A graphic-novel mystery designed for emerging, reluctant or dinosaur-loving readers introduces prehistoric skeleton and museum detective Sherlock Bones and his stuffed-parrot sidekick, Watts, who outmaneuver a sneaky raccoon to track down a missing Royal Blue Diamond. Simultaneous and eBook. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

An action-packed graphic novel mystery with gentle humor and Bad Guys–style illustrations, perfect for dinosaur-loving emerging readers.

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 . . . ?

Sherlock Bones and his sidekick, a stuffed parrot named Watts, live in a natural history museum. So when the precious Royal Blue Diamond goes missing, they are first on the case. What they don’t expect is Grace, a silly, new-to-the-scene raccoon who keeps getting in the way. Even worse, Bones and Watts learn that if the diamond isn’t recovered, the museum could (GASP!) close! Can they find the diamond before they’re forced to find another home?

Kirkus Reviews

In this graphic offering, a skeletal sleuth and his stuffed sidekick are on the case to catch a museum thief. At the State Natural History Museum reside Sherlock Bones, a tawny frogmouth skeleton, and his quiet companion, a taxidermic Indian ringneck parrot named Watts. One day the emergency alarm blares, and Bones quickly deduces that the museum's Royal Blue Diamond has been stolen. As Bones and Watts investigate, they find that the diamond wasn't the only pilfered property: Other blue items are also missing. With the help of new friend Grace, a chocolate-loving (and live) raccoon, the sleuths must gather clues and catch the thief before the museum is shut down and they are all sent into the dark and dusty recesses of storage. Treml's graphic mystery will most certainly delight fledgling eagle-eyed detectives who can spot cleverly placed clues (and red herrings) in the tidy panels alongside cheery heroes Bones and Watts. Interspersed throughout the narrative are fun facts covering a swath of natural science from beetles to butterflies. While Treml's art is eye-catching, the black-an d-white presentation is a disappointing choice for such a visual offering that relies heavily on color to propel its plot. This quibble aside, mystery aficionados should enjoy the chance to solve the case alongside the lovable cast of animal characters. A nifty whodunit. (Graphic mystery. 7-10) Copyright Kirkus 2020 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 3–5—Sherlock Bones, the skeleton of a tawny frogmouth (a bird native to Australia), solves mysteries at the State Natural History Museum with his trusty sidekick Watts, an inanimate stuffed ringneck parrot who doesn't talk (Sherlock offers interpretations as needed). When a royal blue diamond goes missing, the pair jump into action. Getting in the way of the investigation is Grace, a raccoon with a sweet tooth and a bit of an attitude. Sherlock resolves to find the missing diamond (along with some other missing objects, like the museum director's granddaughter's toy dinosaur) and manages to stay mostly out of trouble along the way. A Black female security guard is also on the case, so the question remains: Who will solve the mystery first? Sherlock gets to explore the museum, from the rocks and minerals gallery to the butterfly house to the dinosaur exhibit. Most pages are full panels, which helps young readers pick up on details. The black-and-white art leans toward simplistic and the museum setting could have benefitted from some color. The story runs a bit long, but the mystery will keep readers turning pages. VERDICT This cute mystery with a flair for natural history makes for a solid secondary purchase.—Gretchen Hardin, Bee Cave P.L., TX