Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat (Li Chen, Penguin)

From the creator of the beloved ExtraOrdinary Comics, Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat is the debut graphic novel from Aotearoa New Zealand comic artist Li Chen. For Cat Town’s renowned Detective Beans, a new day brings a new case. Today, he must find his most important missing hat. After all, no detective is complete without his hat—it’s unprofessional. As Beans begins his quest, he investigates the neighbourhood, following clues to crack the case before dinner. With help from his friend Biscuits, and after a quick ice-cream break, Beans nears solving the case, only to stumble upon a larger conspiracy involving his missing hat. This book offers more than just a whimsical tale of a detective on a mission, and while the narrative revolves around the classic premise of a detective solving a mystery, Chen skilfully infuses the story with playful nods to detective genre conventions and tropes. Through Beans’ escapades and encounters with an array of characters, Chen not only entertains but subtly deconstructs and reimagines traditional elements of detective fiction, turning a serious genre into a comedic and endearing adventure. This refreshing take adds depth to the storyline, making it an engaging read for children aged 7+ and adults alike. For fans of the adventure in the Cat Kid Comic Club series by Dav Pilkey and the crime solving in the InvestiGators series by John Patrick Green.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Nominated for Bookseller of the Year (2023), Emma Pei Yin is also a freelance writer and reviewer. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Reviews