Tom is four. He wears his small hat. He calls it his spy hat.
This morning, there is a case. A soft case.
“Where is Bunny?” Tom says. Bunny is his little toy. Bunny is not in the bed.
Mom smiles. “Let's look. We stay calm.”
Tom nods. “I am on the job.”
He looks at the bed. He sees one clue: a tiny bit of pink fluff.
“Fluff!” Tom says. “Bunny was here.”
He walks to the rug. The rug has big stars. He sees two things: a cracker bit and a short line in the rug.
“Hmm,” Tom says. “A snack clue!”
His baby sister sits close by. She pats a cup. “Cup,” she says.
Tom peeks in the cup. No Bunny. He hears a soft “thump” from the toy box.
Tom points. “Toy box. That is the sound clue.”
Dad comes in. “Need help, Detective Tom?”
“Yes,” Tom says. “Let's check.”
They open the toy box. On top is a red car. Under it is a blue block. Under the block is Bunny, safe and snug.
Tom laughs. “Bunny took a nap in the box!”
Mom hugs Tom. “You used your eyes, ears, and clues.”
Tom puts Bunny in his bed. “Case closed,” he says.
When we look and listen with kind help, small mysteries are easy to solve.
