Publisher's Weekly Review
Jack Watson gets more than he bargained for when his new neighbors include Saturday Holmes, a young detective who enlists his help in solving local whodunits. Taylor's three entertaining cases include a puzzling bearnapping, a not-so-subtle ghost and the suspicious doings of the crotchety Mrs. Grump. Though Saturday's proboscis makes her the undisputed leader (``I've got the Holmes Nose''), Jack upholds the noted Watson's fame when he betters the imperious girl by getting them out of a locked basement. With their straightforward, naturalistic dialogue, these two chums make crackerjack flatfoots, whose stealth and common sense reflect admirably on their celebrated namesakes. Refreshing in their lack of scary elements, these mysteries may prove good training ground for aspiring detectives and will gratify those intrepid youngsters who spot intrigue in their very own neighborhoods. Schongut's loosely drawn black-and-white illustrations nicely enhance the book's ambience. Ages 5-9. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Two children, whose last names -- Watson and Holmes -- echo those of an earlier crime-solving team, investigate three neighborhood mysteries. The cases are not overly mysterious, but the relationship between the young boy and the older, somewhat overbearing girl will help hold the reader's attention. From HORN BOOK 1993, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Jack Watson has never heard of Sherlock Holmes until a new girl moves in next door; her name is Saturday Holmes; and since she has a ``nose'' for solving mysteries, she loves practicing her skills as a detective. Becoming (inevitably) this Holmes's sidekick, young Watson helps her solve three mysteries concerning some missing teddy bears and neighborhood ghosts. In his first book for younger readers, Taylor--who writes adult mysteries- -imbues both his characters and his writing style with a quaint, rather old-fashioned charm that is nicely extended in Schongut's appealing pen drawings--which reveal that this is an interracial friendship. Accessible language and the story format make this an equally good choice for reading aloud or for encouraging reluctant readers. (Fiction. 7-9)
