The Ferret’s a Foot

By: Colleen AF Veneable 
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Publication Date: January 2011
ISBN: 978-0761356295
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: April 12, 2011

All the animals in Mr. Venezi’s store, “Pets & Stuff,” were quiet and going about their business except for Hamisher hamster. He was reading a book and disturbing the peace with his shouting. “Nooooooooo! Don’t Do It!!” The rabbits, chinchillas, birds, hamsters, the turtle, and Mr. Sparkley-Warkley, the mouse, were wondering what on earth was wrong with their friend. Sassapants, PI(G), reached over and turned the page of Hamisher’s mystery to calm him down and show him that his character would be just fine. Whew! Ham wanted to be a great detective like Sassapants and figured if he read enough mysteries he just might become one. Hamisher was going on and on because he was drinking way too much soda.

Everyone noticed that Mr. Venezi was making a new sign to hang in the window. Sassapants soon geared up in a harness to check out the mysterious sign. “HELP WANTED! Must Have Good Handwriting And Know At Least 20 letters of the Alphabet and …” Mr. Venezi never did get the names of his animals quite right, but if they made signs with all their names and drew pictures of the animals he wouldn’t have to hire anyone. The signs were put on the cages, but soon a mystery was afoot. Someone was changing them! The lizards were blizzards and chinchillas were gorillas. Could the culprits be those Long Koalas (ferrets)? Would more of them be sold if Mr. Venezi got a new employee? Looked like Sassapants and his assistant, Hamisher had a mystery to solve!

This is the third in the series of “Guinea PI(G) Pet Shop Private Eye” mysteries that take place in Mr. Venezi’s Pets & Stuff pet store. The detective is a guinea pig named Sassapants, PI extraordinaire. Mr. Venezi is a bit of a scatterbrain, but Sass and his ever so slightly inept assistant, Hamisher, are always there to save the day. Told in a graphic novel format, this mystery will appeal to even the most reluctant reader. The solution to the mystery is not tossed out in the beginning, but rather we meet several critters who could have perpetrated the crime. In the back of the book Hamisher talks about the ferrets, Wadsworth and Toobusy, and their real life ferret counterparts. The young reader will learn interesting facts such as they are crepuscular and the fact that owning them is illegal in some states. Hamisher, now Junior Detective, also gives the definition to many “mysterious terms.” If you have a young pet loving mystery buff, this is one series you may wish to consider!

Quill says: This is another Sassapants PI(G) mystery the young mystery buff will love.