The Queen’s Shadow by Cybele Young

Note: I occasionally accept review copies from the publisher. Posts written from review copies are labeled. All opinions are my own. Posts may contain affiliate links. I may receive compensation for any purchased items.

The Queen’s Shadow by Cybele Young (Kids Can Press, March 2015) is a most unusual picture book for older readers about how animals see. It is difficult to identify as a fiction or a nonfiction, simply because it has elements of both!

In The Queen’s Shadow, a motley gathering of animal friends have gathered at the queen’s home for a party. After a lightning flash, the queen has found that her shadow is missing! Using clues about how the various animals at the party see, the detective is able to eliminate the animals that certainly could not have seen what has happened.

I loved how this nonfiction report of how animals see became a “who dun it?” mystery for the sake of being fun! The animals include the mantis shrimp, the chameleon, a shark, a giant squid, a goat, and so many more! The story is told in the middle of the pages, and the facts about the animal’s eye sight appear in clearly differentiated side bars. I really enjoyed learning about such a variety of animals, and I was pleased when each one was able to prove his or her innocence!

In addition to the intriguing story line and fascinating facts, I enjoyed the art style. The graphics are rendered in pen and ink. It perfectly matched the mood of the book.

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

Reviewed on August 2, 2015

About the author 

Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid is a homeschooling, stay-at-home mother seeking to make the journey of life-long learning fun by reading lots of good books. Rebecca Reads provides reviews of children's literature she has enjoyed with her children; nonfiction that enhances understanding of educational philosophies, history and more; and classical literature that Rebecca enjoys reading.

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