Dakota Crumb and the Secret Bookshop (2023)

Author: Jamie Michalak | Illustrator: Kelly Murphy | Publisher: Candlewick Press | Ages 3-7

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Ooh la la! Tiny, intrepid Dakota Crumb is back—hunting for bookish treasure in the City of Light.

In a second rollicking adventure, petite mouse treasure-hunter Dakota Crumb has been summoned abroad for a top-secret mission: to help her cousin locate a rare and priceless book. Armed with a mysterious note and clues to guide her through the unexpected perils of a charming Parisian bookshop, Dakota uses her sharp eyes and a knack for scaling heights to make a surprising discovery: a roomful of fellow mice gathered to celebrate—her! Readers will revel in a seek-and-find challenge that sends them back to pore over dynamic spreads in search of even more treasures.

“Seek-and-find fans will particularly enjoy the last page, where Michalak offers a peek at 18 objects illustrated in Dakota’s little book and invites kids to look through their picture book’s illustrations again to discover each prize for themselves. Murphy’s distinctive pen-and-ink artwork, digitally colored with subtle hues, is lively in its portrayal of the mice and stunning in its depiction of Paris. A playful picture book packed with hidden treasures.”—Booklist

“In this follow-up to Dakota Crumb (2021), a request from her cousin Julien sends a mouse investigator to Paris to hunt down a most important book. . . . Murphy’s precisely drawn interiors, festooned with small details, invite readers to follow along and, perhaps, be first to spot the next clue. . . . An engaging offering for sharp-eyed young adventurers.”—Kirkus Reviews

Dakota Crumb and the Secret Bookshop is a 2023-2024 Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee!

Dakota Crumb and the Secret Bookshop is a 2023 Junior Library Guild Gold Star Selection!

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