Can a rock hopper penguin save Smiling Sally's Diner from extortion? Meet Mr. Pin, just arrived from the South Pole, who has a sharp eye for clues, unusual talents, and a strong taste for chocolate. "Lively plotting, staccato, deadpan delivery in whimsical parody of Dashiell Hammett; an economical style and carefully controlled repetition of ideas and phrases . and an engaging hero combine in these three genuinely funny, brief mysteries."-Kirkus An IRA/CBC Children's Choice "Kids will like this penguin detective and will cheer him on."-ALA Booklist "An inviting, non-threatening, easy chapter book."-School Library Journal

Mr. Pin uses his musical talents and his sweet tooth to track down missing conductor Alberto Dente and the dinosaur-egg thief who has been replacing his booty with chocolate substitutes. Reprint. K.

Chocolate-loving penguin detective Mr. Pin is relaxing between cases when a client approaches him with a baffling problem - someone is smashing the stone gargoyles in his warehouse. In fact, all over Chicago, gargoyles are falling from the buildings. Hoping to stop the villain before someone gets hurt, Mr. Pin and his young friend Maggie scamper to the latest crime scene to collect clues. But when an empty chocolate box is found near a destroyed statue, and a rock hopper penguin is seen scuttling away, police blame Mr. Pin. The flippered detective must find the culprit - quickly - or lose his reputation and more. As he munches his way through the chocolate clues in two exciting cases, Mary Elise Monsell’s loveable penguin from the South Pole teaches that appearances can be misleading. Narrator John McDonough will have young listeners laughing out loud with delight as Mr. Pin finds the statue smasher and solves a second puzzling mystery for the famous Cubs baseball team.

Could master spy Gargoyle be back? And what would he want with an innocent fish? In a second story, Chicago shuts down and penguin detective Mr. Pin brings his chocolate expertise to the case. Lively plotting, staccato, deadpan delivery in whimsical parody of Dashiell Hammett; an economical style and carefully controlled repetition of ideas and phrases and an engaging hero...genuinely funny, brief mysteries. Kirkus An IRA/CBC Children s Choice Kids will like this penguin detective and will cheer him on. ALA Booklist An inviting, non-threatening, easy chapter book. School Library Journal

Dangerous spy Gargoyle could be loose in Chicago once again. Famous penguin detective Mr. Pin is back in the Windy City just in time. A mysterious note brought him home to Smiling Sally's Diner. Is it a trap? Detective Pin and his friend Maggie together work on one of their most challenging cases. Just how did someone get into the diner and commit a crime when the door was bolted on the inside? Follow the clues to solve the mystery, which is full of disguises, twists and turns, a coded message and, of course, chocolate. This is the fifth in the successful Mr. Pin series written by Mary Elise Monsell. Christina Cornier adds dimension through her clever illustrations.

Is it a Crime? How could famous Smiling Sally's Diner in Chicago vanish? And just where would it go?Rockhopper penguin detective Mr. Pin and his friend Maggie are soon on the case. Could Mercury the Magician be involved? Could he be in two places at once? The biggest question loomed large. Why would anyone steal a diner?Follow a magical trail of clues, red herrings and tricks to solve the mystery. As an educational bonus, a glossary and a play designed for the classroom are included. Children ages 7-10 will enjoy this mystery and others in the series rich with Chicago detail. With examples of helping people when they need it most, there is an underlying theme of kindness. This is the sixth Mr. Pin book in the delightful series written by Mary Elise Monsell.