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Arthur, Who Wrote Sherlock



by
Linda Bailey
illustrated by
Isabelle Follath

Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Penguin Random House Canada
Imprint
Tundra Books
ISBN
9780735269255
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
$23.17   $19.31
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The adventures of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his most famous creation, Sherlock Holmes, come to life in this inspiring picture book biography.

What if you wrote a story about a detective, and he became the most famous detective ever? Wouldn't that be wonderful? Or . . . would it? Arthur has always loved stories. Even while growing up poor, enduring hardship at school, and living a life of danger on the high seas, stories are an inspiration and a joy for Arthur throughout his life. And after years of struggle as a writer, he finally finds success, fame and wealth with a series of mysteries starring a genius detective, Sherlock Holmes! But when Sherlock's popularity becomes too much for Arthur to bear, will he really throw his greatest creation . . . off a cliff?!

From the author of Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein comes a riveting and humorous picture book about the incredible life of Arthur Conan Doyle: doctor, adventurer, tireless campaigner for justice . . . and (begrudging) creator of the world's greatest detective!

Author’s note, with photograph of Arthur Conan Doyle. Sources. Full-color illustrations were drawn with watercolor, pencil, and “a pinch of Photoshop.”

POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None

Details

Format

Print

Page Count

56

Dewey

B

AR

0: points 0

Lexile

570L

Genre

Nonfic

Scholastic Reading Counts

0

JLG Release

Jan 2023

Book Genres

Autobiography/Biography, Picture Book

Topics

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). Nineteenth-century Scottish authors. Detectives and mystery stories. Sherlock Holmes. Private investigators in literature. 

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Cover Art

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Praise & Reviews

School Library Journal

School Library Journal

Library Journal

Gr 3–5—This biography covers Arthur Conan Doyle's life from early experiences with the delights of storytelling in an otherwise difficult childhood to (in the afterword) his controversial later belief in spiritualism—but it centers so thoroughly on the sometimes contentious relationship between the author and his most famous creation that none of his (many) other works are even named. Additionally, his private life as an adult is relegated to a single, late sentence in the main narrative that is barely elaborated on in the back matter. Along with a truly terrifying Hound (of the Baskervilles), Follath supplies in a mix of fictional and real-world settings actively posed figures of the great detective, his inventor, and excited readers, all in proper Victorian dress. However, though she does include a visual nod to Doyle's worthy public campaign to free a British citizen of Indian descent who was wrongfully convicted of a crime, adding dark-skinned people to nearly every group scene (including even young Doyle's class of fellow school children) creates a misleading impression of racial diversity, or if actually accurate requires an explanatory note. VERDICT Well-intentioned though this may be, it bombs—both because the pictures convey an improbable racial mix for the depicted times and places, and because fans of the original stories will find more value in fuller introductions to the author's life and works.—John Edward Peters

Praise & Reviews

School Library Journal

School Library Journal

Library Journal

Gr 3–5—This biography covers Arthur Conan Doyle's life from early experiences with the delights of storytelling in an otherwise difficult childhood to (in the afterword) his controversial later belief in spiritualism—but it centers so thoroughly on the sometimes contentious relationship between the author and his most famous creation that none of his (many) other works are even named. Additionally, his private life as an adult is relegated to a single, late sentence in the main narrative that is barely elaborated on in the back matter. Along with a truly terrifying Hound (of the Baskervilles), Follath supplies in a mix of fictional and real-world settings actively posed figures of the great detective, his inventor, and excited readers, all in proper Victorian dress. However, though she does include a visual nod to Doyle's worthy public campaign to free a British citizen of Indian descent who was wrongfully convicted of a crime, adding dark-skinned people to nearly every group scene (including even young Doyle's class of fellow school children) creates a misleading impression of racial diversity, or if actually accurate requires an explanatory note. VERDICT Well-intentioned though this may be, it bombs—both because the pictures convey an improbable racial mix for the depicted times and places, and because fans of the original stories will find more value in fuller introductions to the author's life and works.—John Edward Peters

Grades 2-6
Biography Elementary Plus
For Grades 2-6

Fascinating biographies and autobiographies will allow your elementary readers to look into the lives, thoughts, and accomplishments of the individuals who have shaped our world. And with 12 books per year, they'll discover a remarkable person each month.

14 books per Year
$297.36 per Year
Interests
Biographies,Diversity,Nonfiction,Science/STEAM
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Grades 2-6
Biography Elementary Plus
14 books per Year
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