Reviews - A Scandal in Bohemia

A Scandal in Bohemia by Arianna Bellucci, Stephanie Baudet

6 reviews for:

When the royal family of Bohemia needs help, Holmes is on the case tracking down a photograph being used for blackmail. The blackmailer is the beautiful Irene Adler, and she might be the only person to ever fool Holmes and beat him at his own game.

This Sherlock Holmes mystery is retold and simplified for children ages 7-13. The story follows exactly the same story line as the original book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with much of the same dialogue and narration. Holmes and Watson are the same beloved characters that we know, and the mystery is just as suspenseful and thrilling as the original.

I loved how the writing style is simple, but is still vivid and energetic! The text is large, and there are a few definition boxes that explain terms or historical items that may be unfamiliar.

I loved the black and white illustrations that pop up every few pages. The cartoony style of the drawings is just right for this type of children's retelling, and gives an added flair to the story. The artwork is sometimes humorous and fun, making the story a little more lighthearted for young people.

I can't wait to revisit more Holmes stories in this children's series! This is an excellent way to introduce classics to elementary and middle grade readers!

sietskereads's review

4.0

As someone who enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes tv-series and of course the books, I was really curious about the children’s version. I was quite surprised to see that the writer decided to keep the original dialogue between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, but this made the story more fun to read.

When there is an unfamiliar item in the story there is a little description box on the page that explains what the item means. Which I think is a brilliant idea for younger readers. There are also great illustrations that are making the story more fun to read.

A Scandal of Bohemia is a straight forwards story and easy to read and to understand for younger readers. But it is still mysterious and surprising. The characters are described great and the illustrations make it complete.

I quite enjoyed it and I think this is a great book to introduce the younger readers to Sherlock Holmes. It makes me curious about the other books as well.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with the ARC.

jena_33's review

4.0

adventurous funny informative lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

kristinasshelves's review

3.0

Dr. Watson serves as the narrator in this middle grade adaptation of the classic short story. Sherlock Holmes is enlisted by the King of Bohemia to recover photographic evidence of a former relationship with an opera singer that has the potential to jeopardize his impending marriage. This version has illustrations throughout to engage younger readers. Also included are separate boxes with definitions of terms that would be unfamiliar to the target audience. The adaptation aspect of this story was fantastically done, but the story itself is not one of the most intriguing from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

I received an ebook of this title from the publisher via Netgalley; all opinions are my own.