Yim, Natasha. Luna and the Case of the Missing Mooncakes. Violet Kim, Illus. Storytelling Math. Charlesbridge, 08/2025. [30]pp. Picture Book. Trade $16.99. 978-1-62354-466-9. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.
Luna visits her cousin Mina as their multiracial families gather to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival. Mina brings special mooncakes, which begin to disappear, even before they are allowed to eat them. So the two girls dress up as detectives and set out to find who is taking the mooncakes. Their use of deductive reasoning to cross out possible suspects seems to work, but does it give the right answer? Observant readers will notice clues in the gouache, crayon, and pencil illustrations that give away the culprit long before the girls finally catch them in the act. A useful introduction to solving mysteries by counting suspects, clues, and seeing what fits or doesn’t fit.
Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library