Jack the Tripper

Jack the Tripper by Gene Barretta
2008

     The school's  Dizzie Day Parade is only four days away. The parade involves candy, costumes and tons of dancing. It's a strange parade, but so is its leader, Dr. Dizzie, the school's founder.  Dr. Dizzie and his best friend, a monkey, always lead the parade "with the bold command, 'Anything Goes!'"
     Something  is happening around town.  The first to report it is Polly: on her way to school she got tripped by someone wearing a black top hat and cape.  "He grabbed my extra long, extra wonderful book report and ran." Her teacher felt horrible for her and told her to stop worrying about the book report.  The following day, Winston runs into the classroom shouting that he too got tripped.  "The tripper is still out there. And now he's eating our parade candy!"  One by one, it seems every kid in the class encounters the Tripper.  Parents are scared and even though the children came to school wearing their costumes, ready for the parade, there's nothing left to do but for Dr. Dizzie to cancel it.  That's when Polly, who appropriately enough is wearing a Pinocchio costume, stands up and confesses that she had made it all up, there was no Tripper.  And soon enough, all the kids are confessing they had lied as well.  But, as they wait outside the Headmaster's office to face the consequences of their lies, somebody comes from behind, wearing a dark cape and top hat, and trips the unsuspecting Polly.  As the dark figure runs away, he shouts "Anthing Goes!"
     Jack the Tripper is a creepy and hilarious mystery tale.  This is a great introduction to the mystery genre and the kids will get to do their own detective work with the help of the detailed illustrations.