SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS
Casebook No. 1: THE FALL OF THE AMAZING ZALINDAS
by Tracy Mack and Michael Citrin
Scholastic Paperbacks
ISBN: 9780545069397
Ages 9-12
272 pages
• About the Book
• Read an Excerpt
• Author Interview –– June 2009
On a chilly, wet day, in the heart of London’s posh West End, two hungry street urchins stand on a corner begging for spare change. Wiggins, the leader of the Baker Street Irregulars, huddles with newcomer Osgood “Ozzie” Manning across from 221B Baker Street, home of the legendary master detective Sherlock Holmes.
Ozzie, who recently lost his mother, is a clever and welcome addition to the Irregulars. During the day he toils as an apprentice to a vile scrivener, but after dark he slips away to join his new friends, while continuing to search for his great-aunt in the hopes of learning the identity of his father.
While begging on the street corner, the Irregulars hope that the “Master,” their name for the world-famous detective, will send for them. They need the money for survival, but more importantly, they are eager for an adventure. Their hopes are answered after Holmes engages the band of orphans to help solve a gruesome case. The famous detective needs the help of the Irregulars to search for clues in the murder of The Amazing Zalindas, a trio of circus performers who plunged to their deaths during a live performance.
The Irregulars, along with Wiggins’s ferret Shirley, visit the circus and nose around. They encounter a lion tamer, a strongman, Siamese twins, an angry knife thrower, and a pair of fortune tellers: Madame Estrella and her beguiling daughter, Pilar. The Irregulars track down clues and uncover evidence, which proves to be a great assistance to Master. The boys also make a new friend, who aids them in solving the case.
As the murder investigation unfolds, the danger escalates and a sinister plot is discovered, which not only puts the Irregulars in peril, but also threatens to topple the British monarchy.
An intriguing setting, an engaging cast of young characters, authentic historic details and a complex plot make for enjoyable reading. THE FALL OF THE AMAZING ZALINDAS, the first installment in the Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars series, is also a clever way to introduce young readers to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
The section at the back of the book, “Facts and Practicals for the Aspiring Detective,” contains useful tools to help readers become acquainted with the characters, historic facts and Victorian-era slang and dialect. Middle-graders --- who love not only reading mysteries, but also solving them --- should enjoy this first book in a promising series.
--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt (dvolkenannt@charter.net)
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