The Great Shelby Holmes

June 13, 2016
In this series opener, Eulberg (We Can Work It Out) creates a lively present-day update of Sherlock Holmes, one with plenty of winks to the source material. Eleven-year-old John Watson has grown up on multiple army bases, but now that his parents are splitting up, he and his mother move to 211 Baker Street—in Harlem—where he meets nine-year-old neighbor Shelby Holmes. Watson is intrigued by the brilliant and intense Shelby, who is known throughout the neighborhood for her crime-solving talent. Her prickly demeanor can be challenging, but Watson is amazed by Shelby’s powers of observation and deduction, and soon the two are helping a classmate locate her missing show dog. Watson’s struggles adjusting to New York City life, making friends, and missing his father are captured believably. Readers will delight in Shelby’s ability to read clues in this well-plotted mystery and sympathize with Watson who, along with the rest of the supporting cast, is generally two steps behind Shelby. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Erin Malone, William Morris Endeavor. Illustrator’s agency: Shannon Associates.

bibliophile - The Great Sherlock Holmes- wait, did I say Sherlock? No, I meant The Great Shelby Holmes… there so analogous in personalities, I almost confused myself! Okay… maybe I’m a bit exaggerating, after all she doesn’t smoke a pipe like Sherlock, but Detective Shelby is best of the best… Did I tell you that she’s nine and is in sixth grade! Although she may be someone one would want to underestimate.. I REPEAT: Do not underestimate Detective Shelby (trust me on that one)... Meet Dr. John Hamish Watson- aww man I did it again! I meant John Watson…. Sherlock Holmes’s friend and associate… AGAIN, I got myself carried away… Anyways, John Watson is the kid who moves near Shelby’s home- sure the way I talk about him seems unimportant… but John and Shelby are the true key in order to solving a case… well… any case. The thing is Shelby never had any friends… and she would one aloof duck… but it’s would okay because she would always be engrossed in solving mysteries and pissing off incompetent detectives adults like Inspector G. Lestrade… oops I meant Detective Lestrade(except Inspector Lestrade can be more respected instead of Detective Lestrade- you’ll realize why), but it makes complete sense… Detective Lestrade is incompetent, very immature (I would have mistaken her for a nine year old instead of an adult) Anyways, Shelby shows John around the vicinity and John speculates how Shelby is a celebrity (well, sort of), everybody acknowledges her and asks if she wants something… One day when Shelby was “walking” John, Tamra— a student from The Academy— was in a dire need of help… Her show dog, Daisy, was missing! So on they go to their “perilous” journey. So as Shelby and John observes around Tamra’s opulent home, they come across Zareen and her dog and Zane. They actually come across a lot of suspects, but not that many evidence… Uh oh! Could it be Zareen because she’s jealous of Tamra and she wants all the attention.. Or could it be the dog trainer, Emerson, who was caught in a lie? Oh, could it be Tamra who did it to go to Paris with her sister? . Wait we’re not at that part yet… Anyways John feels bad because he thinks he’s using Shelby to make “actual friends” like Zane, who can “play ball” like Watson (sorry, I’m just testing out the nickname Shelby has for John which is Watson)... As they looked through the evidence and the “crime scene,” so many elements come in play which is why it’s so hard to find the culprit- but not to Shelby and John. While John was playing pickup basketball with Zane and his friends, they obtained a lead! DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN… Could this be the breaking point and are they going to find the culprit? So this story was such a fun break from reading depressing short stories… I was completely shocked about who did it… I really liked the overall message and the content itself.. It really reminded me of Friday Barnes- a book- I REALLY RECOMMEND… And it all comes down to this: what everybody needs is a true friend. For people who enjoy solving mysteries, Sherlock Holmes, and reading about friendship, this book is for you! Hope you read this amazing, mysterious, adventurous, and suspenseful book… because it WILL keep you up! Enjoy!