Early Book Review: Poppy and Sam and the Mole Mystery by Cathon

Poppy and Sam and the Mole Mystery by Cathon is a picture book and graphic novel style book currently scheduled for release on August 13 2019.  It’s a new day in the garden, and Poppy and Sam are paying a visit to their friend Snuggles Molesy. But Snuggles is in a pickle, looking for a lost pair of pretty pink glasses! Sleuths Poppy and Sam begin to investigate: all around the garden, along the shore of the creek, and even inside the pies Snuggles had been baking. Along the way, they ask the other critters they encounter. Poppy and Sam don’t have much luck finding the glasses, but they do come across a variety of other treasures: a flowered umbrella, a flute, a yellow spinning top, and more. By the end of the story, they set up a whimsical lost and found with all of these objects—and finally find the rosy specs, while their fellow garden friends find misplaced treasures of their own. 

Poppy and Sam and the Mole Mystery is a cute story about retracing your steps to find something that has been lost. When Sam and Poppy visit Snuggles not only do they get to eat way to much pie- but that start off on an adventure t help their friend find his missing glasses. I like that they use the tried and true method of backtracking to find the missing glasses, and that they look for the owners of the other items they find along the way. I really like the story ending, and how the friends were able to help others that were in similar situations as they were when the story began. Readers can look on each page for hidden creatures and items to see if they can find the glasses, or the other items that they trio ruin across along the way. I liked the art, it was simple and subtle, which is all the story needed. 

Poppy and Sam and the Mole Mystery is a fun and simple story. I think it offers a good beginner foray into graphic novels, and will appeal to animal fans in particular.