Poo-Dunit? A Forest Floor Mystery

“Aronson’s rhymed verses will be a treat to read aloud, assuming, that is, they can be heard over audience laughter. . . . Should reduce any storytime group to pandemonium.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

Sniff, sniff! went Mouse. Whiff, whiff! went Mouse.
“Who left this poo outside my house? I must undo this mystery. Poo-dunit?”

Mouse is dismayed to step outside her house one morning only to discover a giant pile of poo! Who could have done such a dastardly deed? Mouse questions all the animals of the forest, but it’s too big to be Squirrel’s, too dark to be Coyote’s, and too messy to be Deer’s. Will Mouse ever track down the culprit—and will she find a way to make the best of this smelly situation? Between giggles, children will learn to identify eight different animals’ scat and discover how droppings can help plants to grow, all while enjoying Katelyn Aronson’s rhyming text and Stephanie Laberis’s expressive animals. Back matter includes a mini “poo-dunit” mystery challenging children to match scat with the correct animal, as well as a note on why poo is precious.

Katelyn Aronson is a former children's bookseller and the author of several picture books. She grew up in California and now lives in France.

Stephanie Laberis is a character designer and illustrator who specializes in creating art for animation and children’s publications. She is the illustrator of Orangutan Hats and Other Tools Animals Use as well as the Grumpy Cat books and many other Little Golden Books. Stephanie Laberis lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.