Super Detectives!

Simon and Chester #1

by Cale Atkinson

A ghost and a kid team up to solve mysteries and do fun stuff! A hilarious new graphic novel series for fans of Bad Guys and Dog Man.

Welcome to the world of Simon and Chester, ghost and boy duo extraordinaire.
They don't like chores.
They are best friends.
And they are about to solve the MYSTERY OF A LIFETIME.
(Oh, and eat some snacks probably.)

Join Simon and Chester in their first adventure, and fall in love with this hilarious odd couple by fan favorite author and illustrator Cale Atkinson.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Mystery, Humor, Childrens, Middle Grade, Ghosts, Fiction

64 pages, Hardcover

First published February 6, 2021

About the author

Cale Atkinson is an illustrator/writer/animator currently residing in Kelowna Canada.
Believing in tea more than sleep, Cale is constantly working on numerous projects. His work can be found in children’s books, animated shorts, television, and games.

Publishers Cale has worked with include Disney Hyperion, Tundra, Simon and Schuster, Doubleday, KidsCan Press, Owl Books, Grosset & Dunlap, GreyStone, Scholastic, Pearson, and Marvel.

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

One day, up in the attic of a house, on a street, in a town, somewhere. ... I'm going to IMPLODE from boredom!

In this story, we follow Chester, the small human boy, and his best friend, Simon (a ghost). The two friends were trying to pass the time in the usual way when Chester began demanding something to do.

"CHESTER! There are hundreds of things you could do."
"Nope. Nothing. Nada. Zilch."

But when Chester goes through the clothes stored in the attic, he finds a rather peculiar outfit that gives Simon an idea - they will be detectives!

All they need is a case - and quite luckily, one falls right into their lap.

I'm not normally one for comics but I really adored the Simon and Chester picture book and was so excited to see that the two of them had a comic!

What really stood out to me was the friendship dynamic between the characters. Simon is brash but hides a kind heart, while Chester is kind but is also a bit nervous. Their personalities work really well together and I loved how the mystery fed into that.

The Sherlockian mystery felt a bit left-field compared to the picture book but honestly, it worked really well. I had a lot of fun following these characters around as they came up with zanier theories and barely scraped together a theory.

And finally, I do have to give a shout out for the illustrations. Atkinson does such an amazing job of breathing life into the characters. So much of their personalities are shown with each picture - I love it!!

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a fun graphic novel full of mystery and intrigue, grab this middle grade read!

I thought Super Detectives was super cute and fun! The bright colours grab your attention and the sweet story will keep you. I can easily see middle graders loving this as much as I loved Cam Jansen back in the day, and others loved Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Simon the ghost is also such a sassy and lovable character, how can you not want a little mixture of Casper the ghost meets Sherlock Holmes? It's so great!

Also, POWER POSE!

Overall, this is a great graphic novel read for middle graders that isn't too long.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much!

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chester is a boy, and Simon is the ghost who haunts his grandma's house. They are best friends. And, on a day Chester is really bored and Simon is inspired by a box of old clothes and whatnot, they are also detectives.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute. Going to read the others and see which is my favorite.

[createitlibrarian (Amanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and cute read

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

2021 GN young middle grade
Ghost Simon is writing (Ghost writer haha) and Kid Chester is bored, so they dig through the stuff in the attic and dress up as detectives. Solve mystery of the pug in their house. Ghost overthinks while Kid acts on a practical plan. Illustrations hilarious. Ghost sewing legs so he can go out in public incognito then the two go door to door asking if people know the dog. Very simple solution: dog belongs to Grandma's friend! Short, uncluttered, with great art!

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First introduced in Sir Simon: Super Scarer, this new graphic novel continues the partnership of Simon and Chester. Chester is bored, there’s nothing to do and Simon refuses to play clowns with him. But when Chester is digging in the items in the attic, he discovers a hat that is just right for being a detective. Simon, the ghost, wants to be the lead and Chester happily acts as his assistant. They set up their detective agency in the attic, complete with the right sort of lighting. Now all they need is a mystery to solve. They search for one, and then hear a strange “snork” noise coming from the kitchen. They discover a pug dog there, and now must solve the mystery of who owns him. There are lots of false leads, some fake legs, and dreams of a rich reward before the mystery is ultimately solved.

Full of lots of humor, this graphic novel is ideal for new readers who will love the format and the engaging storyline. The two characters are marvelous together, each happily playing along as the other takes their ideas in a new direction. The results are a hilarious book with a good mystery at its center but lots of silliness along the way. The writing is strong and the two characters are great fun to spend time with.

The art in the book is immensely inviting. It is richly modern with plenty of humorous visual jokes. I particularly guffawed when Simon tries to have fake legs and then doesn’t quite understand how to use them successfully. The question of whether the pug is a real dog is also a hoot as is their searching the kitchen for clues. There’s so much to love visually here.

A funny mystery for new readers to solve. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute graphic novel about a little boy and his resident ghost that decided to become detectives. Children and early middle grade kids will like this best, but it is a really fun read for all ages. I would absolutely buy this for the kids in my life.

Thank you to NetGalley, Cale Atkinson, and Penguin Random House Canada/Tundra Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so happy to see Simon again, this was wonderful!

[Peoria Public Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katy rated it 3 stars

[Marti (Letstalkaboutbooksbaybee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 5yo son is obsessed with ghosts and we’re rolling with it.

This book was perfect for him and he loved it.

[Melissa Flanagin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7 Stars

[Anisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY cute.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably fun!! A great start to the Simon and Chester series. Perfect for young readers (and of course, older readers too).

Thank you to Tundra Books for my gifted copy!

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty adorable, saving this one to read with my neices.

[Storytime With Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The season for graphic novels is upon us. Since the success of Narwhal and Jelly, there are a few new fun middle grade graphic novels coming to market by Canadian authors and illustrators. Super Detectives by Cale Atkinson is one of the new releases and it is hilarious!

If you loved his picture book Sir Simon, you will love Super Detectives. We meet Simon the ghost and his human friend Chester deep in the midst of boredom. Luckily, Chester’s grandma used to work in theatre so there is a treasure trove of dress up clothes to help cure the boredom. Finding the perfect detective outfits, the two friends head out to find a case and solve it.

There is everything to love about this book. It’s silly, funny and really quite high brow. My one complaint with a lot of the graphic novels out there is they rely on very low brow humour to entice the audience and while I do enjoy a good bathroom joke, it’s nice to have the option to enjoy something a little more sophisticated while still being hilarious. Super Detectives starts off right where Sir Simon left and all of the back and forth dialogue between the friends is preserved in this entertaining graphic novel. I would certainly recommend this book to any child from age 6 and up. This book will definitely be high on my gift giving list for the coming year.

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of this series I've read and I absolutely adored this book. These characters are hilarious and loyal--true best friends. This was a fun read with an ending I wasn't expecting, but made me smile. I laughed out loud while reading and studying the expressive illustrations. Highly recommended!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review.

I am a HUGE Cale Atkinson fan and this book does not disappoint! I love the friendship and banter between Chester and Simon. It is a cute story about them becoming detectives and solving a mystery. This will be a great graphic novel for young readers. The illustrations are super cute and will make it easy for beginning readers to follow along.

I can't wait to add this one to my classroom library!

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested and received this book from Cale Atkinson and Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a cute detective book that brings the world of Holmes and Watson to life for a new generation. I loved the illustrations and the case of the missing? puppy. Overall, a fun graphic novel for kids.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a gifted copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for my honest opinion.

Simon and Chester: Super Detectives is a fun and hilarious graphic novel for young readers. Simon, the stubborn little ghost, and Chester, the young boy whose grandma lives in the house that Simon haunts, are off on an adventure after they find detective outfits. Simon is sure that someone will come with a mystery for them to solve but a mystery appears on its own in their very own kitchen. Although Simon and Chester have their own methods of solving the mystery, their hilarious teamwork will delight young readers. This graphic novel is sure to be a new classroom favourite.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute graphic novel featuring the characters from Atkinson's picture book Sir Simon Super Scared. Buddies Chester and Simon decide the most exciting thing for them to do together is find a mystery to solve. Despite a difference of opinion on how to get the job done, the case gets solved. I have very young readers in the library grabbing graphic novels they really aren't ready for but I see this as a very good option for readers wanting to move out of picture books but not being old enough for some of themes in many graphic novels. Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy to review.

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It will be released February 9, 2021, by Tundra Books.
Super Detectives continues on from Atkinson's Sir Simon Super Scarer, where the two protagonists, Simon and Chester, met and became friends.
The comedic duo now star in their own graphic novel series. This is the first.
Simon is busy working on his detective novel when Chester, bored as can be, begins bugging him. Simon remains focused so Chester digs into boxes in the attic He ends up discovering a Sherlock Holmes style hat. This excites Simon who decides they should become detectives. After finding proper attire for both of them and setting up their 'office,' they wait for clients to show up. Eventually they head off in search of a mystery to solve. They end up finding a dog in the house and set off to find the owner. Well, Chester comes up with a plan while Sir Simon gets carried away with speculation about the poor pup.
The book is chock full of humour. Chester plays straight man to Simon's outlandishness. The images are a treasure trove of wit. To fully appreciate all the bits of fun, you almost need to pore over the pages. Children might not get the film noir hints in this, but as a fan of the classic detective genre, I enjoyed them.
This charming little graphic novel is ideal for young students ready to move on to graphic novels. It will also make a fun read aloud between parent and child.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was absolutely adorable! This was a fun and quick read! The illustrations are full of colour and details. Simon is sassy, hilarious and loves mysteries. Chester wants attention and things to do! This is how their first adventure starts… Chester is bored and goes through his grandma’s theater paraphernelia… then he finds what looks suspiciously like Sherlock Holmes’ hat and Simon is hooked! They want to become famous detectives and solve many mysteries… it doesn’t go quite as planned of course.

The only thing missing is I would have liked to know how Simon and Chester met and how they became friends.

The author being Canadian was a nice surprise, since most popular graphic novels come from the US. Can’t wait to introduce this to my students (I hope it gets translated to French)!

Super Detectives (Simon and Chester Book #1) by Cale Atkinson will be published on February 9th, 2021 by Tundra Books (NY). A book 2 is expected in September of this year.

[Books By the Bay · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 8-year old's review:

Simon the ghost and Chester the human like to play detective and want to be real detectives. They get a chance when Simon and Chester find a missing pug, which serves as a clue for their first case. Can Simon and Chester find the dog's rightful owner? The book is very funny and I love it. I like the pug because all it does is pant. Simon is cute and Chester is really funny. I thought the part where Simon spilled coffee on a computer and when he thought the pug was royalty was hilarious. Another part I liked was when Simon threw all the flyers out a window. I thought their detective flyers look silly. When Simon and Chester “power posed” (for a while) I just laughed out loud. They make a hilarious detective team. I recommend this book to kids who love silly graphic novels. If you want a fun, laugh-out-loud book, then this is the book for you.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started with the latest book, so I am now working my way back. I definitely enjoy the adventures of Simon and Chester. I did expect for this book to introduce me to the duo and to kind of be a bit of a Casper the Friendly Ghost in that it would be about them becoming friends. But we land squarely in their friendship which, I guess, is just as much fun because then you get to have fun with the friends as they figure out what to do and basically play at being detectives in their home.

A great series for young readers and to read aloud. Unlike some graphic novels, I find that this one is well-paced with words so that you can read it aloud and not have to skip through all the panels where it's basically action without words.

The artwork is fun and age appropriate. I guess I would compare this to Holm's Squish books in the way it is drawn. But more colourful.

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Simon and Chester are best friends, even though Simon is a ghost that haunts Chester's grandmother. Chester is just SO BORED, and after digging through his grandmother's old belongings, he discovers some clothing that inspires Simon and Chester to become a team of crime-fighting detectives!

Soon a case falls right into their lap--a mysterious pug appears in the kitchen! How did it get there? (WAS IT ALIENS?) Who does it belong to? (ROYALTY?) The two friends are soon on the case, ready to discover the secret of the lost dog.

This was adorable, and just so much fun. Chester and Simon have a great dynamic and the illustrations are cute enough to appeal to even younger readers (making this a good family read aloud too). Looking forward to more!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is my new obsession. Chester and Simon-- the ghost who haunts Chester’s Grandmother’s house-- are very bored one day. Chester begins to dig around in the boxes in the attic when he finds an old hat and all the makings of perfect detective outfit. They decide to start their own detective agency! After designing their logo and deciding on the perfect lighting for their office, they realize they don’t have any clients! Suddenly, they hear a noise coming from the kitchen. There’s a dog eating cereal in the kitchen! Who is the dog? Where is its home? How is he so squishy? Join Simon and Chester as they solve the case of the mysterious pug.

Literally laughed the whole time and can't get enough of this adorable graphic novel. Immediately buying a copy for myself.

[Flossmoor Public Library (IL) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

This hilarious graphic novel is delightfully dramatic!!! It is about a boy and his ghost friend who are bored and decide to become detectives. They go through the process of setting up their practice and looking for local mysteries to solve, and end up finding one in their own kitchen!

This graphic novel is absolutely perfect for any upper elementary or middle school student...Though I'm an adult and was thoroughly enchanted too. The illustrator was masterful with drawing fantastic facial expressions and adorable characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone!

This story is full of detective clichés, so readers with some background knowledge will get more from this book.

~ Miss Emily

[Melly Mel - Shelf_ishly_lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun graphic novel about crime fighting duo - Simon and Chester, a ghosty and his earthly bestie who also super spirited sleuths solving one crime at a time - or at least that's the idea.

This is the first adventure of many ( wink wink, nudge nudge) from author and illustrator Cale Atikinson. The illustrations are eye catching which compliment the witty and cheeky banter between the pals. Kiddo's, big and small, who are fans of Dog Man, Bad Guys and Captain Underpants will adore this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Tundra Books for the graphic ARC in exchange for an honest review.!