The garden is being robbed ? one bite at a time! Every morning, Sam finds the same strange crime: ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and plums with exactly ONE bite taken out of them ... then tossed on the ground and wasted. Who steals a vegetable just to take one bite and throw it away? Sam and the Garden Friends ? Charly the praying mantis, Tina the pink spider, Zip the garden snake, Betty the ladybug, and Fred the muskrat ? become the Garden Detectives. They hunt for clues, make plaster casts of the thief's footprints, and interview every animal on the farm and in the forest. But the clever thief only comes out at night, so Sam recruits a night shift: Ricky and Robby, two raccoon brothers; a family of bats with amazing ears; and Hootie, a barn owl who can see across the whole farm in the dark. The detectives pass out WANTED posters and set a trap baited with the ripest, sweetest-smelling fruit on the farm ... and catch the thief red-pawed! But catching her is only the beginning. To decide what happens next, Sam holds a Garden Court ? with a judge, prosecuting and defense attorneys, a court reporter, a bailiff, and a jury of twelve ? and young readers learn how a real court works: objections, "Sustained," cross-examination, "beyond a reasonable doubt," deliberation, verdict, and sentencing. Will Ms. Joanna Gorge, a mother groundhog with two hungry pups, be found guilty ? or does her plea of "Not Guilty by reason of Natural Instinct" save her? And will Sam's sentence be tough, fair ... and kind? Sam and the Garden Detectives is a funny, warm animal mystery packed with real detective skills, real garden science, and a kid-friendly courtroom adventure. Printed in large print (18pt Atkinson Hyperlegible) ? perfect for early readers, reluctant readers, and read-aloud time. For ages 6?9. Part of the Sam & the Garden Friends series: Sam's Haunted Barn Party, Sam's Christmas Barn Party, and Sam and the Great Pumpkin. 100% of the royalties from this book go to the Nasale Saves Lives Initiative Children's Orphanage in Uganda, which provides a safe home and a loving family for 30 children.