A perfect book for 7-9 yr old girls who love funny stories with quirky illustrations like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the Dork Diaries and Clarice Bean.

The debut novel from winner of the MacMillan Prize for Picture Book Illustration Kate Pankhurst. The perfect book for 7-9 yr olds who love funny stories with quirky illustrations like DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, the DORK DIARIES and CLARICE BEAN.

Mariella Mystery (That's me!) - totally amazing girl detective, aged 9 and a bit. Able to solve the most mysterious mysteries and perplexing problems, even before breakfast.

When their teacher Miss Crumble spots the ghost of her pet guinea pig, Mr Darcy, in her back garden, she doesn't know what to think. But Mariella knows it's up to her and her fellow Mystery Girls to get to the bottom of The Case of the Ghostly Guinea Pig.

"Its a quick read and a bit of fun." - THE GUARDIAN

"the stories are ideal for building stamina in newly independent readers." - BOOKS FOR KEEPS

"Illustrated throughout with Kate Pankhurst's quirky, charismatic artwork, and containing lots of tips for aspiring young sleuths, covering everything from setting up your own detective headquarters to undercover surveillance, the first book in the Mariella Mystery series is perfect for children who are beginning to develop confidence with chapter books. Pankhurst puts her own fun, tongue-in-cheek spin on the coventions of the detective story to create a lively and enjoyable story that young readers will find irresistible." - BOOKTRUST

"Wittily told in words and pictures, Mariella Mystery, a totally amazing nine year detective, sets about following clues in an entertaining and action packed adventure." - LOVEREADING