Hannah Sharpe, Cartoon Detective

By Janet Tashjian and Jake Tashjian

Informational Resources:

Author Information:

Janet Tashjian's official website:

https://janettashjian.com/

Illustrator Information:

Jake Tashjian's official website (author and illustrator):

https://us.macmillan.com/author/jaketashjian

Activities & Resources:

Listen to a brief book talk by the author and illustrator: (0:35)

https://janettashjian.com/books/hannah_sharpe_cartoon_detective/

In Conversation: Janet Tashjian and Jake Tashjian

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/93181-in-conversation-janet-tashjian-and-jake-tashjian.html

Autism

What is Autism: (4:48)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwaaphuStxY

Fast Facts about Autism for Kids: (9:55)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUbsyd8Fnyw

Detectives

What Does a Detective Do?

https://smartypantsmagazineforkids.com/2023/05/05/what-does-a-detective-do/

DIY Escape Room:

https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/150217/diy-escape-room-for-kids-birthday-edition/

Detective Science: Fingerprinting:

https://frugalfun4boys.com/detective-science-fingerprinting/

Pickles

Step by Step - How to Draw a Pickle

https://howtodrawforkids.com/how-to-draw-a-pickle/

How Pickles Are Made In Factory - How It's Made Pickles (3:23)

https://youtu.be/9g2shX4FtCQ?si=KQWapimjuH7TmCMq

MakerSpace Activities:

Create your own comic strip with Jarrett Lerner's template:

https://jarrettlerner.com/activities/#jp-carousel-8956

Design your own comic strip with a beginning, middle and end: (3:27)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0O6pVN4T9A

How to make your own comic book: (4:36)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsdYeS-tmR0

Create an invisible ink message for your classmates:

https://enjoy-teaching.com/invisible-ink/

Mystery Bag STEM Challenge:

https://buggyandbuddy.com/mystery-bag-stem-challenge/

Discussion Questions:

What are some things that Hannah does not like?

What strengths does she have?

What makes Hannah a great detective?

Why did Hannah have a substitute teacher and how did she feel about this?

What happened in second grade that threw a curveball at Hannah?

Who works with Hannah and her friends sometimes because of where her desk is located?

Who are the new tenants at the unit? How long are they staying?

What are the bumps on a pickle called?

What job does Dad take that gets Hannah excited about joining?

What does Hannah's group decide to do their project on?

What is the number one selling item from their garden?

What do they look for that could be causing harm to the plants?

Who comes over every afternoon now to play with Hannah and her friends?

What does Hannah decide to do while Rey and Doug are at the museum?

What does she see on Doug's computer?

Who does Hannah confront with her suspicions?

What is missing from Remy's bag?

What does Hannah want to protect herself from?

What social story was the hardest for Hannah to write?

What happened at the Harvest Fair?

Book Talk Teasers:

Read the reader's theatre for Hannah Sharpe Cartoon Detective by Janet Tahjian.

Watch the book trailer on the Texas Bluebonnet Award website.

Read Alikes: 

Leach, Sarah. Slug Days. A story about a little girl named Lauren who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, and how her emotions affect her as she navigates her way through life. (NovelList Plus)

Martin, Ann M. Rai Reigh. Struggling with the challenges of OCD and Asperger's syndrome, Rose, a homonym enthusiast, shares an inseparable bond with a beloved dog, but when the dog goes missing during a storm, Rose is forced to confront the limits of her comfort levels, even if it means leaving her routines and safe places in order to search for her pet.(NovelList Plus)

O'Donnell, Liam. The case of the snack snatcher. Myron investigates when somebody breaks into his new school to steal the morning snacks. (NovelList Plus)

Patrick, Cat. Tornado Brain. Seventh-grader Frankie, who has various sensory disorders, is determined to find her missing best friend, Colette, before it is too late. (NovelList Plus)

Tokushige Zoe. New school skirmish. Meet Airi Sano. After spending her entire childhood moving from one military base to another, she's excited to be settling down for the long-term in Hawai'i. She's less excited about her new teacher, who's determined to make Airi like school. But she's got a plan: prank her teacher so hard that she gives up on even trying to get Airi to do any work--especially any reading. But Mrs. Ashton won't give up, no matter what Airi does. Airi will need the help of her new classmates--who might even be her new friends--to get Mrs. Ashton to crack. It's time...for a prank war! (NovelList Plus)

Reviews:

Booklist (October 1, 2023 (Online))

Grades 4-6. When her teacher, Mrs. Monroe, takes an indefinite leave of absence, white autistic girl Hannah doesn’t think any of the coping skills she’s learned either in school or from her play therapist will help navigate such a big change. On top of that, there’s a mystery of why some of the school’s plants aren’t doing well, plus a string of porch pirate robberies in her neighborhood. Hannah may not be good with social skills, but her pattern recognition might just be what these cases need. Helping her out are her classmates Noah and Gabriella, as well as her drawings of Dusty Pickle. Included are illustrations explaining how Hannah thinks and reacts, minicomics, and an author’s note explaining that her son, the illustrator of this novel, is on the autism spectrum. This is an inclusive, fun addition to the middle-school mystery field, perfect for readers who need a little extra help moving to typical chapter books.