The Great Shelby Holmes

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. (Sept.)