Fall 2025

The Case of the Nasty Notes

A Ben and Blue Mystery

From the Series Ben and Blue

  • Interest Level: Grade 3 - Grade 6
  • Reading Level: Grade 4

Ben’s best friend Cooper is getting nasty notes from an unknown bully.

On top of that, her dad is keeping his new girlfriend a secret. It’s up to Ben and his basset hound, Blue, to help Cooper unravel these mysteries. As they “doggedly” pursue answers, the case takes surprising twists—and what they uncover turns their assumptions upside down. A story of kindness, love, and inclusion—not to mention a harrowing day at the zoo—this second book in the Ben and Blue mystery series will resonate deeply with children from LGBTQ+ families and to children who have feelings of low self-esteem hidden deep inside, afraid of what others may think. But isn’t that most of us? And couldn’t sharing those feelings with someone you trust be the most transformative feeling of all? An Author’s Note at the end of the book includes coping strategies for helping children deal with insecurity and feelings of self-doubt.

Format Your Price Add
978-1-64371-479-0
$17.99
978-1-64371-481-3
$22.99
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Interest Level Grade 3 - Grade 6
Reading Level Grade 4
Copyright 2026
Publisher Red Chair Press
Imprint Red Chair Press Books for Young Readers
Language English
Number of Pages 208
Publication Date 2025-10-07
Text Type Fiction
BISACS JUV039140, JUV039230, JUV039060
Dewey [Fic]
Dimensions 5.25 x 7.75
Lexile 530
Guided Reading Level S
Features Original artwork, Teaching Guides, and eSource

Author: Ellen Melissa Cohen

Ellen M. Cohen, M.D. is a psychiatrist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and a board member of the New England Society of Clinical Hypnosis. She lives with her husband just outside Boston.

Illustrator: Donald Wu

Donald Wu was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Oakland, California. He studied illustration at the California College of the Arts and lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, son, daughter, and dog.

Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!

Ben and Blue

This mystery series contemplates important themes of our time, including third-party reproduction and bullying. Told with humor and heart, the detective adventures of Ben, his best friend Cooper, and his dog Blue will appeal to children of all backgrounds who… View available downloads →