Hedgehog Whodunit: Volume 1

Hitch the Hedgehog wants nothing more than to nap. But when his informant, Vinnie the Rat, reveals the City Zoo’s panda has gone missing, Hitch is (reluctantly) on the case. Author Heather Preusseur expertly weaves witty and playful text in this chapter book series opener with black-and-white illustrations by renowned illustrator Gal Weizman.

All Hitch the Hedgehog wants to do is nap, but there’s a mystery to solve. Someone changed the sign at the panda exhibit of the City Zoo. Instead of ＂please feed the panda, ＂ it says, ＂please free the panda, ＂ and well . . . it’s pandemonium for Hitch! Along with his cohort, partner, and informant Vinnie the Rat, Hitch embarks on an adventure to catch the cagey culprit and return the panda to its bear-y perfect spot.

With hardboiled humor, fun animal facts, and a plethora of puns, Hitch and Vinnie’s detective shenanigans are full of hilarity and heart. This joyful series opener also has over 50 charming black-and-white illustrations, maps, and hidden clues! This book is perfect for fans of Leila and Nugget Mysteries, Enola Holmes, and The Critter Club.

Heather Preusser earned a BA in English and art history from Williams College, an MA in education from the University of Colorado, and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine. When not writing, Heather teaches high school English, bikes the European countryside, and attempts to learn ridiculously long German words. She and her husband reside in Colorado.

Gal Weizman was born in Jerusalem, dreaming of flying above the white stone houses of her neighborhood like Peter Pan. As she grew older and became more acquainted with the laws of gravity, she had to abandon that plan. Instead, she devised a different way to never grow up: she attended Bezalel Academy of Arts and learned to draw. Gal loves to illustrate animals and creatures, and to see her creations come to life as they experience all those often funny, at times touching, and occasionally awkward situations that inhabit the colorful world of fiction. Her illustrations are bouncing through games and TV shows, they sit on packaging and live in various children’s books around the globe ... and sometimes, one hides under her drawing board, waiting to be teased out into the light. They are playful creatures, so please be kind to them, she loves them all.