Fabio the World’s Greatest Flamingo Detective and his sidekick, Gilbert the giraffe, are a charming pair of characters with a flair for the dramatic and the comical. Fabio gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to judge a talent contest only to have his sleuthing skills put to the test when one of the contestants goes missing. Fabio and Gilbert follow the clues through various adventures and antics.

This book is a fast-paced, engaging read. The illustrations are simple yet vivid, making use of only a few colors to striking effect. The clever illustrations really make the book memorable and unique. The copious use of pink in everything from lemonade to clothing makes it impossible to forget that this book is about a flamingo. And what a flamingo he is! This debonair feathered detective uses logic and deduction to solve the case, while his sidekick serves as a sounding board to ask questions, similar to the interplay between Holmes and Watson in those famous detective books written for an older audience. In fact, this book feels like a cross between The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and the animated movie Sing! It’s a mix of things that you would never think to put together, but once you do…they go together like pink lemonade and hippos.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: None

Violence/Gore:  A few mild instances of violence such as characters falling down, getting stuck in a doorway, or hitting each other without injury.

Sex/Nudity:  None

Mature Subject Matter:

None

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Characters unknowingly ingest a substance that makes them sleepy.