The Mystery of the Three-Footed Monster

Ages 6–8

Strange “monster” tracks appear in the first snow: round, toeless and only three at a time. Young detective Ava and her jumpy best friend Otis follow the trail down the lane. She chooses to look closely instead of running and finds a shivering three-legged rescue dog who has lost one blue bootie. Sh

Real courage is stopping to look closely instead of running away, and the best mysteries can lead you to a real friend.

The snow came in the night, quiet as a secret. By morning, Snowberry Lane was sugar-white and brand-new. Ava zipped up her coat and hung her trusty old magnifying glass around her neck. She had solved the Case of the Missing Mitten and the Case of the Cookie Crumbs. But today she wanted a real mystery. Then she looked down at the yard. Something had been walking there.

The tracks were round as buttons, with no toes at all. And they came in threes: one, two… three. One, two… three. “Otis!” Ava called over the fence. Otis's navy bobble hat popped up over the fence. He took one look and gasped. “Three feet? No toes?” he whispered. “Ava, that's a snow monster. I'm almost positive.”

“Detectives don't guess,” said Ava. “Detectives look closely.” The prints hopped along the fence, past the frozen birdbath, where two red birds watched from the feeder. “Monster fact,” said Otis, sticking close. “Snow monsters are very fluffy. And very hungry. And they probably like… kids.” “Everybody likes kids,” said Ava. But she walked a little closer to Otis, too.

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