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itsme_lori's review against another edition
4.0
This book was so freaking cute I can hardly stand it! Seriously. It was a fantastic younger retelling of Sherlock with a girl detective and her new sidekick, John Watson. The story is told from his POV and it was interesting how Eulberg took the characteristics and details of the characters we already know and translated them into younger kids. I was a little nervous about how it would work, but it totally did! The mystery is perfect for the younger crowd without it being scary or intense but with plenty of intrigue to keep kids engaged. The characters are nine and eleven and I'd say that's a pretty good range for its audience as well. If you have a kid who's ready to graduate from Nate the Great, this would be a perfect next step! And it would make for a fun read-aloud for parents who know the characters and to get everyone's take on who they think did it as the story goes on! I definitely recommend this one!
jbrooxd's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Good mystery with several possible culprits. Loved Watson, but Shelby takes some getting used to. I would read another book in this series.
thebookedbamlet's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a delightful spin on the great Sherlock Holmes!
John Watson arrives in NYC, looking for a fresh start. Following his parent's divorce and his mother's retirement from military life, John seeks to find new friends in the Big Apple. Little did he know he'd get more than he bargained for in Shelby Holmes, a precocious, observant, and slightly awkward 9 year old detective that lives in his building.
I loved the development of these two as a team and really enjoyed how the author brought Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character alive in a new way for the younger audience. Brava!
John Watson arrives in NYC, looking for a fresh start. Following his parent's divorce and his mother's retirement from military life, John seeks to find new friends in the Big Apple. Little did he know he'd get more than he bargained for in Shelby Holmes, a precocious, observant, and slightly awkward 9 year old detective that lives in his building.
I loved the development of these two as a team and really enjoyed how the author brought Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character alive in a new way for the younger audience. Brava!
mrstaradye's review against another edition
4.0
Fun, adventure story perfect for middle grade students!
darthchrista's review against another edition
3.0
This was a wonderful delight to read. Perfect to pass to my riding 5th grader and even the rising 8th grader to introduce keen observation. This would also make a fun read aloud and see which character we are most similar to. strong theme of friendships, not making snap judgements, and loyalty. A nice twist on Holmes and good jumping off point for people to dive in.
rene5858's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
scostner's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a delight to read. John Watson moves to 221 Baker Street in New York with his mother. His mom has recently finished her tour of duty as a military doctor, and is still recovering from a wound she received in Afghanistan. Their new landlady, Mrs. Hudson, introduces John to the girl who lives in apartment 221B, Shelby Holmes. Shelby has an older brother named Michael and an English bulldog named Sir Arthur. For those familiar with the Sherlock Holmes canon, many such references will pop off the page.
John is used to making new friends due to his life as a military brat, but this is the first time he has moved to a new place that wasn't an Army post and without his father. His parents are no longer together and his mother has chosen their apartment to be near her new job and a great school for John. But school isn't in session yet and John doesn't know anyone or even know his way around the neighborhood. With Shelby as a native guide, he soon learns how to take the bus and the subway around town, and he also discovers that everyone in their area knows Shelby. It seems that she is a very precocious child who has solved mysteries all over the neighborhood, much to the annoyance of Detective Lestrade of the NYPD. John gets swept up in a cased with her when Shelby's classmate Tamra asks for help in finding her missing dog. Can they track down the disappearing pooch before Saturday's big dog show?
Adapting the relationship of Holmes and Watson to be a friendship between two kids must have taken some serious effort, but the result is a story that pulls you in and has you turning the pages as quickly as you can to find the answers. Fans of the original stories, or of later film and television adaptations will find many familiar details - a dog that doesn't bark in the night, exhortations to observe rather than just see, references to not wasting space in the brain attic with facts that won't help to solve cases, etc. Viewers of the BBC "Sherlock" will find Shelby's lack of social graces very similar to the other Holmes, and also recognize Watson's self-appointed task of smoothing the way with manners and tact.
For mystery lovers and readers who like buddy adventures, this is a satisfying middle grade chapter book, even if they are not Sherlockians. (They may not be when they start the book, but they will probably be converted by the end.) Let's hope we can look forward to many more cases for this daring duo.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
John is used to making new friends due to his life as a military brat, but this is the first time he has moved to a new place that wasn't an Army post and without his father. His parents are no longer together and his mother has chosen their apartment to be near her new job and a great school for John. But school isn't in session yet and John doesn't know anyone or even know his way around the neighborhood. With Shelby as a native guide, he soon learns how to take the bus and the subway around town, and he also discovers that everyone in their area knows Shelby. It seems that she is a very precocious child who has solved mysteries all over the neighborhood, much to the annoyance of Detective Lestrade of the NYPD. John gets swept up in a cased with her when Shelby's classmate Tamra asks for help in finding her missing dog. Can they track down the disappearing pooch before Saturday's big dog show?
Adapting the relationship of Holmes and Watson to be a friendship between two kids must have taken some serious effort, but the result is a story that pulls you in and has you turning the pages as quickly as you can to find the answers. Fans of the original stories, or of later film and television adaptations will find many familiar details - a dog that doesn't bark in the night, exhortations to observe rather than just see, references to not wasting space in the brain attic with facts that won't help to solve cases, etc. Viewers of the BBC "Sherlock" will find Shelby's lack of social graces very similar to the other Holmes, and also recognize Watson's self-appointed task of smoothing the way with manners and tact.
For mystery lovers and readers who like buddy adventures, this is a satisfying middle grade chapter book, even if they are not Sherlockians. (They may not be when they start the book, but they will probably be converted by the end.) Let's hope we can look forward to many more cases for this daring duo.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
mycroftm's review against another edition
4.0
I read this with my 6 year old and we both loved it. Me because I am a huge Sherlock fangirl (and I appreciated all the references, including Shelby's alias as Petunia Cumberbatch) and her because she loves a good mystery. We are both eagerly awaiting the 2nd instalment but that's not out until September ☹️
abrilgkarera's review against another edition
3.0
Me parece un excelente acercamiento a las historias de detectives y más si les gusta Sherlock Holmes tanto como a mí. Elizabeth Eulberg consigue reflejar lo mejor de esa personalidad tan enigmática en una niña de nueve años que no dejará de sacar sonrisas. Adiviné al culpable demasiado pronto, pero me parece que tiene unas referencias exquisitas a los cuentos de Doyle y hasta de la serie de la BBC. Una lectura ágil y divertida para estos días de problemas inacabables.
jesabesblog's review against another edition
3.0
This felt like the chapter book version of Nate the Great. I loved those books. It's definitely for young readers - 2nd/3rd grade.