A Disappearance in Paris A Fun Reading and Language Book for Grades 3-5

GL Robinson's mystery sends young Detective Dylan and his dog Tazzie after Paris's entire missing supply of baguettes, a crisis that matters plenty in a city this attached to its bread. Toucan Publishing's 42-page paperback is aimed at ages 8 to 10, and the case takes the pair past landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, so following the clues doubles as a walking tour of the city's best-known sights.

The mystery isn't quite what it looks like early on, and the story uses that turn to nudge readers toward questioning first impressions rather than accepting the obvious suspect. Dylan and Tazzie's partnership carries the emotional side of the book, modeling the kind of teamwork that makes a mystery duo work, while the Paris setting does double duty as a geography lesson that never has to announce itself as one. A kid who wants an actual case to crack but won't mind a detour through French landmarks along the way comes out the other end having done both.