A.J. Low

Samuel Tan Cher Lock, a young Singaporean boy who takes the name of his favorite detective, Sherlock Holmes, as a nickname, sets out to solve his first mystery in this novel for beginning chapter-book readers. When Auntie Kim Lian, the mother of his schoolmate Jimmy, discovers her treasured collection of traditional family recipes has gone missing, Sherlock Sam kicks into overdrive, determined to track down the lost volume and restore it to its rightful owner. Together with friends, family (including older sister Wendy) and Watson - the robot Sherlock himself created - the young sleuth triumphs in the end, revealing the thief and setting everything to rights...

The first volume of a twelve-book (and counting) mystery series originally published in Singapore, Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom of Katong was published for the American market by the Kansas City-based Andrews McMeel Publishing, and is the first Singaporean children's book I have read. I was fascinated by the cultural details here, from the traditional dishes mentioned throughout to the various Singaporean locations discussed, as they were all hitherto unfamiliar to me. I appreciated the fact that a glossary of terms was included at the rear, as it was quite helpful to consult it, from time to time. The author name, "A.J. Low," is actually a pseudonym for husband-and-wife team Adan Jimenez and Felicia Low-Jimenez. Recommended to young mystery lovers who are just getting going with chapter-books, as well as to anyone looking for children's books from and/or set in Singapore.… (más)