The Case of the Puzzling Possum

The High-Rise Private Eyes #3

by Cynthia Rylant, G. Brian Karas (Illustrator)

The Beat Goes On

One day, the trombone is missing from Mr. Riley's music store. The next day, it's back. Then it's gone again. Who could be taking it -- and why?

This sounds like a case for the High-Rise Private Eyes -- Bunny Brown and Jack Jones, ace detectives and very best friends!

Genres: Mystery, Picture Books, Childrens, 1st Grade, Humor

48 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2001

About the author

Cynthia Rylant is an American author, poet, and librarian whose deeply felt books for children and young adults have made her one of the most beloved voices in contemporary literature. Writing across picture books, novels, short stories, nonfiction, and poetry, she has published more than one hundred works, many of them rooted in memory, family, solitude, and the emotional landscapes of ordinary life. Her fiction often draws from her upbringing in West Virginia and reflects the textures of Appalachian life with unusual tenderness and clarity.
Raised in modest circumstances, Rylant spent much of her childhood with her grandparents in a rural setting that later became central to her imagination as a writer. Those early years, marked by hardship as well as warmth, shaped the emotional honesty and quiet resilience that define her work. She later studied English and library science, and after working as a waitress, librarian, and teacher, she began publishing books inspired by the world she had known so intimately.
Among her most acclaimed works are Missing May, which received the Newbery Medal, and A Fine White Dust, a Newbery Honor Book. She also earned Caldecott Honors for When I Was Young in the Mountains and The Relatives Came. For younger readers, she became especially well known through the enduring Henry and Mudge series, as well as other popular books and series that combine gentleness, humor, and emotional depth.
Rylant's writing is distinguished by its compassion for lonely, searching, or overlooked characters, and by its reverence for animals, nature, and small human connections. Whether writing about grief, wonder, childhood, or belonging, she brings a lyrical simplicity that resonates across generations. Her books continue to offer comfort, recognition, and beauty to readers of all ages. She remains a singular literary presence in children's literature and beyond today.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: Bunny collected buttons. She had a lot of them. Probably a million. "Bunny, you've got probably a million buttons," said Jack every time he visited. "Yes," said Bunny proudly.

Premise/plot: Jack and Bunny have a new case to solve in this early chapter book mystery series. Someone is "borrowing" a trombone. The mystery thief steals the trombone and then returns it--time and time again. Who is the thief? What is his (or her) motive for taking the trombone?

My thoughts: I like Jack and Bunny. In this one, Jack is trying to "prove" how nice he is--or how nice he can be. Unfortunately, being nice on purpose leads to a few messes. Does being extra nice make up for his accidents? Perhaps.

I enjoy this series. Rylant's writing is always enjoyable.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because I liked the part when they solved the case by finding out who took the trombone. I also enjoyed this book because Freddy (the possum) actually was borrowing the trombone.

[Carolyn Jeziorski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used this for a read aloud with grade three’s during their mystery unit. The mystery is pretty straightforward, and there is definitely evidence and clues. No red herring in the story, though. It did lead to an interesting discussion about motive, since the robber really had a good reason for taking the instrument.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

My toddler enjoyed these mysteries. It require a little logic at times.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the compassion in this book - but I don't think it reinforced the message enough that you shouldn't take anything without asking first.

[heather smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

lovely

[Heather McLaughlin]

This was cute. Of course the way to do a kids' audiobook is to look at the pictures while it's read to you and I didn't have that.

[Lee Newman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our loveable mismatched detectives must solve the mystery of a trombone that goes missing but also finds its way back. Problem solving is the theme of the day.

[Logan Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personal Reaction:
Being a series book, these books are not very good works of literature, but I could visualize younger children loving this book mainly because of the humor within the book. The sentences are very short and there is about a paragraph on each page so a younger child will be able to read it on their own or with a minor help from a parent or teacher. The story was funny and would most definitely entertain a younger student.

Purpose/Use in Classroom:
This book would be a great book to introduce the genre of mysteries. The plot is very simple, but it is clear that the conflict is there is a missing trombone and Bunny and Jack must get to the bottom of the case. This book would be an independent read because it's a series book that isn't the best piece of literature, but could very well be a child's favorite series. One literary element a teacher could cover when reading this book is the plot since it simple and easy for a transitional reader to follow along. A teacher could write out a graph from setting, rising action, climax, falling action, to conclusion.

[Ruth Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is about a stolen trombone and how it kept disappearing and rappearing. It was taken by a possum who was trying to support his family. The high-rise private eyes figured out who took it, where to find him and caught him in the act of returning it to the store.
The illustations serve as a addtion to the text and wrap around the text. The ilustrations are colorful but not so much that they distract from the story. The book would be good for first grade or even high level kindergarteners to read on their own. It is very short and has only for short chapters with simple words and sentences.
The book is and enjoyable fast read.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book Bunny Brown and Jack Jones, the detectives, work together to solve the mystery of the sometimes-missing trombone. Bunny and Jack need to find out why the trombone from Mr. Riley’s music store. Through their work together Bunny and Jack solve the mystery.

I liked this book, because it is a beginning chapter book that the students can read by themselves or it can be read as a class together. Students can also help each other to solve the mystery.
Questions- What do you think happened?
What would you do to solve the case?

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun mystery in the High-Rise Private Eyes series. This one has a country flair, "Yee-ha!" It's an odd story, with hot cocoa messes and hayrides and a music store owner that makes Jack dizzy and sick to his stomach. But our girls love these books and we look forward to reading more. We've also listened to this one read aloud on cassette tape and the character voices are great!

[Rebekka · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a read-aloud selection for our Summer Reading Program, and despite being 48 pages long, I read it aloud to my boys in under 10 minutes. Many mysteries are too complex for very young readers, with many characters and clues to keep up with. We liked that this mystery kept things simple, with only a handful of characters. As a mother, I liked the ethical ending, where the culprit agrees to make up for his wrong-doing. We'd recommend this book for kids 3-7 years of age.

[Karen Stanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever detective story with a thief who borrows a trombone from a music store and returns it the next day. He does this several times and the store owner wants to know what is happening to his trombone. A great little who-done-it and a great way to teach children how to figure things out by seeing and following clues.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confronting the culprit is a little more harsh than in some of the other books, and the reasoning is not quite as transparent as it could be (to help kids follow along). But we enjoy the series, and this is no exception.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like this book at all! I thought it was short and boring. It was about an instrument that kept disappearing and reappearing. And I thought the characters weren't very interesting. I would not recommend this book!

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Both my early reader and I are disappointed by this story line. It doesn't seem like a great lesson that a broke character "had to" take something without asking. It seems like a running theme in the first 3 books in this series, so this may be our last.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it fast cuz I wanted to know what happened.

[Maximus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it at all

[Victorb]

I licked it becuse I licked the buny detective.
The mystery was that the posum disuperd and came Back. They found owt somewon was picking it up and taking it uwa.

[Kaethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plots have all run together and out of my mind, but these were very popular with Natasha when she was learning to read. I enjoyed the two detectives.

Library copy.

[Wendy Gardiner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Level K, series