- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 7–10
- Mystery
Monsieur Mustard: The Disappearance of Fabio Fangtooth
Book 1 of 1 in Monsieur MustardView the full series
The first in a highly illustrated detective series: when a restaurant owner vanishes from Bath, dapper Parisian mouse detective Monsieur Mustard is on the case. A funny, fast, comic-strip-studded mystery for 7+.
- Best for7–10
- FormatIllustrated
- Length240 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr35 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
Tone
- Funny
- Exciting
- Suspenseful
- Whimsical
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
One evening, way past your bedtime, all was quiet in the city of Bath. Fabio Fangtooth was finishing his alphabet soup when, quite suddenly, he vanished. Enter Monsieur Mustard, the number one, best-dressed and (possibly) smallest detective in the world, a Parisian mouse newly moved to Bath, who reads of the disappearance in the local paper and cannot resist a mystery. With the help of a cast of splendidly odd new friends, including Mobbsy, a flatulent shrew and master of disguise, and Professor Thingummy, a food-obsessed inventor, Mustard sets out to crack the case, if the villain does not catch him first. Written and illustrated by Charley Rabbit, this first Monsieur Mustard adventure is stuffed with colour illustrations throughout, breaking into full graphic-novel pages for its most thrilling detective scenes. Funny, fast-paced and gloriously silly, it is perfect for newly confident readers who love a mystery with plenty to look at.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A strong independent read for ages 7 to 10, with heavy illustration and short chapters that suit newly confident and reluctant readers. It also reads aloud well for children of about 6 upwards who enjoy a comic mystery.
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- 7
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- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 7–10
- Read aloud · 6–9
- Independent · 7–10
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Detective stories
- Mystery
- Highly illustrated
- Reluctant readers
- Funny stories
Avoid if
- Wants gentle bedtime
- Dislikes silliness
Particularly good for children who are…
- Reluctant reader
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
A dapper mouse detective, a vanished restaurant owner and a shrew who is a master of disguise (and very windy) add up to exactly the kind of funny, clue-hunting mystery children love. The comic-strip detective scenes make the exciting bits leap off the page.
- Being a detective
- Trickery and cleverness
- Adventure and freedom
Why parents love it
A brisk, comic detective story with colour art throughout and graphic-novel pages for the action, ideal for tempting newly confident and reluctant readers. The Daily Telegraph praised Mustard as excellent company, and it is the launch of a promising new series.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
About the author & illustrator
Charley Rabbit.
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