Summary: Nine-year-old Shelby Holmes and eleven-year-old John Watson team up again, this time to investigate the new science teacher at the Harlem Academy of the Arts. 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.
Being friends with a super sleuth isn't easy, especially when she's nine years old and four feet tall. But for 11-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 into Harlem with his mum, Shelby has been training John in the art of observation - a skill that comes in handy on the very first day of school. John's new teacher, Mr Cobb, is acting suspiciously, and Shelby knows this is a mystery worth investigating. Something important has gone missing, but as Shelby and John dig deeper into the mystery of the Cobb caper, they discover that there may be someone unexpected involved. Could Shelby Holmes have finally met her match?Girl power comes to Baker Street in a book that's perfect for fans of Frank Cottrell Boyce and Robin Stevens.
Nine-year-old Shelby Holmes and eleven-year-old John Watson team up again, this time to investigate the new science teacher at the Harlem Academy of the Arts. 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.
Diminutive Shelby Holmes and her sidekick, narrator John Watson (The Great Shelby Holmes), return for a mystery that pits them against Shelby's nemesis, Moira Hardy. Continuing her contemporary-Harlem-set reimagining of the classic detectives, Eulburg makes intriguing use of deductive reasoning and disguises. However, the small stakes of the neighborhood mystery seem best suited to early-elementary readers, who may not be ready for such a lengthy read. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Book Review
John Watson's known minisleuth Shelby Holmes for only three weeks, but he already knows sixth grade will be significantly enlivened with Shelby's cases to solve.John, an Army brat settled down for the first time, makes friends easily in his new Harlem magnet school for the arts. But though he loves his new multiethnic crewthey play video games, shoot hoops, and discuss Mozart sonatas and modern arthe can't deny the thrill of solving cases. Even when Shelby is patronizing (always!) or rude to their clients (also always!), John's excited, but maybe taking a case for their teacher who doesn't want their help is just a tad over the line. To investigate a villainous private school headmistress, John and Shelby go undercover, Shelby disguised as prim little "Basia Rathbone" in one of several in-jokes for adult readers. John worries about lying to his mother as well as about being a black boy undercover in a rich neighborhood (something that doesn't occur to Shelby, who's white), but it doesn't occur to him to worry about his diabetes. And it doesn't occur to either of them that anyone could get the better of Shelby, until they meet nasty and brilliant, rich, olive-skinned Moira Hardy. Charming and funny, this winning adventure also finds time for its middle school sleuths to develop real maturity. (Mystery. 9-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.