Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock by Linda Bailey and Isabelle Follath - ADVISABLE

Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Isabelle Follath. PICTURE BOOK, BIOGRAPHY Tundra/PengRanCanada. 2022. $19. 9780735269255 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Even as a young boy, Arthur loved listening to stories; he wrote one himself when he was 6! His family struggled, moving often. At age 9, Arthur was sent away to boarding school (paid for by his uncles), where he delights the other boys with his stories. By his late teens, he's secured a position as assistant to a clever doctor. He works his way through medical school, taking different jobs when he needs to earn money. Finally becoming a doctor, Arthur has a lot of time on his hands waiting for patients so he writes. Eventually, his stories about Sherlock Holmes catch on, but they become too popular. Arthur must kill off his detective 

A nice biography with darling illustrations. I loved that the biography alluded to the source of some of the plot lines of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries.  However, to have a biography of a person who lived more than 100 years ago told in present tense felt odd. Even as the author wrapped up Doyle's personal life, it sounded like he was introducing a speaker. I appreciated the author's note which filled in some of the loose ends, and source materials. 

Lisa Librarian