NATE THE GREAT AND THE STAR-SPANGLED PARROT, by Andrew Sharmat, Olga Ivanov, and Aleksey Ivanov, Delacorte Press, June 11, 2024, Hardcover, $14.99 (ages 6-9)
One of childhood’s favorite detectives is back on the case, and just in time for the 4th of July, in Nate the Great and the Star-Spangled Parrot.
Nate is working two cases at once! A double whammy in more ways than one way!
The annual 4th of July Picnic is two days away and decorations are going up in Deering Oaks Park. As Nate and Sludge stroll along, they run into their friend Pip and his parrot Prattles. Pip explains that he’s lost his other parrot—Penelope—a drone that he disguised as a parrot, as a friend for Prattles. Pip plans to sing the Star-Spangled Banner with Prattles and Penelope at the picnic so they don’t have much time.
The next day, Claude comes calling and asks Nate if he can help solve a case for him. He explains he’s lost Baxter, his drone parrot. A lightbulb goes off in Nate’s head–an idea that may very well lead to solving both cases at once.
What happens next is a mix-up of epic proportions, but in the end Nate’s smart thinking and problem-solving makes sense of it all. And on picnic day, Pip is able to sing his song with Prattles and Penelope, however a pig called Anastasia manages to somehow steal the show! —Synopsis provided by Delacorte Press
My daughter was 5 when she was first introduced to Nate the Great, and he’s held a soft spot in her heart ever since. In fact, I think it’s because of the series that she’s fallen in love with mysteries.
Like the other books in the series, Nate the Great and the Star-Spangled Parrot features short chapters with engaging illustrations that help emerging readers to contextualize. The book is just over 60 pages, making it accessible while still feeling like a step forward as far as reading chapters is concerned.
The main thing about Nate the Great and the Star-Spangled Parrot is that it’s a story kids will enjoy. They’ll want to see what happens, and they’ll have fun finding out. It (and all the Nate books) are great options for summer reading.
About the creators:
Andrew Sharmat previously collaborated with his mother, Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, the creator of Nate the Great. Now Andrew continues solving mysteries with Nate and Sludge, most recently in Nate the Great and the Earth Day Robot and Nate the Great and the Missing Tomatoes. He lives in Indiana.
Olga and Aleksey Ivanov are renowned children’s book illustrators/authors and classically trained commercial artists. This talented husband-and-wife team immigrated to the United States in 2002 and live in Colorado. In all, the two have illustrated over 100 children’s books around the globe.
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