I wouldn't necessarily use this book as a read aloud, because I think the illustrations and structure of the writing is fun for students to examine closely on their own. I would include this book in my classroom library for students to read in their free time and would recommend it to students who are not yet able to read text with complex vocabulary and dense writing. I might use this book in a "theme" study and ask students to identify the message of the book and relate it to a real life circumstance. This book is also a wonderful demonstration of different ways complex picture books can be written and why attention to detail is beneficial when piecing together the mystery and understanding the story. This book also has potential to discuss foreshadowing events and making inferences. Hermelin sees the words ‘unclean’, ‘unhygienic’ and ‘unwanted’ in the dictionary definition for ‘mouse’. Can you think of other words with the prefix ‘un-‘? Could you make a poster / chart that shows words with other prefixes. Hermelin begins by looking for Mrs. Mattison’s lost handbag. Being a mouse who is very observant and who remembers what he sees, he soon finds the handbag in her fridge behind the lettuce. He then finds Dr. Parker’s glasses. Hermelin saw Dr. Parker wearing those same glasses just that morning and at the time she was reading a book, Medical Monthly. It turns out that the glasses are inside the book.

At the end of the story, Hermelin and Emily work together to solve crimes. Can you think of ways that animals help humans to achieve different tasks? Every time he finds one of the missing objects Hermelin leaves the owner of the missing object a type-written note telling him or her where it is. Soon, Hermelin is a neighborhood hero and the people he has helped invite him to a party. They never imagine that their secretive little helper is a rodent. Write your own newspaper article (or create a radio / video report) about the dramatic rescue of Baby McMumbo.Hermelin, who is a compassionate mouse, feels sorry for all these people who have lost something that is dear to them. They need help and he decides that he is the perfect person for the job. Stepping Stones are our short term literacy plans for teachers which introduce our text-based mastery approach to writing. Use relative clauses beginning with who, which, where, when, whose, that or an omitted relative pronoun A round cheese box bounces out of a van onto the street. The makers’ name on the box is Hermelin. From the moment the book is opened, the reader is presented with clues; clues that lie in the detail of the illustration. How appropriate when the book is about a mouse, a detective mouse, and yes, his name is Hermelin.

At the end of the story, there is a piece of paper in the typewriter. Can you write a story about ‘The Mystery of the Missing Moggies’? After spending just a few seconds with Hermelin, readers will find that they have developed a sudden fondness for typing mice. He is such a funny, intelligent fellow that one cannot help oneself. His story is engrossing and beautifully illustrated, and readers will be delighted when they see how Hermelin gets a wonderful surprise. Hermelin is a rodent that lives on Osprey street and spends all his time observing his neighbors so that when things go missing he is able to solve the case. But there is one resident that may be observing Hermelin! What will he do when he's found out?The drawings were quite cute and we were conflicted about which ones to redraw! Ultimately he liked the one with Hermelin's new friend! Some people think that mice are ‘pests’. Can you create a new story about a pest that becomes a hero? Lccn 2013019508 Ocr_converted abbyy-to-hocr 1.1.20 Ocr_module_version 0.0.17 Old_pallet IA15937 Openlibrary_edition The dictionary definition of ‘mouse’ shows that Hermelin is a ‘pest’. What other creatures are thought of as pests?