The Case of the Marble Monster and Other Stories (7y, 4y 9m)

General Vibe:

The Case of the Marble Monster and Other Stories is the only book I know of by I. G. Edmonds but it's a lovely introduction to short, light detective stories with a Japanese flourish.  I remember reading this book as a kid.  Specifically, I remember the story of a poor student who ate plain rice at the same time each day that a cook was frying fish, claiming that the smell added satisfaction to his meal.  The cook heard this and demanded monetary recompense for the "stolen smell."  The judge, who readers follow throughout each case, agrees that the student must pay for the smells.  He takes the money the student gives him and runs it through his fingers making a pleasant clinking noise.  As he makes the noise of the clinking coins, the cook smiles in happiness.  The judge concludes, cleverly enough, that the price of the smell was justly paid for by the sound of the coins.

Plot and Characters

There aren't many reoccurring characters besides the judge who has several distinctive character traits.  For example, my 7 year old pointed out, "whenever his ears turn red--that means he's getting embarrassed."  The stories are great and the solutions are always a bit more clever than one suspected from the beginning.  They are great for my 7 year old who likes to think about the justness of some of the decisions, and they are also interesting for my almost 5 year old who is impressed by the characters and funny business that goes on.  The stories are also quite short and appropriate for my 5 year old.  I usually read two stories and my almost 5 year old is sleeping just about after the first story is over.