Detective Kate & Inspector Whisper

Detective Kate & Inspector Whisper: The Case of the Silent Kookaburras

By Kathleen Schubert (Author), Beata Banach (Illustrator), Whisper & Wildflower Press (Publisher) Format: Paperback

The bush should have been laughing.

Every morning, kookaburra calls tumble through the Australian bush.

But today, something is wrong.

The laughter has disappeared.

Detective Kate notices. Of course she does.

With a talent for spotting patterns, details and tiny changes others sometimes miss — and Inspector Whisper, her fluffy white autism assistance dog, by her side - Kate begins to investigate.

A disturbed hollow.
Scattered bark.
A bent branch.
A footprint where it shouldn't be.

But when the sounds of the bush become overwhelming, Kate discovers that solving a mystery isn't always about pushing through. Sometimes it means pausing, accepting support - and listening differently.

Can Kate and Whisper solve the mystery and help the laughter return to the bush?

A gentle Australian mystery celebrating neurodivergent strengths, the remarkable partnership between an autistic child and her assistance dog, and the importance of caring for the natural world.

For ages 5–9. Includes Detective Notes about autism and assistance dogs, plus discussion prompts for parents, practitioners and educators.