуз. Приходится просить о помощи самого преступника. Но досадное происшествие неожиданно оборачивается удачей…

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Animals, Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Fiction

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Ulf Nilsson is a prolific author, who's written over 100 books and received many awards, including the August and American Batchelder awards.

Reviews

[Anna Mussmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the one hand, this is a cute little mystery about forest animals. On the other, it presents the mentality of Nordic-style socialism to kids. It’s written by a popular Swedish children’s author, and the liberal Scandinavian outlook is interesting to see.

The plot is centered around a theft. However, the detective--who happens to be a frog--eschews traditional police behavior. “We must have a forest where everyone is happy,” he says; and he makes it clear he does not believe in punishing individuals. He insists “the pistol” must never be taken out and used, and later explains it is kept in the police station only so that no one else will use it, because it could hurt someone.

The story acknowledges that theft is not good and must be addressed, but it also makes the point that the victim of this particular theft is morally equivalent to a thief because he cares more about possessing all his nuts than about helping those who don’t have enough.

Now, that last point isn’t necessarily incorrect. Greed is wrong. Yet it’s. . . well, it’s easy for the policeman to say no one should begrudge a hungry mouse a nut when it’s not the policeman’s nut! Besides, the police, symbol and representatives of law, are not the people who should be guiding society’s moral outlook. There needs to be some source of truth above and beyond the state.

In this story, truth is identified through niceness and feelings. Here’s a quote: "'One doesn't need to understand,' said the detective, 'as long as one feels that everything is all right.'" Not exactly the outlook traditional to mystery fiction!

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming piece of Scandinavian crime fiction for children! I love it when animals have professions. Bonus points b/c the crime fighting team is a young spunky mouse and an old toad who really would rather be drinking tea and eating his night cakes.

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming little mystery reminded me of The Wind in the Willows. When a squirrel's nuts go missing one winter, Detective Gordon is on the case. He's not as spry as he used to be, but he's very thoughtful and knowledgeable, and soon he has a young assistant to help with fieldwork. Together, Gordon and Buffy collect evidence, interrogate suspects, and solve their first case!

This gentle mystery would be a good choice for young kids reading at higher levels or for anyone who enjoys animal stories. The illustrations are colorful and completely charming.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming read aloud with my 7-year-old son. I was impressed that the author included many of the details I love from adult mysteries (the detective partnership, following clues, the sense of escalating crime) into a gentle children's book. I will definitely get my son more books from this series to read.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 sterren. Dit was een leuk boekje!

Ik vond alleen onze inspecteur erg saai en ik had veel meer verwacht van de geweldige inspecteur. Natuurlijk, hij is wat ouder, hij is wat ingezakter, maar ik vond het gewoon jammer hoe hij was. In plaats van er echt voor te gaan, zat hij telkens te denken aan eten, of thee, of warmte. En hij had wel wat goede momenten, momenten waar ik zag dat hij inderdaad misschien ooit eens een geweldige inspecteur was, die er echt voor ging. Ik hoop dat wij die verhalen ook gaan zien, want dat zou het karakter beter maken.
Maar, ondanks dat hij dus nou niet echt de inspecteur was die ik verwachtte, was de inspecteur wel een hele aardige man. Lief, weigerde geweld te gebruiken, gaf een huis aan iemand die dat nodig had. Ik vond hem in dat opzicht echt een leuk karakter en ik mocht hem wel.

Dan hebben we nog Paddy (of in ieder geval, dat is nu haar naam). Onze nieuwe assistente voor Gordon, een jong, schattig muisje dat vaak honger heeft, heel veel moet leren, maar ook heel gretig is om te leren. Ik vond haar een best leuk karakter, alleen jammer dat zij dan wel erg naar geweld wilde reiken. Haar constante gevraag om het pistool, of de wapenstok, ergerde me. Ik snapte niet waarom het nou zo nodig was.

Het mysterie? De dief/dieven? Het verhaal? Hartstikke leuk, en ik heb echt genoten om mee te puzzelen met onze falende inspecteur, en onze gretige assistente. Uit te zoeken of ik kon uitvinden wie het had gedaan.

Ik vraag me wel af wie de muffins weer in voorraad doet, het lijkt me dat ze nu best snel opgaan. Maakt de inspecteur ze zelf? Is er een magische boodschappendienst? Iets anders? En wordt je niet een beetje misselijk van alleen maar muffins eten (zelfs al zijn ze verschillend)?

Ik vond de obsessie met stempelen ook wel een beetje apart.

De illustraties zijn erg leuk, en ik vond ze op een aantal punten zelfs mooi om te zien. Zelfs met de kou van de winter die in dit boek heerst, gaven de illustraties warmte af (hopelijk klinkt dat zoals ik het wil laten klinken, en niet wazig of zo). :)

Zou ik dit boek aanraden? Ja, dat zou ik zeker doen. Het is een leuk boek, en past ook perfect bij het komende seizoen.

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

“All the stars because I love it. I like how they solved the mystery and how they thought the first squirrel was the thief, but it was actually two other squirrels. It was also funny because the two other squirrels locked themselves in jail. Buffy also thought it was the fox because she said they are the most dangerous animal, but I think bears are. Actually, T-Rexes are the most dangerous.”

- Kaleb, age 6

[Callie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Gordon: The First Case, is a charming story of a thoughtful and experienced toad detective as he uses his precise and methodical skills to keep harmony in his forest. In the midst of solving the case of the squirrel's stolen nuts, Detective Gordon displays compassion and intelligence by hiring a young assistant to learn investigative skills and help him with the legwork which is tiring for an elderly toad. The books illustrations give the reader insight into the characters personality and the story is a testament to how harmonious those from different generations can work together. A great quality read by an international author, perfect for 2nd - 4th grade readers.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pure fun nonsense. Toad/Gordon is the detective and recruits mouse/Buffy to be his police assistant. The way they catch the thieves is clever. Although a chapter book for the younger set, the vocabulary is quite high. Enjoyable. One in a series of four.

[Chi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming, and sweet uncomplicated story about a toad and his newly-found assistant, Buffy. The story is pretty easy to read, and yet quite enjoyable no matter what age you are. I think for me, it was even more of a bonus since it was one that resonated with my 7yo reader (especially since he's not a very enthusiastic reader).

An additional bonus are the really sweet line drawings.

[Tim Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Gordon has a refreshingly original approach to policing. Those in genuine need may help themselves to private property, violence is never an option and he disapproves of punishment. If there is such a thing as an Anarchist policeman, Gordon is it!

[Viktoria - Bjartigabocker · Rating 3 out of 5]

6-9 år. Passar mer 6-åringar än 9-åringar. Men en ganska trevlig bok.

[The Bookshop Umina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute Scandinavian illustrated chapter book. Our kids book club read it and thoroughly enjoyed it.

They rated it out of 10 and gave it:
6.5/10, 10.5,9.5/10

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scandinavian crime fiction has never been more charming than it is 'Detective Gordon: The First Case' by Ulf Nilsson. This early reader book left me with a huge smile on my face.

In an icy woods, there is a thief afoot. Someone is stealing nuts from Squirrel, and his only hope is to enlist the help of Detective Gordon, a frog with a penchant for cakes and the sound of paper being stamped with a 'ka-chunk.' The case is difficult and with a lot of standing in the cold, Detective Gordon finds that he needs help. He finds it in young mouse, Buffy. They have a series of adventures that lead to them trying to solve the crime. There are plenty of laughs along the way.

It reminded me a bit of Arnold Lobel's 'Frog and Toad are Friends' in tone and sweetness. The illustrations are plentiful and cute and the whole thing is so gentle and charming that I am so very glad I asked to review it. I highly recommend this for young readers, but it would make a fine read aloud book as well.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Myrick Marketing & Media, LLC., Gecko Press, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this wonderful ebook.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not the case of the missing nuts that makes this story so sweetly compelling. It's the interaction between the aging Detective Gordon and his would-be assistant, Buffy, that causes this book to sparkle. While staking out the tree from which so many nuts have been stolen, the detective stands still so long that he almost freezes. When he spots Buffy, he is all set to arrest her, but she takes pity on him and helps free him. There is a gentleness about their budding friendship and an awareness that the detective, a frog, may be past his prime when it comes to solving cases. Maybe, just maybe, he should leave the sleuthing to someone young like Buffy and spend his days making rules, stamping papers, and eating cakes. The book's message, its characters, and the simple but colorful illustrations add to its appeal. I hope there will be more books featuring this new partnership.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many nuts have been stolen from Vladimir, the squirrel, and Detective and Police Chief Gordon has to solve the case. In the process, which includes a lot of thinking, stamping and cake eating, he meets Buffy, a young mouse who becomes his assistant and friend. While Buffy wishes for many exciting cases to solve, Gordon, as the old and wise toad he is, wishes for a quite district with no crime at all. No crime. No punishment.

The first case is a cozy mystery for kids, with adorable characters and many beautiful teachings in it. The illustrations are absolutely cute. I would love to read more Detective Gordon adventures.

Age range: 8 to 11 years old

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

http://reviewsinchalk.blogspot.com/20...

[Rachel Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just happened upon this children's book because I love a mystery....generally adult mysteries. However, on my way out of the library while walking past the children's section, my eyes spotted it, and I'm so glad they did. This book was wonderful! Written with sensitivity and humor that both children, and dare I say, adults, will enjoy reading. There's so many life lessons being taught within the 90 pages of this book, I don't know where to begin. Not wanting to spoil the plot or ending, let's just say that your child(ren) will learn of greed, remorse, and compassion along with never underestimating the older folks amongst us....nor the inexperienced, yet eager, young ones. They'll also see how the young and old can learn from one another and accomplish mutual goals. This truly is a "must read"!!

[Amanda Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't be fooled by the small size of this book or the extra white space on the pages, this book packs a powerful philosophical punch. How should crimes be punished? What is the role of prison? Quite a lot of conversations that could arise.

Kids so often see the world in black and white, good guys and bad guys. This one is an age appropriate way to help them see more grey.

And also make them hungry for teacakes.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute simple read but not really a mystery book. good for 7yo children or top be read at night time, add the chapters are short and illustrations are beautiful. I how there's other books in this series.

[Ollie Reeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

For fans of Nate the Great.

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just spent a few weeks reading this to my first grade classes. They very much appreciated the characterizations and trying to solve the case along with Buffy and Detective Gordon.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just so cute and fun and I know so many littles that would love this as an early introduction to easy mysteries. This will be a fun series to read.

[Fernweh_nach_Zamonien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eine warmherzige Geschichte mit liebenswerten Charakteren und wundervollen Illustrationen.

Inhalt:

Im Wald treibt sich ein Dieb herum:

Es wurden Unmengen an Nüssen gestohlen!

Ein Fall für den berühmten Kriminalkommissar Gordon.

Doch in eisiger Kälte den Tatort zu bewachen, ist kein Leichtes. Der Kommissar ist zwar brillant, aber mit seinen neunzehn Lenzen nicht mehr der Jüngste. Festgefroren sehnt er sich nach seiner warmen Polizeistation, einer Tasse Tee und köstlichen Muffins.

Hätte er doch nur eine Assistentin, dann könnten sie zusammen diesen Fall lösen.

Die kleine Maus Buffy kommt zur rechten Zeit ...



Altersempfehlung:

ab 6 Jahre zum Vorlesen

oder zum Selberlesen etwa ab 8 Jahren (normale Schriftgröße, Blocksatz, kurze Kapitel)



Illustrationen/Covergestaltung:

Das Cover ist schlicht gehalten, zeigt aber auf den ersten Blick wie geduldig und analytisch Kommissar Gordon ermittelt.

Das Vorsatzpapier schmückt eine Karte, welche die wichtigsten Stationen zeigt: Polizeirevier, Tatort und Nuss-Verstecke des Eichhörnchens uvm.

Im Innern ergänzen viele wunderschöne und farbenfrohe Illustrationen die Handlung und erwecken die Charaktere zum Leben. Diese wirken so herzlich und sympathisch. Besonders ihre Mimik ist ganz wundervoll getroffen.

Zudem sind die Kulissen (schneebedeckte Landschaft, heimelige Polizeistation) mit viel Liebe zum Detail und voller Atmosphäre gestaltet.



Mein Eindruck:

Dies ist - wie der Titel bereits verrät - der erste Band der Reihe.

Auf ruhige, unaufgeregte Weise wird das spannende Abenteuer erzählt.

Die Hauptfiguren schließt man sofort ins Herz.

Der alte Kommissar ist gutmütig, geduldig und liebt die Ruhe. Am liebsten wäre ihm, wenn keinerlei Verbrechen geschehen.

Seine Protokolle sind genauso kurz und knackig wie sein Stempeln: KA-DUNK!

Mit dem kleinen Mäuslein an seiner Seite hat er den perfekten Gegenpart gefunden.

Buffy ist aufgeschlossen und auf Zack. Sie erledigt die Laufarbeit für den Kommissar und gemeinsam sind sie ein tolles Team.

Es ist übrigens nicht auszuschließen, dass man bei der Lektüre Appetit bekommt ... auf Schokoladenmuffins mit

Johannisbeermarmelade oder Vanillemuffins mit Erdbeermarmelade ...

Für den ersten Fall geben wir 5 von 5 Nüsse und eine Leseempfehlung!

Ein spannendes Abenteuer mit einem liebenswerten Anti-Helden. Perfekt für kleine und große Schnüffler und für alle Tierliebhaber!



Fazit:

Der kurzweilige, ruhige Kinderkrimi ist ein gelungener Start in eine neue Buchserie.

Das Ermittler-Duo schließt man sofort ins Herz und die atmosphärischen, farbenfrohen Illustrationen spiegeln die Handlung sehr gut wider.

Wir sind gespannt auf weitere Abenteuer des sympathischen Teams.



...

Rezensiertes Buch: "Kommissar Gordon - Der erste Fall" aus dem Jahr 2014

[Rebecca Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Gordon: The First Case by Ulf Nilsson is part a mystery story but also part a story of friendship. Detective Gordon, a toad, is the only officer in the forest, and he sits alone at his desk. When a hungry and lonely forest mouse is caught stealing nuts from squirrel’s winter stock, he invites her home and gives her some food. He is aghast that she does not even have a name, and proudly bestows one on her. Buffy becomes his sidekick, and together they are able to find a solution to the stolen nuts in the forest. Detective Gordon is a fun addition to the early chapter book lists and I hope this is the first of many such adventures for the good detective and his meek side kick.

Buffy is an adorable little one and Detective Gordon, despite his business-like demeanor is a true softy. Although he seems to be a stickler for the rules, for example, he let Buffy sleep on a bed and does not keep her in jail: he recognizes that she is not a threat and wants to give her chances. I liked the wintery setting and the relationships among the animals in the forest. Further, there was plenty of humor in the various creatures to make this a delightful read for the young reader: Detective Gordon’s seemingly senseless enjoyment of “stamping” his papers, his freezing in the snow, requesting help from his suspected thief when he needed to get unstuck.

The reading level is early chapter book. Most pages are broken by full-color illustrations, and have 150-200 words. The text is not too large nor too small, and the vocabulary is challenging. Although much of it is easy words for a beginning reader, there are a few more challenging vocabulary words, such as convoluted, significant, surveillance, and so forth. Nevertheless, the story is fun enough for an older reader who may still struggle with reading. The text and story are also complicated enough for a younger reader who is confident in their reading. I believe it is nice balance for an early chapter book.

My eight-year-old son, who reads at a much higher level, says he really enjoyed reading this book. He thought it was funny.

Note: I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.

[Jamie Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this novel in the University of Kentucky Education Library. It was published in 2015, so the novel is less than 10 years old. It has a lexile level of 510 and is aimed for ages 6-10. After reading this novel, I would suggest it to 2nd or 3rd graders, based on the lexile level and suggested age range. It's a shorter novel, with 93 pages, giving young readers a sense of accomplishment upon finishing it. The novel contains a decent amount of pictures, all of which are small and dispersed throughout the text. The front cover contains a toad holding a magnifying glass and a mouse standing across from him. This novel follows Detective Gordon, a toad who is the chief of police and chief of detectives within a forest, as he hunts down criminals and uncovers mysteries to solve crimes. A squirrel’s stash of 224 nuts goes missing and everyone is a suspect. Vladimir, the victim, seeks the help of Detective Gordon to solve the mystery- who stole the nuts? Detective Gordon recruits a mouse, Buffy, to be his assistant and help solve the missing nuts case. After much investigating and searching, the two decide to set a trap to lure the thief in and catch them! The two catch Vladimir, the squirrel who reported the crime, approaching the trap and accuse him of stealing his own nuts. Surprisingly, this squirrel didn’t do it! The real thieves were revealed just as the squirrel was being arrested. It was in fact two different squirrels who were the thieves! The two thieves scurried into a tree hole with the previously stashed supply of nuts. When Buffy started taunting them from the ground, they began to throw nuts at her to try to hit her. Eventually, they had thrown all of the 224 nuts at her! The detectives said the stolen nuts had been returned so that the squirrels could now just think about their crimes and their actions. After finding a double nut, Gordon and Buffy decide to make two wishes for their forest; no crime, no punishment. Overall, I would give this book 5/5 stars as it was a suspenseful read and great for young readers wanting independence!

[Julie Kriz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple but charming story of a reluctant Police Chief, who is also an old toad. Together with his lively sidekick, who is also a young mouse, they solve the mystery of who stole the nuts from Squirrel's tree. Will they find the culprit in between their breaks for tea and cake? If they do, will the thief be punished? It's the perfect story for those advanced first and second grade readers, those who are ready to try a longer read (this one is 91 pages), but are not yet ready for more complicated plots. The illustrations by Gitte Spee are done in vibrant watercolor, and pair nicely with the text, bringing out the whimsy and humor in the story. This is the first of a series--two more are currently available.

[Kayla Yirdaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet little innocent tale of a toad and a mouse who head out to solve a mystery. I spent a good portion of the book predicting that the mouse had poor character and was the actual thief but I was wrong! I loved the simplicity of this book, the word play (ex: wretched thieves, thieving wretches), and the ordinariness of the characters.

It’s hard not to like mouse, later known as Buffy, who turns from being a petty thief to an assistant detective. At the same time that we get to delight in a dynamic character, it’s comical to see toad as the static character consumed with the warm indoors, a cup of tea, and some muffins— am I the toad?

It’s not a must read book but I would quickly explore other books in this series.

[Linnea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bra högläsningsbok med lagom spänningsnivå! Lite kluriga ord och begrepp ibland, men eftersom jag högläste den kunde vi tillsammans prata om det och på så sätt öka förståelsen. En bra bok att prata med barn om då den tar upp många intressanta ämnen på ett lätt och humoristiskt vis. Som varför musen Paddys inledande stöld blir förlåten, varför Kapten Gordon inte vill ha med vapnet. Eller om det verkligen går att leva på kakor som varje måltid eller om tårar blir till ispärlor om en gråter ute på vintern. Vi ser båda fram emot att läsa om Gordon och Paddys nästa fall här hemma!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

More or less a children's book.

Detective Gordon is a toad and Chief of Police in the forest. He is slowing down and so, when he catches a small mouse who is stealing because she is faint from hunger, he ‘hires’ her as a policewoman and assistant to him. Together, they solve the case of who has stolen the squirrel’s 204 nuts.

To get away from the police, the culprits board themselves into a hole in a tree and throw the nuts out because mouse is taunting them. Detective Gordon is pleased because the thieves have “punished themselves.”

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

We put this book in our 7 year olds' Easter basket after reading reviews stating that it didn't shy away from large vocabulary words and that it was a good choice for fans of Frog and Toad.

This book is a delightful read, and a rare find, as chapter books with lovely pictures that don't talk down to the reader aren't common in children's literature. We also really appreciate the emphasis on loving one's neighbor in need over the pursuit of justice for justice's sake. This is one that will be read many times in our home, and we're looking forward to reading the other books in the collection.

[Jeannette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always on the lookout for short chapter books worthy to be read aloud to my kindergarten students. This one had its charming moments but was almost ridiculously pacifist. And that seemed rather glaring given that the story was about a police detective in the story. The detective took on an eager mouse assistant but he was averse to using any kind of weapons, or even punishing the evil doers. I will keep looking for worthy chapter books. This one was silly in bending over backwards to avoid any kind of violence, and in promoting socialist ideas.