{Review} THE GREAT SHELBY HOLMES MEETS HER MATCH by Elizabeth Eulberg

O P E N I N G   L I N E:

  YOU'D THINK HAVING A FRIEND WHO IS A KNOW-IT-ALL WOULD be annoying. And okay, at times it really, really is. But it can also be fascinating. And extremely helpful.

Especially if it's your first day at a new school.

"I see Sasha's parents didn't take her to Greece like they promised, " Shelby remarked as we walked down the hallway at the Harlem Academy of the Arts. I followed her gaze to a white girl with her blond hair in a ponytail. There was absolutely nothing about this girl that would've led a normal person to think that Sasha didn't go on some family vacation.

But while Shelby Holmes was many things, normal wasn't one of them.

(pg. 1, US Paperback ARC)

Shelby exhaled loudly. “ Father, Mother, my most sincerest of apologies for reacting so rudely to your inquiries. I must remind myself that you do not possess the same talents and insights as I, so therefore are required to ask redundant questions."

~Shelby Holmes, SHELBY HOLMES MEETS HER MATCH

October is a great month for mysteries, and for anyone looking for a great middle grade read paying homage to one of the most famous literary detectives of all time, the telltale mystery of what to read next is solved! THE GREAT SHELBY HOLMES MEETS HER MATCH, is the second book in a series by Elizabeth Eulberg, which follows the modern adventures of an elementary aged Holmes and Watson. Instead of Sherlock Holmes, we get the prestigious Shelby Holmes, walking the school halls with her unparalleled wit and skills of observation.

She's a Holmes that has to do homework, though gets most of it done before she leaves school ground, a Holmes who prefers to get paid for her casework in chocolate. Those differences make her perfectly relate-able to a middle grade reading audience, but all the things we loved most about the older Sherlock is still present; the ego, the wit, the impatience with adults and peers alike, and the need for a companion to ground and act as her guide through emotional intelligence. Enter, John Watson, the new kid at school, an army brat who is used to moving from places to place. He loves English and wants to be a writer one day, which is how he ends up starting an online journal to follow his adventures with Holmes. What I loved the most of about the presentation of these characters is that while it plays to their adult counterparts, the narrative never forgets that they ARE elementary students. There's homework to deal with, there's consequences for going around your parents and fibbing about where you've gone. While Shelby knows all about casting and fingerprinting techniques her access to those levels of resources are pretty much nill and that means she has to get creative and utelize tools and deductive processes that fit the age of herself and the book's desired audience.

I hadn't read the first book in this series, but it was easy to hop right into this tale and not feel at all lost or like I was playing catch up. I loved watching John get settled in his new school, make friends and have a side of more "normal" childhood activity in between his adventures with Shelby, and having him as the narrator added warmth and openness to the story and pulls the readers in. Especially when he talks about missing his dad, who is currently deployed, or the day to day necessities of living with diabetes.

Who is Shelby Holmes match? Is there a nefarious nemesis behind their current case and will Shelby Holmes prevail in the end? You'll have to pick up the book yourself to find out!

C O N T E N T R A T I N G S

Content Ratings: highlight between ( ) for details

Romance: ()

Language: ( )
Violence: ( )

Other: --

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C O V E R   D E S I G N:

This cover is quirky. Oh the misted purple background and the silhouettes of running potential suspects definitely give that mystery vibe, but the design of shelby and watson, the way they are bright bursts of color in the foreground, is a reminder that this is for kids and any tension inducing mystery will be balanced out with quirky, youthful main characters.

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O F F I C I A L   I N F O:

Title:  THE GREAT SHELBY HOLMES MEETS HER MATCH
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg

Release Date: September 12th, 2017

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Received: For Review

 

SUMMARY:

The Great Shelby Holmes may have finally met her match in this humorous sequel to Elizabeth Eulberg's fresh twist on Sherlock Holmes.

Being friends with a super sleuth isn't easy, especially when she's nine years old and four feet tall, and full of attitude. But for eleven-year-old aspiring writer John Watson, being friends with Shelby Holmes is just the adventure he's looking for. In the few weeks since moving to Harlem with his mom, Shelby has been training John in the art of observation—a skill that comes in handy on the first day of school. John's new teacher, Mr. Crosby, is acting suspiciously, and Shelby knows this is a mystery worth investigating. But as Shelby and John dig deeper, they discover that there may be someone unexpected involved—someone who may have Shelby beat.

From internationally bestselling author Elizabeth Eulberg comes a feel-good sequel for fans of Kate Messner and Chris Grabenstein.