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Joe Sherlock #3
Joe Sherlock, Kid Detective, Case #000003: The Missing Monkey-Eye Diamond
Armed with only a box of Barf Blockers, a clip-on tie, and his extraordinary sleuthing skills, Joe Sherlock is in a race against time—and a very sensitive stomach. Baskerville's only kid detective will have his brain squeezed in the pressure cooker of his neighbor's mixed-up wedding day. Joe Sherlock is ready for the challenge . . . as long as nobody offers him an egg salad sandwich.
117 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2006
21 people want to read
About the author
Dave Keane
25 books12 followersAfter spending so much time reading books to my three kids, I decided I'd try my hand at children's books. It's been a blast. I've visited schools all over the country. I've talked to thousands of kids about writing, illustrating, and using your imagination. And I've received tons of incredible letters and emails from parents, kids and teachers from just about everywhere.
I am the author of the Joe Sherlock: Kid Detective series and the Monster School: I Can Read series. My picture books include Sloppy Joe, Bobby Bramble Loses His Brain and Daddy Adventure Day. Next year, Knopf/Random House is releasing my new picture book, Who Wants a Tortoise?, illustrated by K. G. Campbell. Stay up on it all at my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mrdavekeane
I am the author of the Joe Sherlock: Kid Detective series and the Monster School: I Can Read series. My picture books include Sloppy Joe, Bobby Bramble Loses His Brain and Daddy Adventure Day. Next year, Knopf/Random House is releasing my new picture book, Who Wants a Tortoise?, illustrated by K. G. Campbell. Stay up on it all at my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mrdavekeane
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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July 13, 2020!
February 13, 2015
This Mystery Is A Race Against Time
This is the third book in what is now a six book series, and I remain very impressed by these Joe Sherlock books. Sherlock is a fourth grader and a kid detective. Each volume in the series features one of his cases, narrated by Sherlock. The mysteries range from decent to silly, but that's not the point. The journey is the fun part.
Here, Sherlock has only a few hours to find a missing ring before his client's wedding starts. The pace is frantic as Sherlock retraces the groom's steps in search of the lost/stolen ring. Less of a mystery than the previous books, this one is more of a scavenger hunt, and the book screams along.
Sherlock is nicely conceived. He's smart, but not too smart. He has a dry sense of humor and a deadpan delivery. The feeling is one of wry sincerity, with witty asides that reflect deadon comic timing. Sherlock's little sister, who has more lines in this book, is accomplished at the dry put down, but she is actually loyal and supportive in a puckish and little sisterly way. Sherlock's older sister is snarky and teenagery, but she is also loyal and supportive in a snarky big sisterly way. Sherlock's Mom is vaguely loony and his Dad occasionally tosses off a solid one-liner as he wanders in and out of the stories. Best friend Lance is pretty much absent from this volume.
And every volume has cameos by neighbors, schoolmates, pretty girl schoolmates, and other family members, so that we always have a fresh set of funny players for each adventure.
No attempt is made to model all of the classic noir conventions. Sometimes we get a kid's version of hard-boiled, then we switch to more of a Sherlock Holmes feeling, then we are in the fart zone for a while, then we have some manic action, then a standard mystery, then some more antic action. As I say, this one drifts more into the antic range.
These books are unusual because they don't go too far. The laughs are earned through witty observations, clever setups, and the occasionally arresting or telling observation. The pace is fast; both the dialogue and the narration are punchy and to the point. Sherlock doesn't have any phony quirks; he's a solid kid. And everyone else is decent. There is no weird family dynamic or strange angle that is "zany" rather than funny.
The whole exercise is mellow and imaginative, and I would expect that most kids would find these books entertaining.
And putting all of that aside, I like Joe and like his style. For early readers, it seems to me if you like it, you'll read it.
Please note that I downloaded this book for free from my local elibrary. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
This is the third book in what is now a six book series, and I remain very impressed by these Joe Sherlock books. Sherlock is a fourth grader and a kid detective. Each volume in the series features one of his cases, narrated by Sherlock. The mysteries range from decent to silly, but that's not the point. The journey is the fun part.
Here, Sherlock has only a few hours to find a missing ring before his client's wedding starts. The pace is frantic as Sherlock retraces the groom's steps in search of the lost/stolen ring. Less of a mystery than the previous books, this one is more of a scavenger hunt, and the book screams along.
Sherlock is nicely conceived. He's smart, but not too smart. He has a dry sense of humor and a deadpan delivery. The feeling is one of wry sincerity, with witty asides that reflect deadon comic timing. Sherlock's little sister, who has more lines in this book, is accomplished at the dry put down, but she is actually loyal and supportive in a puckish and little sisterly way. Sherlock's older sister is snarky and teenagery, but she is also loyal and supportive in a snarky big sisterly way. Sherlock's Mom is vaguely loony and his Dad occasionally tosses off a solid one-liner as he wanders in and out of the stories. Best friend Lance is pretty much absent from this volume.
And every volume has cameos by neighbors, schoolmates, pretty girl schoolmates, and other family members, so that we always have a fresh set of funny players for each adventure.
No attempt is made to model all of the classic noir conventions. Sometimes we get a kid's version of hard-boiled, then we switch to more of a Sherlock Holmes feeling, then we are in the fart zone for a while, then we have some manic action, then a standard mystery, then some more antic action. As I say, this one drifts more into the antic range.
These books are unusual because they don't go too far. The laughs are earned through witty observations, clever setups, and the occasionally arresting or telling observation. The pace is fast; both the dialogue and the narration are punchy and to the point. Sherlock doesn't have any phony quirks; he's a solid kid. And everyone else is decent. There is no weird family dynamic or strange angle that is "zany" rather than funny.
The whole exercise is mellow and imaginative, and I would expect that most kids would find these books entertaining.
And putting all of that aside, I like Joe and like his style. For early readers, it seems to me if you like it, you'll read it.
Please note that I downloaded this book for free from my local elibrary. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
November 12, 2009
Why I Read This Book: It looked interesting on the library shelf, and I'm a pretty big fan of Sherlock Holmes and mysteries.
I was expecting something along the lines of Donald J. Sobol's Encyclopedia Brown books and was a little disappointed. While I did enjoy this book, it's bit too disgusting for my tastes; the narrator's obsession with fragrant burps grossed me out. (It's probably great for a younger audience, though.) Also the mystery was too slight for me; there weren't that many clues (or if there were, they sailed right over my head). On the plus side, it's got some in-jokes for fans of Arthur Conan Doyle, the guy who wrote those stories with some other guy named Sherlock.
(Finished last night [2009-11-11:]; possibly between 20:00 and 21:20 EST.)
I was expecting something along the lines of Donald J. Sobol's Encyclopedia Brown books and was a little disappointed. While I did enjoy this book, it's bit too disgusting for my tastes; the narrator's obsession with fragrant burps grossed me out. (It's probably great for a younger audience, though.) Also the mystery was too slight for me; there weren't that many clues (or if there were, they sailed right over my head). On the plus side, it's got some in-jokes for fans of Arthur Conan Doyle, the guy who wrote those stories with some other guy named Sherlock.
(Finished last night [2009-11-11:]; possibly between 20:00 and 21:20 EST.)
December 1, 2015
Herbert Jr, anak pak Castro akan melangsungkan pernikahan sore ini. Tapi ada satu masalah. Masalah besar : cincin warisan sang pengantin perempuan raib di tengah-tengah keriuhan suasana persiapan pernikahan. Sherlock hanya punya waktu 90 menit sebelum pernikahan dimulai. Cerita yang paling menarik dibandingkan dua judul sebelumnya.
October 28, 2012
Superfun read-aloud series for boys. And of course girls. Also good chapter book for them to read alone. Lots of embarassing silly situations. We are also big Sherlock Holmes fans in our house, so that makes it fun too!
March 20, 2009
This is a good choice for a reluctant reader who has a good vocabulary/decoding skills but wants short chapters, a fast plot and overall zaniness/goofy characters.
August 24, 2009
I liked when he found the ring.
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July 13, 2011butiful
April 13, 2013
love,love,loved it a great book
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews