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Your Favorite Children's Book Characters... in a Whodunit!

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Everyone loves a good whodunit.

What's a whodunit? It's a mystery where you don't know who the criminal is until the very end. Usually, there are specific types of characters in a whodunit that make it extra fun to read.

So what if we threw some of your favorite children's book characters together into one whodunit mystery? Who would be cast as the criminal? Who would be the detective? Who would be the unsuspecting victim? Here's what I came up with. 

The Detective: Nate the Great

Obviously, I could have chosen Nancy Drew or Cam Jansen or a myriad of other children's book detectives, but Nate the Great is my choice because he would figure out the case while eating pancakes with his faithful dog Sludge. Every good mystery needs pancakes. 

The Unsuspecting Victim: Curious George

What can I say? He was just too curious. 

The Butler: Waldo

Who's more suspicious than a person you can never find? I think Waldo would make the perfect butler.  He's well-mannered and has an uncanny ability of blending into a crowd, making him an excellent candidate for the criminal. After all, everyone knows the butler is always at the top of the suspect list. 

The Maid: Amelia Bedelia

Every whodunit needs a maid. Usually, the maid is quiet and mild, so why not spice things up a bit and have a maid who mixes everything up? Plus, she would make a great suspect. For example, did Amelia get mixed up when someone told her she made a "killer pie?" 

The Rich Heiress: Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy would be sure to add some flair to the mix of suspects. She would be perfect as the rich, young heiress who faints at the sight of blood and uses exciting words like, "le meurtrier!" (Which is a fancy way of saying, "the murder!") 

The Crazy, Eccentric Millionaire: Willy Wonka

I feel like there is always a millionaire in whodunits. Maybe they are the victim who bites the dust because the villain wanted their money. Or maybe they are a prime suspect because they are crazy enough to do anything.

The Cook: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle would make a spunky, delightful cook in a whodunit. She would also be a great co-detective with all of her creative solutions! Or... would she make the ultimate villain with all of those crazy ideas?

And finally...

The Criminal: Olivia

Sure, she looks like an innocent, darling, little pig. But those are the best kinds villains in whodunits-- the ones you least suspect! Plus, have you ever noticed that the only color in the Olivia series is RED? Coincidence? I think not. 

What do you think? Would these characters make a good whodunit? Who would you have chosen as the bad guy? Try writing your own mystery using characters from your favorite books and see how it turns out! Who knows? You could become the next great mystery writer. 
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Ms. Yingling said…
I would absolutely read this!
February 17, 2022 at 2:32 PM
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