Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery

Sherlock Bones #1

by Renee Treml

'Hi there, I'm Sherlock Bones.
Who is Sherlock Bones, you ask? Well, I don't like to brag, but my trusty side-kick Watts says I'm the greatest detective in our whole museum.
Don't you, Watts?
Watts…?

You might not be able to hear Watts, because he's technically a stuffed parrot, but I always know what he's thinking.

And right now he's thinking: Can we solve the mystery of the missing Blue Diamond and save the Museum of Natural History, before it's too late?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Mystery, Childrens, Middle Grade, Fiction, Humor, Juvenile

272 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2019

About the author

American-born Renée Treml moved to Australia in 2007, where she was immediately captivated by the unique wildlife in this country. Drawing on her background in ecology, Renee’s began writing stories and creating illustrations that focused on animals and the environment.

Renee works in her Surf Coast studio and is available for school, festival and library visits both in person and virtually. She has written and illustrated several picture books including award-winning Once I Heard a Little Wombat, and Wombat Big, Puggle Small, which was recently read on ABC’s Play School. She is also the creator of the hilarious graphic novels featuring Sherlock Bones.

In addition to books, Renée’s illustrations are featured on a range of stationery, ceramics and homewares available from Kim Wallace Ceramics, Urban Products, Rodriquez Tea Towels, and La La Land.

Reviews

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the royal blue diamond, the world’s largest gemstone, goes missing from the State Natural History Museum it’s up to Sherlock Bones and Watts to solve the mystery, even if the main suspect is a ghost. If they don’t, then the museum may close and Bones certainly doesn’t want to be put into storage.

Sherlock Bones is a tawny frogmouth and Watts is a blue Indian ringneck parrot. Both are exhibits in the state Natural History Museum. Bones is, well, bones and Watts is stuffed, so while Bones knows what she says, the reader doesn’t. They’re joined by Grace the raccoon, who is very much alive and in need of chocolate. You’ll also meet Mickey who, you guessed it, is a mouse.

This is a really fun read. I loved the humour, which was appropriate for both adults and children. There’s some enjoyable slapstick humour but there are also some more subtle smiles that adults will appreciate. I loved the jar containing a herring that’s beside one containing a red herring. You’ll also stumble upon some accidental learning, with interesting facts included that don’t detract from the story.

This is a highly illustrated chapter book. I would encourage you to look closely at all of the pictures because there are clues scattered throughout the illustrations that will help you solve the mystery. I also liked discovering other elements that, while not part of the mystery, were interesting, including a hermit crab checking out suitable replacements for its shell.

I particularly loved that this book was written and illustrated by a fellow Australian. Okay, so she was born in America but she moved to Australia in 2007 so I’m claiming her, especially since the focus in the book was on Australian animals. There’s also the requisite “Blimey!”

I can’t tell you how much I loved that the main character was a tawny frogmouth. We have a tawny frogmouth couple who either hang out on our clothes line or hunt in our front yard most nights and I adore them!

I really hope this book is the first in a series because I need to know what mystery Sherlock Bones and Watts will investigate next.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin for the wonderful surprise in the mail today. I love book competitions! I read an advanced proof copy and I hope nothing changes prior to publication.

Oh, and while I’m just a tad outside of the age range for this book’s target audience, that doesn’t stop me from feeling pretty darn proud of myself for finding the clues and solving the mystery before Sherlock Bones and Watts did. 😜

[Clara Levi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Color being a key component in the story & still being printed in black & white doesn’t sit right with me.

[Trevor Abbott · Rating 2 out of 5]

As my forefathers said before me…
It should’ve been in color

His relationship with Watts is giving Norman Bates

[Reilly Zimbric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish this was in color.

[Melissa Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

R: I love how they are all friends at the end. 5 stars
M: I loved Grace! I also wish it was in color. 3 stars

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, loved this! The first chapter book read with my almost 5 year old who spotted the ARC in my bag and wanted to read it with me. We laughed together a lot. A really fun book with lots of things to look out for in Renee's amazing pictures. We cant wait to find out what Bones and Watts get up to next.

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun!! My only negative is that I wish desperately that this could have been in color. Color played a vital part in the plot and it was harder to grasp that vibrancy without color pictures.

[Izabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

En fantastiskt rolig bok som kommer få både barn och vuxna att skratta! Boken är i samma stil som Tuffa gänget böckerna, det är roligt och i ett tecknade serier format. Bra för kids som frågar efter roliga böcker med mycket bilder och "tjocka böcker med lite text".

Vi följer mästerdektektiven Sherlock Bones (han heter Sherlock Bones eftersom han är ett skelett efter en fågel) som bor på Naturhistoriska muséet. Hans bästa kompis heter Watts som är en tystlåten uppstoppad fågel och den mer livliga tvättbjörnen Milly. Tillsammans hjälps dom åt att lösa mysteriet om den försvunna diamanten.

[Judy Wollin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Natural History Museum is having some serious problems. Staff have seen a ghost. Frogmouth Skelton is worried the museum might close and then where would he live. He sets out, with his trusty mate, Watts to solve the crime that threatens the museum. Watts however doesn’t have much to say. Grace the racoon has something to say about the mystery and may be linked to it. Can Frogmouth solve the mystery?
I enjoyed the humour and the characters.
Recommended for MG and reluctant readers. The humour and graphic nature of the novel make for a fun light read.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a humorous detective duo? Only, Sherlock Bones is ...well, bones!

Sherlock and Watts are from the exhibits in The State Natural History Museum.

And, it seems there are mysterious happening going on everywhere!

A really fun graphic novel featuring Australian fauna. My 9 year old and I read this on the lounge. A real joy.

Really nice graphic novel for ages 7 years and upwards.

Here’s hoping there will be more.

[Katey Flowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and so engaging. For fans of Bad Guys and Real Pigeons. Only reason I give four instead of five stars in the fact that the images are black and white - some text is occasionally a little hard to read, and as colour features heavily in the plot/clues, coloured illustrations would’ve elevated the experience. Still loved it, laughed out loud, and enjoyed every ridiculous twist and turn.

[Rachel Stine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and funny but ultimately forgettable. Though I do love the Penn & Teller relationship of Bones and Watts.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute and clever! A graphic novel is a great format for a mystery since you can hide clues in the pictures. And what a great mystery, I didn’t figure out the culprit until Sherlock did!

[Deirdre Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

delightful! night at the museum but without humans and the only one that’s alive is a bird skeleton!

[Sierra Dertinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will be a fantastic new graphic novel series for kids! Sherlock Bones is a tawny frogmouth, but instead of being alive he is all bones. His sidekick is Watts who is a blue Indian ringneck parrot (a taxidermy). Each book will feature a mystery case at large, in this first book it is the case of the missing Blue Diamond in the Natural History Museum. Since Bones has to be undercover with Watts, he has to dip and dodge the security guard. Bones presumes she is the one who stole the diamond, BUT then comes along Grace. Grace is a raccoon who loves nothing more than getting her paws on something tasty. As the investigation goes on we learn that Watts cannot speak but Bones is able to talk to him and understand him. Bones goes back and forth with whom he believes is the culprit!

There is humorous commentary throughout the story that will definitely make kids laugh. Since this is a graphic novel format, the reader will want to keep an eye on each page as he/she will learn some interesting facts and see some clues during the investigation. I mean this series will be a hit, especially with those who love graphic novels, plus a fun mystery. I can't wait to read about the next mystery!

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sherlock Bones is the skeleton of a bird that stays in a natural history museum. It has a stuffed blue bird sidekick named Watts. The large blue diamond is missing, and Sherlock Bones and Watts are on the case. A pesky raccoon named Grace keeps showing up, and the Bones thinks the security guard has something to do with the missing diamond. Since Watts does not speak, Bones takes on both sides of their conversation, which would help young readers new to mysteries. The illustrations are to be pored over to look for clues. This is reminiscent of The Bad Guys only in the style of black and white illustrations. A lot of information about museums and nature are to be found here.
Since the clues have to do with color, I would have given 2 more stars had this title been illustrated in color.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what happens in a museum after you leave? The bones start to move and talk and solve crimes! This hilariously silly book will be enjoyed over and over by excited readers who also loved The Bad Guys or are moving up from Elephant and Piggie books. I love the illustrations, very well done and large for side chats about what they can see when visiting a museum. It felt like revisiting some of my favorites natural history museums with all the elements from dinosaurs to butterflies. Adults will enjoy the tongue in cheek silliness. Kiddos will love that it feels like a comfort read. This series will fly off the shelf with the early elementary set.

I do agree with the Kirkus review about it being in black and white, when color would have been a wonderful choice seeing as the mystery revolves around the color blue. (But remember the first copies of Cap't Underpants where also black and white and then released in full color, so maybe there's hope?) Since I read the copy online, I am not sure if the paper will be like a Bad Guys novel or glossy like a traditional graphic novel. Based on price point from Barnes & Noble, I will guess paper.

Introducing mystery and graphic novel genre in one book that's easily digestible makes this a winner! Recommended for all libraries and homes.

[Paige V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from my little sister, Laly (11):

Sherlock Bones and his reliable partner, Watts, are renowned for their exceptional sleuthing skills. However, when the notorious Royal Blue Diamond is stolen, the museum faces the threat of closure. On the same day, a shady raccoon with a penchant for shiny objects and chocolates appears. Even the museum guard behaves suspiciously. It's now up to Sherlock Bones and Watts to identify the culprit and recover the stolen diamond.

I highly recommend this graphic novel as it is an exciting and fast-paced mystery book. The panels are large and in monochrome, and the drawings are well done, resembling The Bad Guys series.
Grace, the raccoon character, is hilarious and my favorite due to her amusing behavior. Being a raccoon lover, I found her character very endearing. Watts, the plush bird, is also quite funny. Meanwhile, Sherlock Bones, a Tawny Frogmouth skeleton, has been designed to make him act like a real character, adding to the book's humor.
The museum setting is beautifully depicted, and I would love to visit the museum.

Give this graphic novel to any young reader who wants a good laugh!

Happy Reading, Laly ❤️ 📚

[whatbooknext · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sherlock Bones is the skeleton of a Frogmouth(which is a bird and explains the boney part of his name). He lives in the Natural History Museum with his best friend Watts (who is also a bird – and ummm, also dead).

Something weird is going on in the museum and Sherlock Bones is determined to find out what and who is the culprit. Is it the security guard? Is it the ratbag racoon that is avoiding the pest control? Or could it bee a ghost?

Any fans of Aaron Blabey’s The Bad Guys, or Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood’s Real Pigeons series, will love this new mystery series set out and illustrated in a similar format.

[Claude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picked this up for a uni assignment bc I desperately wanted to include a graphic novel and do not regret at all. I'm definitely a bit older than the target audience but I adored this. I agree that if this book was illustrated in colour it would help with clues to solve the mystery but maybe it could be seen as an additional observational challenge for a slightly older audience.
Loved the humour and the non-fictional elements sprinkled throughout. Looking forward to the next on the series!

[AD · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this new black and white graphic novel. The style reminded me a bit of The Bad Guys, although this is a much longer story. I love the character of Sherlock Bones. There is lots of fun humour in this story, but I think it will take a reasonably sophisticated reader to understand a lot of it. Lots of fun though!

[Bexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I love Sherlock Bones and Watts, I'm too much of an adult to not question why a museum that has a live bird exhibit doesn't have a way to make sure the birds don't escape. Also, how could the thief get into all the locked cases? But it is funny and I did enjoy all the little bits of history thrown in.

[Lagobond · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love fiction that teaches interesting facts in an entertaining manner. This is not that — this is a poorly assembled jumble of unlikable characters, clichés, and tired boomer style humor dressed up as a whodunnit (speaking of clichés!). It’s boring and it feels artificially bloated, like the author was required to fill a minimum number of pages. It’s also strangely creepy.

[Julie Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun adventure mystery for kids who are fans of Bad Guys and other books in a simple graphic novel form.
Sherlock Bones lives in the Natural History Museum with his best friend. They find an interloper from overseas invading their museum on the same day that a precious gem disappears.

[Riss Leung · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The humour was very funny and I really liked the characters. I also thought the mystery was very clever.
Not a book for a class novel because it's a graphic novel, but certainly one to recommend to independent readers in years 3+.
I really hope to see more of these!

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A skeletal bird, a stuffed (taxidermy) parrot, and a raccoon solve a heist at the natural history museum.

Humorous, detective graphic novel. My only complaint is that it just feels long. There isn't much text to the page and the illustrations are lovely, but... Still a lot.

[Ken Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strange yet enjoyable fun mystery book that is absolutely perfect for readers who are just starting to read , comic book style that makes the young reader want to read more, very entertaining .
A good educational book.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

A overall cute mystery graphic novel. Some may find it a little creepy with all the stuffed animals around the museum.

I liked how it talked about some of the different rooms in the Natural History Museum.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Treml Tremors #1
Sherlock Bones #1
Basically a graphic novel set in the Natural History museum and with a light mystery type tale, with our lead character believing he is smart than everyone else but really is not.
Anyway somewhat entertaining if a tad on the silly ridiculous side.

[Sandi Faulconbridge · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh! Sorry not my kind of GN although I’m sure there will be lots of kids that will like this style of humour.