Mr. Merlin’s Third Graders are known as the Third Grade Detectives—with some hints from secret code clues and help from Mr. Merlin’s friend, the police scientist Dr. Smiley, they help solve cases. Perfect for fans of the Hardy Boys! The Third-Grade Detectives are looking forward to their field trip to a local art museum, where a priceless 15th-century statue of Joan of Arc is on loan from a Paris museum. But when they arrive, they discover that the statue has been stolen! The police quickly find the statue—smashed into pieces and thrown in a dumpster. Why would someone steal the statue only to destroy it? It looks like a new case for the Third-Grade Detectives—even if the museum director doesn’t seem to want their help.