Sherlock Bones and the Case of the Crown Jewels (Adventures of Sherlock Bones #1)

More than one game is afoot in this puzzle-filled, series-opening ode to Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective, starring astute canine Sherlock Bones and his feline accomplice, Dr. Jane Catson. Together, the animalian pair follow clues--or at least, the ones not inadvertently demolished by police chief Inspector Bloodhound's rambunctious pups--to uncover the culprit behind the queen's stolen crown jewels, recently pilfered from Buckingham Kennel. When the mystery of the missing gems unexpectedly intersects with an enigmatic glowing phantom terrorizing London's sewers, Bones and Catson endeavor to solve the cases, leading to fraught encounters with suspects that include a carrot-selling rabbit and an imperious poodle. Thirty puzzles, mazes, and games--illustrated with careful attention to detail by Bigwood (the Buster Practice Workbooks series) and sprinkled with droll visual puns--are featured throughout, providing readers with opportunities to assist in the investigations. Holmes's canine counterpart may chew meditatively on a bone rather than a briarwood pipe, but Collins (the Zero to Hero series) remains largely faithful to the source material's spirit, serving up an energetic introduction to classic literary characters via a cunning, fur-raising adventure. Ages 7-9. (Feb.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"Award-winning author Tim Collins, whose books have been published in the U.S. and abroad, uses a witty and engaging style to fashion this twisty mystery. His action-packed text provides plenty of clues to encourage readers to guess the culprit's identity. Illustrator John Bigwood, working in pencil and Photoshop, does his part by offering up intricately designed visual problems that practically beg to be solved. At first, readers are asked to rearrange letters in a word finder to figure out which story will interest Bones. Then they can "help" Bones and Catson follow the trail of prints to the river. After that, they need to arrange panels in the correct order to reveal Butch the Doberman. One fun puzzle after another peppers the text until readers follow clues to the storage chamber where the jewels are hidden, identify the villain and even figure out which of the "excitable" police bloodhound pups receives their medal first. Answers are at the back of the book, ready to be accessed immediately or pondered together at the narrative's end. All in all, Sherlock Bones and the Case of the Crown Jewels — Bones's "trickiest case yet" — should have young readers brandishing their very own magnifying glasses. — Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author; Shelf Awareness

"A variation on the Choose Your Own Adventure format of stories. The book is scattered with diagrams, mazes and spot the difference picture puzzles, which all enhance the excitement of the story. . . . This is a good romp of a mystery." —The School Librarian