This was a great graphic novel to get the whole family involved! My kids (8 and 5) absolutely loved the G.R.I.D system that created breaks in each story to present the clues so far. They would guess which clue was most important, then keep modifying their theories through each Check-In. My kids are big readers already, but they were so engaged through this whole graphic novel. With the signature InvestiGators wit and puns, this was a hit all around. I even got requests to read throughout the day and not just at bedtime. Highly recommend to read together.

InvestiGators: Case Files takes a fun detour from the usual format, swapping out one continuous mystery for a collection of shorter, interactive cases—and I had a blast playing along! It was a clever and refreshing change of pace, even if I did miss some of the running jokes and layered humor that usually build across a single storyline. That said, not all of these mysteries were easy—I definitely had to put on my thinking cap! A great pick for fans of the series who enjoy puzzles and want to get in on the sleuthing action.

A 7 y/o’s review:

Me: Do you know what star ratings are?
7: … ummmm, oh! Is it like those things that are ummmm, that people, ummm… they’re on books with stars that people say about the book?
Me: yes! You get to give this book stars.
7: I GET TO?! And then people will know what stars I gave it?
Me: yup! So how many, one to five, stars do you give the new InvestiGators?
7: FIVE! It’s so good!

A further paraphrased review from the kiddo…

Investigators is one of his all time favorite series. He loves that they are “big” books ‘cause it keeps him entertained for longer. Very important for a kid that reads ravenously. They’re worth it!

Loves that there are multiple stories/cases within Case Files. Not his favorite among the whole series BUT basically ties for second with all the others. He couldn’t think of a thing he’d change and his favorite part was when the simulator came to life. And his favorite character is Mango (needed to make sure that was mentioned somewhere in the review).

Overall, it was another winner and 7 hopes that the author will know how much he loves this series. Keep up the amazing work!

My daughter's first InvestiGators! Her classmates have been reading them and she was super excited to get a chance to read it.

She loved the graphics and the stories and rated this a 4/5.

Thanks for the opportunity!

Cant wait to get my hands on this book. My boys will love. They already love the original series and love figuring things out. I like how lt shows what clues they use to help figure out the cases.

For fans of the InvestiGators, this is a fun collection of mini mysteries led by Brash, Mango, and the team at S.U.I.T. My sons, ages 6 1/2 and 7 1/2 love these books, and the way the mystery is written, it allows the reader to gather clues and make a guess as they go. Full of humor, fun adventures and mystery, this will be a hit with young readers, fans of graphic novels, and fans of DogMan.

The gator detectives are back—but this time, you’re part of the team.

In this interactive spinoff, Mango and Brash take a break from their usual capers to guide readers through a series of six mini whodunits. With a clue-finding format that encourages critical thinking, re-reading, and deduction, Case Files turns passive reading into active problem-solving.

The art by Chris Fenoglio captures the series’ signature zany charm, while the puzzles offer just enough challenge to keep minds engaged—and chuckles flowing.

It is wacky, clever, and brilliantly hands-on—Case Files is a gator-grade win.

i didn't like it as much as the other books, but it was still ok.
i enjoyed the different mysterios, but the clue thing made it a little hard to follow.
maybe it would have been funner if i was reading it as paper, so i could flip through better.
i also wish the golfer ended up having his own big mystery at the end, since he was always doing suspicious things.
but pretty good.
i liked it though.

my 11 year old loved this comic book thank you for letting him read it! He said he loved the cases on the story. he read the other books by this and this was his favorite!

An 11 year old read and reviewd this book. Favorite characters in the book were Bash and Mango. I liked they were able to solve the acase about the Frazzle, they used tech suits in order to solve the cases. My favorite case was about the person that kept stealing the flowers for their volcano experiments. I believe that kids that are investigative and like to solve puzzles would enjoy this book. Thank you NetGalley.

I work in a library and the books in this series are checked out regularly. The author brilliantly illustrates these graphic novels. The bright colors and interesting comic strip type illustrations are the highlight.

Mango and Brash are two investi-gators. In this book, they help solve six mysteries. They analyze the problem, search for clues and encourage the reader to help solve the case. I get a kick out of the banter between the two main characters. The author leans heavily on word play, which I enjoy. Some may feel it is overkill.

The six cases were short, so a chapter can be finished without a large commitment of time. I felt the stories could’ve used a bit more development though. The scenarios presented are definitely far fetched and the cases are solved surprisingly quickly.

All in all, this is a fun series of graphic novels that I think would appeal to reluctant readers and boys. Not that girls won’t enjoy them, I just believe boys will find them more appealing.

I received an e-ARC copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

InvestiGators: Case Files #9 is another hilarious and action-packed addition to the series that my students are going to absolutely love! Mango and Brash are back, diving into six different cases, and the interactive format really sets this one apart.

The G.R.I.D. machine is a clever tool for organizing clues, and the built-in references that send readers back to earlier pages make the experience both engaging and fun. It adds an extra layer of detective work that will definitely appeal to young readers.

The illustrations are vibrant and full of energy, and the humor ~ even for adults ~ is laugh-out-loud funny at times. I found myself chuckling more than once! I can’t wait to add this to our classroom collection, I know it’s going to be a hit.

Perfect for fans of graphic novels, humor, and all things quirky and clever!

Thank you, NetGalley and First Second Books for the ARC.

My eight-year-old son and I had such a fun time reading this book together! It’s the first time reading an InvestiGators book, and it was engaging, interactive, and full of humor! There are six mysteries in which the kids are able to collect clues and then try to decide who they think did it. My son had his notebook ready and was writing all the clues down. I loved how he was able to get involved in the story and got his mind working. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to First Second Books and NetGalley for the advance copy! My review is honest and voluntary.

My 9 yr old is obsessed with this series! This newest edition is so fun and interactive. I’ve already preordered for my son as I know he’s going to love it!

My InvestiGators superfans squealed in delight when we got the approval to read the latest installment in this beloved series. My kiddos (7.5 and 9) both said Case Files gets five glowing stars. We have read the previous books countless times and they never cease to be tickled by Mango and Brash’s adventures and hijinks.

They kept saying over and over while reading was how much fun that had BEING an InvestiGator and getting to be super sleuths, though they were grateful not to have to travel via toilet to solve these cases! They successfully completed each case file and really loved the different interactive features, especially the look and find element in the final case.

My bookworms said this might be their new favorite in the series and they can’t wait to add this book to our InvestiGators and Agents of S.U.I.T. collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for the digital ARC.

The InvestiGators are back with an exciting new adventure that will have kids cheering on every page. I loved how interactive this book is, encouraging young readers to grab a pen, paper, and their detective hats to fully immerse themselves in the experience. I can also see myself purchasing several copies for our school library.

My daughter loves this series and this may be her favorite one yet! The setup was a little different, more interactive and she really enjoyed that! It still has the silliness of the other InvestiGators books too.

Another great investigator book that I know my students and any late elementary aged student will love, especially those that have enjoyed the previous books in the series or love to read graphic novels. The books also has funny parts that even adults find humorous.

Another great installment of the InvestiGators series and this one was a little different since it was a 6 mini cases that interacted with each other than just one case that Mango & Brash work on through the whole book. It was fun and interactive since they give you a list of 3 clues and 3 suspects for the reader to help figure out who the culprit is. The illustrations were great and the story was easy to follow for young readers.
Thanks to First Second and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

InvestiGators: Case Files
If you’re a fan of the series, you’re in for a real treat, not one, but SIX cases to solve!

These cases are bound to be swamp-licated, so they Mango and Brash ask you to grab some paper and pencils to fill out your clue book! They use a fancy new GRID technique finding sets of three clues and three suspects. Plus they discuss what red herrings are and how to go back and look through clues!

These gators always brings the perpetrators to jaws-tice!

From a parent view: my son devoured this. He had his notes written and was proud he got 3 out of the 6 cases correct. He read the book in one sitting and asked for more books like this in the future. I will definitely purchase the hardcover when released! I love when books engage and pique interest.

From an educator view: when a books brings this much curiosity and makes you question and wonder, it’s a winner. It doesn’t matter if we were correct. I will definitely recommend this to my students!

From a child’s view (9 years old): “I LOVED this! It’s was so much fun! I loved solving the mysteries and that they built upon one another!”

Thanks @NetGalley and @FirstSecondBooks for the Advanced Digital Copy