Mr. Paris ties balloons outside his toy store every morning. On Fridays, the balloons disappear! What is special about Fridays? And who is taking the balloons?

This sounds like a case for the High–Rise Private Eyes –– Bunny Brown and Jack Jones, ace detectives and very best friends!

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Mr. Paris ties balloons outside his toy store every morning. But on Fridays the balloons disappear. Who keeps taking them...and what is so special about Fridays?

This sounds like a case for the High-Rise Private EyesCase #004, to be exact, the case of the Troublesome Turule.

Because no mystery is too mysterious, no puzzle too puzzling, no crime too criminal, no trouble too troubling for ace detectives and very best friends Bunny Brown and Jack Jones.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Karen Leggett

Every Friday morning, the balloons outside Mr. Paris' toy store disappear. It's a perfect case for Bunny Brown and Jack Jones, the High-Rise Private Eyes. Bunny appears to be the smart one, but it's Jack who solves the case when he discovers a young turtle waving the balloons at a football game. It's also Jack who teaches Bunny that TGIF means "Thank Goodness It's Friday," when Bunny thought Friday just meant "Gee I have a ton of homework." Cynthia Rylant is an accomplished writer and even in a very simple, Level 2 "I Can Read" book, she provides endearing characters, humor and suspense, and multiple chapters. The story could even generate classroom or family discussion about whether it's okay to "borrow" someone else's balloons if it's for a good cause. The illustrations are not particularly memorable but they are bright and plentiful. By the end, super sleuth Jack has a new meaning for TGIF which many new readers will want to adopt, "Thank Goodness I'm Fantastic." The book is number 4 in "The High-Rise Private Eyes" series. 2001, Greenwillow,

School Library Journal

Gr 1-2-Bunny Brown, a rabbit, is attempting to paint a portrait of Jack Jones, a raccoon, when the owner of the toy store across the street enlists their help. Mr. Paris is troubled by the repeated theft of the balloons that he keeps tied outside his shop. Private eyes Bunny and Jack diligently follow the trail of clues, which leads them to a school football game. There they find the culprit and tie up loose ends so that everyone is happy and no one gets into trouble. This is a fast-moving introduction to the mystery genre. Emerging readers will be interested in how Bunny and Jack find, interpret, and follow up on clues. They will also get a chuckle from the solution. Karas's acrylic, gouache, and pencil illustrations have a simple, angular quality that suits the book's urban setting. Visible pencil strokes show movement, capturing Bunny's and Jack's exuberant personalities and the plot's swift pace. These characters are not as sweet or as endearing as Rylant's Mr. Putter and Tabby, Henry and Mudge, or Poppleton, but the story is driven more by plot than characters and is a good choice for libraries with a big demand for mysteries.-Devon Gallagher, Grace Day School, Massapequa, NY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.