A MOUNTAIN OF A PROBLEM

In this follow-up to Tide Pool Troubles, our two environmental detectives uncover the larger issue underlying Violet's early start to spring: climate change. With accessible language and tips for what readers can do in the face of environmental change, this is a gentle introduction to one of today's most pressing issues.

Environmental mystery busters Shelby and Watts are fresh off of their first successful case when they get another call for help. Violet the bear has woken up early from her hibernation, long before she was expecting to. Her son, Theodore, is still fast asleep, and she needs Shelby and Watts's help to figure out what woke her... before it wakes Theodore up, too!

Key selling points:
CLIMATE CHANGE: Climate change is one of our time's most pressing issues, and kids will hear their guardians and educators talking about it. This easy introduction to what climate changes is--and some of the small steps they can take to fight it--will encourage them to keep learning about a topic that might otherwise be overwhelming.

BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO QUALITATIVE REASONING: With each mystery that Shelby & Watts solve, they gently walk the reader through how they gathered clues and put the pieces of the puzzle together. Readers will come away with a clear understanding of how to qualitatively reason their way to an answer, based on the information in front of them.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEROES: There's a strong environmental bent to every Shelby & Watts mystery--but it never comes across as didactic or preachy. Instead, it will seed in readers an interest in and love for the natural world around them. For example, this story focuses on beachside ecosystems, and how every creature's actions affect the next.

ACCESSIBLE FORMAT: The chapter book graphic novel format is perfect for readers of this age, who are ready to dive into a longer-form story, but will find the visual aid of the graphic novel helpful in carrying them through each step of gathering clues.

FRIENDSHIP DUO: Shelby & Watts are the dynamic duo at the heart of this new series. With a nod to the inimitable Sherlock & Watson this pair is sure to win over readers and parents alike.

BUILDING A SERIES: A Mountain of a Problem is the follow up to Tide Pool Troubles, out Summer 2021. We know that familiar faces make big impressions for this age range, and readers will be love having a sequel they can dive right into after reading the first book.

Ashlyn Anstee grew up in a rainy city in Canada and then settled in a sunny city in the United States with her husband and four cats. She works in the animation industry and, in her spare time, drinks tea and takes naps. She writes, draws, illustrates, animates, and is the creator of the books No, No, Gnome!, Are We There, Yeti?, and Hedgehog!. Shelby & Watts: Tide Pool Troubles is her first graphic novel, and its sequel, A Mountain of a Problem, is her second.