Arthur Accused! (Red Fox young fiction) - Softcover

Marc Brown, who was born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1946, received great encouragement and support from his grandmother and uncle. Inspired by the books of Maurice Sendak, Brown decided to pursue his ambition of becoming an illustrator. After receiving a B.F.A. in painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art, he worked as a TV art director, a professor of mechanical drawing, and a freelance illustrator, before becoming a writer. In his books, he addresses the fears and problems which children face and events like friendship, family, school and pets. For his illustrations, Brown uses pencil with watercolor on a variety of papers to achieve different visual effects. The "Arthur" series, about the everyday adventures of a lovable aardvark, began in 1976 and continues to this day with 25 titles published. Brown has also created other series such as the "Rhymes" series, and the nonfiction "Dinosaur" series, which conveys messages of do's and don'ts. These series, like the stories of Arthur, hold the attention of young children while transporting their imaginations on magical journeys.

Gr. 2^-4. Brown offers yet another pleasurable chapter-book read, the fifth in the series, featuring his cast of familiar, likable characters. This time, Brown uses two points of view to tell the story: words from Arthur's best buddy Buster Baxter open each chapter, which then unravels in third-person perspective. Brand-new private-eye Buster has been dying for a case to solve, and his big chance arrives when Arthur is accused of stealing quarters raised in a fund drive. Thanks to thorough, step-by-step questioning and resourceful detective work, Buster breaks the case wide open--just in time for Arthur to go on the third-grade picnic. An entertaining bit of clever crime-solving, with a scattering of black-and-white illustrations; Arthur's many fans won't be disappointed. Kathleen Squires