Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

Claude's prized Stegosaurus stamp has completely vanished without a single trace. How does a little piece of paper just disappear into thin air? That is the big question for Nate the Great, the world's greatest boy detective. Along with his trusty and ever-faithful dog, Sludge, Nate is on the hunt for clues. He will need to use sharp logical thinking, pay very close attention to the weather, and follow every single lead to solve this tricky puzzle. But even the best detectives get stuck sometimes! Perfect for beginning readers stepping into chapter books, this fun mystery adventure invites you to problem-solve right alongside Nate. Gather the clues, examine the evidence, and see if you can crack the stickiest case yet before Nate does!

Get ready for a late night stakeout with your favorite young detective. Nate the Great is taking on his very first night case, and it involves a remarkably smelly mystery. Every single night, somebody or something has been raiding Oliver's garbage can and leaving a terrible mess behind. The list of suspects is long, and the clues are a bit scattered. To catch this sneaky garbage snatcher, Nate realizes he cannot just look for clues in the daylight. He has to go undercover. Quite literally, he has to hide under the cover of the garbage can lid. You will join Nate and his faithful dog Sludge as they brave the dark, gather the facts, and use logical thinking to narrow down the suspects. It is a messy job, but someone has to do it.

A strange piece of paper with a mysterious tune is the perfect puzzle for a master detective. Nate the Great has just received a very unusual musical note that holds a secret message. The note is supposed to tell his friend Pip what to do at four o clock, but there is a catch. Their quirky friend Rosamond has turned the instructions into a complicated riddle. Now, Nate and his reliable dog, Sludge, are racing against the clock to figure out what the music means before time runs out. They search Rosamond's garage for hidden evidence, but the answers are not easy to find. With the afternoon ticking away, Nate must use all his logical thinking to decode the musical puzzle and help Pip follow his mother's directions. This engaging mystery challenges readers to look closely at the facts and think creatively to solve a truly melodic brainteaser.

Valentine's Day is usually filled with cards and candy, but this year it is filled with a puzzling mystery. Nate the Great absolutely hates anything mushy, so he is not exactly thrilled when he discovers a giant red paper heart taped right to his dog's house. Who could have left Sludge a secret valentine message? Determined to put an end to the mushiness once and for all, Nate sets out to crack the case. The investigation takes a surprising turn when he learns that his friend Annie is actually missing a valentine of her own. Suddenly, Nate has two cases that might just be connected. With his trusty canine partner by his side, the young detective must gather clues, question his friends, and untangle a web of holiday secrets. Readers will enjoy putting the pieces together as Nate discovers that a little bit of kindness and friendship might not be so bad after all.

A sunny day at the baseball field turns into a baffling crime scene when a very important piece of equipment goes missing. Rosamond's baseball team does not use a normal canvas bag for second base. Instead, they use a gloopy, purple plastic octopus belonging to their friend Oliver. When the team shows up for practice and discovers their strange second base has vanished, they know exactly who to call. Nate the Great and his hungry dog, Sludge, step up to the plate to crack the case. The young detective trails the missing octopus across the neighborhood, picking up weird and twisted clues along the way. Tracking down a stolen base is not an easy task, and the hunt leads Nate to some very unexpected places before he can finally step up to bat. Young sports fans and mystery lovers will be eager to follow the tricky trail of clues right to the surprising finish line.

A relaxing backyard vacation is suddenly cut short when a delicious mystery lands right in the lap of the world's greatest young detective. Nate the Great is trying to enjoy a peaceful day off, but his friend Claude has a major problem. Claude has completely lost his grocery list, and if he does not find it soon, lunch will be ruined for everyone. Nate knows that a true detective never takes a break when a friend is in need, especially when food is involved. With his loyal dog, Sludge, ready to help, Nate sets out to retrace Claude's steps and locate the missing piece of paper. The clues are confusing, and time is running out before their stomachs start rumbling. Readers will love following the hungry heroes as they piece together the evidence and try to save their midday meal in this fast-paced and funny neighborhood caper.

A winter wonderland becomes the scene of a freezing mystery when a very special gift suddenly goes missing. Nate the Great has his work cut out for him on a cold and snowy day. His unusual friend Rosamond has lost his birthday present somewhere out in the chilly weather. The biggest problem is that Rosamond refuses to tell Nate what the present actually is, making the investigation twice as difficult. How can a detective find a missing item when he has absolutely no idea what he is looking for? Nate and his trusted dog, Sludge, must brave the freezing temperatures and carefully follow a snowy trail of clues to uncover the secret gift. Bundled up against the cold, they use their sharpest logical thinking to crack the case. This delightfully frosty adventure will keep young readers guessing as they help their favorite detective uncover a birthday surprise hidden in the snow.

Nate the Great is facing his most personal case yet, and his stomach is depending on the outcome. Nate absolutely loves his mother's famous Monster Cookies. He cannot get enough of her Strawberry Draculas, her Chocolate Frankensteins, and her Cinnamon Werewolves. But disaster strikes when all of her secret monster recipes suddenly disappear. Nate has never solved a case for his mother before, and the pressure is on. With his trusty dog Sludge by his side, Nate gets straight to work. They sniff, climb, bend down, push, and pull to uncover every possible lead. You will help them sort through long clues, crinkly clues, and fishy clues to figure out exactly what happened. Which clues actually count, and which are just a distraction? Put your detective skills to the test and see if you can solve the mystery before Nate misses out on his favorite treats forever.

A torn piece of paper with mysterious letters is all it takes to launch the world's greatest young detective into a brand new case. When Nate the Great finds a ripped scrap with only part of a word written on it, his curiosity goes into overdrive. Who wrote this note, and what does the rest of the message say? Nate and his faithful dog, Sludge, are determined to track down the missing pieces and uncover the truth. They must ask the right questions, gather all the facts, and narrow down their list of usual suspects to figure out if this is a real mystery or just a giant trick. As they follow the confusing trail of evidence, Nate realizes that not every clue leads exactly where you expect it to. Young readers will have a blast trying to piece together the puzzle right alongside Nate, using their own logical skills to crack the code before he does.

The smartest pet contest is just around the corner, and Nate the Great knows his dog Sludge is a sure winner. But just as they are getting ready to show off Sludge's brilliant tricks, the grand prize suddenly disappears. Without a prize, the whole contest will be a complete flop. Nate agrees to put his dog training on hold and take the case. It is a very tough puzzle to crack, and in more ways than one, it is a very fishy business. You will need to search high and low for clues leading to the missing trophy. Time is ticking down to the start of the competition. See if you can use your clever problem solving skills to help Nate and Sludge track down the prize before the contest is ruined forever.

Nate the Great has solved countless mysteries, but today he needs your direct help. His friends have planned a wonderful surprise Happy Detective Day party for him, but something has gone terribly wrong. Annie's dog Fang is missing. As the guest of honor, Nate must spring into action, and he wants you to be his partner on this case. You will track down the clues together. You know that Fang was learning special tricks for the party. You also know he was seen running away from two tiny poodles and chasing a lady wearing fluffy bunny shoes. Along the way, Nate will share his expert detective tips with you so you can sharpen your own sleuthing talents. This is your chance to step into the story, learn how a real detective thinks, and use your logical mind to find Fang before the party is ruined.

Meet the world's greatest boy detective. Shortly after finishing a delicious plate of pancakes, Nate the Great gets an urgent call from his friend Annie. She has lost a beautiful picture of her dog, and she needs the best sleuth in the neighborhood to track it down. Nate has found lost balloons, missing books, and even a runaway goldfish. A missing painting should be easy. With the cool confidence of a professional private eye, Nate plunges into his baffling new case. You will follow along as he gets all the facts straight, asks the right questions, and carefully narrows down the list of suspects. Finding a lost painting means searching every corner and examining every strange clue. Along the way, you might even help him discover the whereabouts of a missing cat named Super Hex. Step into a classic neighborhood adventure filled with mystery, humor, and lots of brilliant logical thinking.

It is Halloween night, and the neighborhood is filled with costumes and candy. Everyone is ready to go trick or treating, but a spooky mystery interrupts the fun. Nate the Great's friend Rosamond has lost her cat, Little Hex. Is the tricky feline just hiding from the ghosts and goblins, or is he truly lost in the dark? Nate and his brave dog Sludge must put their candy gathering on hold to take the case. Searching for a dark cat on the scariest night of the year is no easy task. You will have to help Nate face his fears, search a spooky haunted house, and use clear logic to figure out where Little Hex is hiding. Carve out some time to solve this thrilling holiday puzzle.

The world's greatest detective is back on the case, and this time the mystery involves a very ferocious dog. Annie is trying to throw a birthday party for her fierce pet, Fang, but there is a major problem. She has completely lost her house key and cannot get inside to set up the decorations and treats. Nate the Great is not exactly excited about attending a party for a dog who scares him, but a good detective can never resist a tricky puzzle. With his trusty canine partner, Sludge, by his side, Nate begins to track down the clues. They must use all their logical thinking to retrace Annie's steps and figure out exactly where that key could have gone. As the clock ticks closer to party time, Nate searches high and low to crack the case. Readers will love following along with the clues and trying to solve the mystery alongside their favorite young sleuth. This story is perfect for kids who enjoy using their brains to uncover hidden secrets and save the day.

Sometimes cracking a difficult case means you have to get a little bit dirty. Nate the Great is called into action when his eccentric friend Rosamond discovers a major problem with her brand new future-telling business. Her very important money box has completely vanished, and she needs the neighborhood's best detective to track it down. Nate and his reliable dog, Sludge, start questioning everyone who might know something. They talk to Claude, who helped set up the tricky business, and they even interrogate Finley, who collects strange boxes for his pet rat. Unfortunately, nobody seems to have the answers they need. To find the missing cash and solve the mystery, Nate realizes that he and Sludge will have to search the messiest place in town. Young readers will love holding their noses and diving into the clues as Nate proves that a great detective will go anywhere to help a friend in need.

A beautiful day in the garden turns into a slow-motion mystery for the neighborhood's smartest detective. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and someone is quietly taking giant bites out of the flowers in Nate the Great's backyard. The culprit turns out to be a mysterious green tortoise who is slowly creeping across the lawn. Nate knows that a tortoise does not belong in his flowerbed, but he has no idea where the wandering reptile actually came from. With his faithful dog, Sludge, by his side, Nate takes on the case of the lost pet. Tracking down the tortoise's real home requires a very careful investigation and a massive amount of patience. Following this slow-moving suspect might just be the hardest challenge Nate has ever faced. Young readers will love piecing together the clues as they learn that solving a mystery sometimes takes a lot of time and observation.

The holiday season is usually merry and bright, but a missing piece of mail threatens to ruin the festive cheer. Annie's giant dog, Fang, is feeling incredibly sad, and when Fang is unhappy, the entire neighborhood feels it. Nate the Great discovers that a very special Christmas card sent from Fang's mother has mysteriously vanished in the mail. Even though it is freezing cold and snowing heavily outside, Nate knows he cannot let his friend's dog suffer through a miserable holiday. Bundled up against the winter weather, Nate and his brave dog, Sludge, set out to sniff out the missing envelope. Retracing the mail route through the deep snow is not going to be easy. Young readers will eagerly follow along as Nate uses his sharpest detective skills to crack the case and ensure that everyone has a crunchy, munchy, and truly happy Christmas.

A simple plant sale turns into a major neighborhood mystery when a very unusual leafy green goes missing. Nate the Great's friend Oliver is devastated after losing the special plant he just bought at Rosamond's peculiar Adopt-A-Weed sale. This is not just an ordinary dandelion or a boring clover; Oliver is convinced that it is a powerful Superweed. Always ready to help a friend in need, Nate takes the case. Accompanied by his trusty dog, Sludge, the young detective begins a massive search that takes them deep into the woods, across the local park, and even straight into the quiet library. Finding one specific weed in a world full of plants seems nearly impossible, but Nate is determined to weed out the truth. Readers will enjoy digging through the evidence as Nate discovers that the biggest and most important clue might just be hiding right under his nose the entire time.

Grab your sunscreen and head to the beach for a brand new mystery. Nate the Great and his trusty dog Sludge are taking a break by the water, but a detective is never truly off the clock. Oliver's beach bag has completely vanished. The funny thing is, Oliver admits the bag is incredibly boring. Who would want to take a boring beach bag? That is exactly what you and Nate need to figure out. Finding clues in the sand and surf is not easy. The waves wash footprints away, and the beach is full of distractions. You will have to look closely at the facts and follow the right trail before the evidence disappears into the ocean. Put your logical thinking skills to the test and see if you can solve this sunny puzzle alongside your favorite private eye.

Prepare yourself for a truly global mystery. Nate the Great is about to take on his very first international case, and he will not even have to leave his own neighborhood to solve it. His friend Rosamond is traveling in Scandinavia when she realizes she has lost something. There is just one huge problem. She does not know what she lost, she does not know which country she lost it in, and she does not know when it went missing. Despite having zero clues, she wants Nate to find it from thousands of miles away. If Nate refuses to help, Rosamond threatens to hire the King of Sweden to solve the puzzle instead. Nate cannot let her bother a busy king with such a strange problem. You will have to think outside the box to help Nate gather facts from afar. Use your sharpest logic to figure out what is missing and save the King of Sweden from a very demanding traveler.

The world's greatest young detective is leaving his neighborhood behind and taking his incredible skills on the road. Nate the Great and his loyal dog, Sludge, are flying all the way to San Francisco to visit his cousin, the famous secret agent Olivia Sharp. But when they arrive, Olivia is nowhere to be found, and a brand new case is waiting for them. A boy named Duncan has lost his favorite joke book, and he is absolutely convinced that the world will end if it is not found immediately. Nate agrees to take the case, hopping into a fancy limousine to track down clues across the massive city. From a bustling pancake house to the towering Golden Gate Bridge, Nate and Sludge follow a trail of sticky and complicated evidence. This exciting out-of-town adventure invites young readers to explore a famous city while cracking a hilarious mystery alongside their favorite sleuth.

All aboard the Owl Express. You are about to join Nate the Great and his trusty dog Sludge on a thrilling train ride to San Francisco. Their mission seems simple enough at first. They just need to keep a close eye on Hoot, a pet owl belonging to Nate's cousin Olivia. But guarding a feathered friend on a moving train is trickier than it looks. Before long, the unthinkable happens and Hoot disappears into thin air. Now, Nate must switch from bodyguard to detective. With the train racing down the tracks toward its final destination, time is running out. You will need to help Nate get all the facts straight, ask the right questions, and narrow down the list of suspects. There are plenty of passengers on board, and anyone could be the culprit. Put on your detective hat and see if you can piece together the clues before the train pulls into the station. This mystery will keep you guessing as you follow the trail of missing feathers and funny suspects. Get ready for a comical adventure filled with twists, turns, and logical thinking.

A giant department store on a rainy day is the perfect place to get completely lost. Nate the Great usually relies on his trusted dog, Sludge, to help him solve every single case. But this time, the world's greatest young detective is facing his worst nightmare because Sludge is the one who is missing. Separated in the middle of a massive and crowded store, Nate frantically searches high and low for his furry best friend. He dodges salespeople who have spotted a wet and slippery dog running through the aisles, but every single clue seems to lead to a frustrating dead end. Without his canine partner to help him sniff out the answers, Nate feels entirely stuck. He must use all of his logical thinking and remain calm under pressure to reunite with his dog. This suspenseful and heartwarming mystery highlights the unbreakable bond between a boy and his best friend.

A good detective never gets a full night of sleep. It is two o'clock in the morning when the telephone suddenly rings, waking Nate the Great from a peaceful slumber. His friend Rosamond has a major emergency. Her homemade pillowcase is missing, and she needs it right this second because her cat Big Hex refuses to sleep on anything else. Outside, it is damp, dark, and incredibly dreary, but a dedicated sleuth knows that the hunt must go on regardless of the hour. You will join a very sleepy Nate as he searches the neighborhood in his pajamas. Can you help him follow the strange late night clues and locate the missing piece of laundry before the sun finally comes up? See if you can solve this bizarre mystery before Nate's bedroom slippers completely wear out.

A giant turkey is on the loose, and the entire town has gone wild trying to catch it. Nate the Great and his dog Sludge hear the news on the radio, but Nate refuses to take a case that every other amateur detective is already working on. Even when his friend Claude claims to have found a feather in the woods, Nate prefers to sit this one out. But things change quickly when his clever cousin Olivia Sharp appears on his doorstep, ready to hunt the feathered creature herself. Suddenly, a picture of the giant bird flashes on the television, and Nate realizes he cannot resist the challenge. Now Nate, Olivia, Sludge, and Claude are all racing against each other in a hilarious pursuit. You will have to decide if too many detectives spoil the investigation or if working together is the key. From talking turkey to stalking turkey, this holiday mystery is packed with confusing clues and funny surprises.