Who Really Killed Cock Robin? (Rise and Shine)

Great book for learning ins and outs of real life everyday ecology and how all things are connected. As a story there are lots of twists and turns in the plot/mystery.

Environmentalist, ecologist, naturalist, and writer Jean Craighead George, the Rachel Carson for children, will win her audiences once again with this story. The plot revolves around Tony Isidoro, a young biologist who is bent on solving the mystery of the death of his hometown's feathered mascot, Cock Robin. As he uncovers assorted clues strung throughout the town--chemical activity, sudden loss of frogs and birds--Tony must try to convince his naive neighbors that not just one thing is responsible for the bird's death, but many imbalances in the town's ecosystem, which everyone is convinced is the cleanest around. Since it's an eco-mystery, the story is grippingly told in the style of a crime investigation. From the beginning you want to know Who Really Killed Cock Robin: "Cock Robin lay on his back with his feet in the air. . .It was seven minutes past six A.M. on the twenty-fourth day of May. He was dead." There are endless possiblities for the cause of the bird's death, and at times it's a bit unrealistic when Tony immediately dismisses some types of poisons and investigates others. Younger kids may have no idea what DDT, PCB, and 2,4,5-T are, though the author does try to explain them. However, the story, the dedication--"To sunshine, clear water, and sparkling skies and to the kids who are cleaning up the Earth"--and Ms. George's supportive Author's Note in the new paperback version will surely inspire kids to clean up their environment and veer away from the use of harmful, chemical-containing products. If one enjoys this Eco-Mystery, check out the others in the series--THE CASE OF THE MISSING CUTTHROATS; THE FIRE BUG CONNECTION; and THE MISSING 'GATOR OF GUMBO LIMBO. Don't forget Jean Craighead George's eighty or so other remarkable stories--the Julie of the Wolves books, the My Side of the Mountain trilogy, the One Day series. . .the list goes on and on. Each book will deepen readers' respect for nature and our beautiful but threatened planet.

Love this author. I bought these books for my now 25 yr old grandson and them donated them. Now I have more and younger grandkids who I didn't want to miss the opportunity to enjoy these books.

This is not only a compelling story, but helps encourage environmental awareness amongst kids. I bought it for my son on a whim and he absolutely devoured it. The characters are believably independent and I really appreciated their investigative styles. Kids need to think for themselves and this is a sweet, lively book that encourages such thinking with some very positive results. I highly recommend it.

It is a good eco mystery and it was very exciting, my granchild said. It was part of her school assignment.

Simply put, this book is boring. We really wanted to like it, because we like mysteries, and we love the environment, but a boring book is just not worth reading. Life is too short.

livre anglophone broché souple papier recyclé petit format ancien (1991/1971); quand le rouge-gorge mascotte du village meurt, le jeune Tony mène l'enquête et découvre de terribles secrets pas très reluisants; texte accessible en 8 chapitres non illustré sauf une carte n&b des lieux ; ce polar écologique destiné à un public infantile a un peu vieilli mais les questions posées sont redoutables d'actualité