The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop: Humpty Dumpty Jr., Hard Boiled Detective    by Nate Evans, Paul Hindman & Vince Evans Order:  USA  Can Sourcebooks, 2008 (2008) Paperback Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Michelle York You could say a new children's book series is a bit egg-istential. Humpty Dumpty Jr. – yes, the namesake of that famously unbalanced egg - is living in New Yolk City, solving mysteries with the help of his friend and sidekick, a young boy named Rat. It's a cute and clever series by a three-man creative team, Nate Evans, Paul Hindman and Vince Evans. (The Evans's are brothers.) In the first book: The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop, Humpty gets a panicked phone call from his friend Patty Cake. He runs down to her bakery only to discover she's been kidnapped – a new mystery waiting to be solved. Humpty meets Rat for the first time and the two chase around the city searching for clues, encountering Johnny Cakes, an archenemy who's anything but syrupy. The terse, witty writing pulls you through the mystery and the illustrations are delightful. The book is at its best when it sticks to its hardboiled detective premise, similar to Dragnet, rather than when it delves into other forms of fantasy. (Humpty Dumpty Jr. doesn't need magic wands and dragons. Being a sentient egg is enough.) All in all, this is a series with much promise. Pick up a copy and egg on your young readers. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews