Beginning readers are introduced to the detective mystery genre in these chapter books. Perfect for the Common Core, kids can problem-solve with Nate, using logical thinking to solve mysteries Nate the Great hates mushy stuff. He spies a big red paper heart taped to Sludge's doghouse. Who left Nate's dog a secret valentine? Nate will solve the case, and then there will be no more mushy stuff. At least that's what he thinks. . . . Check out the Fun Activities section in the back of the book Visit Nate the Great and Sludge NatetheGreatBooks.com "Nate makes a great narrator, his clipped prose mimicking that of the hard-boiled detective genre, providing short, simple sentences for beginning readers , and setting up the deadpan humor . Simont's expressive drawings, tinted with watercolor washes, illustrate the characters and the action with finesse and restraint. A most appealing choice."-- Booklist , Boxed Review