The Great Shelby Holmes Meets Her Match by Elizabeth
Eulberg is the second book in the Shelby Holmes series. The first book
sets up the characters and relationship between Shelby and the world,
however I think most readers would be able to catch on to the series
ideas pretty quickly, even if starting with the second book.
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.
The Great Shelby Holmes Meets Her Match
is another great book by Eulberg that makes the Sherlock tropes and
themes assesable to the younger generations. I love that the characters
are unique, but still share bits of the characteristics of the Sherlock
cannon. Shelby is the socially uninterested genius, with a little too
much pride and confidence in her abilities. When she works with Watson
they become the perfect team, with the book, observational, and social
smarts to do just about anything. I got a kick out of the introduction
of Shelby's nemesis, and the way they work with Lestrade and Crosby. I
loved the twists and turns, and the inclusion of extra bits of struggle,
like family issues and John's diabetes, make the story even more
relatable to a variety of readers. I think the mystery is well built,
and the methods of Shelby and James, and how they interact with each
others and those around them, is extremely well done. I love the layers
to all the characters, and the combination of real life and Sherlock
themes makes for an entertaining and engaging.
The Great Shelby Holmes Meets Her Match
is a great middle grade mystery with a diverse group of characters that
feels completely organic rather than forced, which is sadly happening
with more and more books. I highly enjoy this series and hope to
continue it, and add it to my elementary school library as soon as I
can.
