The adventures of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the legendary Sherlock Holmes, come to life in this inspiring picture book biography.

What if you wrote a story about a detective, and he became the most famous detective ever? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Or . . . would it? Arthur has always loved stories. Even as he grew up poor, endured hardships at school and experienced danger on the high seas, Arthur was always thrilled and inspired by stories. Eventually, he writes his own, and after many years of struggle as a writer, he finally finds success with a series of mystery stories starring his genius detective, Sherlock Holmes. But is it possible for a character to become too successful? Too popular? And if that happens to Arthur, will he really throw his greatest literary creation . . . over a cliff?!


From the author of Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein comes a riveting and humorous picture book about the incredible life of Arthur Conan Doyle: doctor, adventurer, tireless campaigner for justice . . . and creator of the world’s most famous detective!
© Lia Grainger
LINDA BAILEY has written nearly forty books for children, including The Three Little Mittens, Carson Crosses Canada, Princesses Versus Dinosaurs and If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur. Her books have been translated into twenty languages and have won multiple awards such as the Ontario Blue Spruce and Silver Birch Awards, the California Young Reader Medal, the Georgia Children's Picturebook Award and the UK School Library Association Information Book Award. Linda has been honored for her exceptional body of work in children’s literature with the Vicky Metcalf Award. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. View titles by Linda Bailey
ISABELLE FOLLATH is a freelance illustrator based in Switzerland who has created art for advertising agencies, magazines and publishers for over 15 years. Her clients include Lufthansa, La Perla and children's publishers across Europe. She has illustrated Jeanne Willis's book of nursery rhymes, What Are Little Girls Made Of, as well as the picture books Joy by Corrinne Averiss and The Incredible Hotel by Kate Davies, and the middle-grade novel series Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen by Marthe Jocelyn, Sally Nicholls' In Time series and Jack Meggitt-Phillips The Beast and Bethany series. View titles by Isabelle Follath
  • SELECTION | 2023
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • FINALIST | 2023
    Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize
  • SHORTLIST | 2023
    Chocolate Lily Award
"Bailey . . . writes with a sure sense of her audience. . . . Follath's droll illustrations capture the look of the Victorian era, the drama of Doyle’s imagination, and the dry wit of Bailey’s text. A lively, memorable biography." —STARRED REVIEW, Booklist

"[A] lavish testament to the life of Arthur Conan Doyle. . . . This book will surely inspire wonder, breathe new life and cement conviction into minds doubting the power of their own curiosity and imagination." —STARRED REVIEW, Quill & Quire

"[P]recise, detailed watercolor, pencil, and digital illustrations provide a lot to pore over. . . . An informative biography for an older picture-book audience." —Kirkus Reviews

"Bailey’s homage to the iconic Sherlock Holmes, once called 'the world’s most famous man who never was,' and his incredibly talented creator is sure to please fans of the books and just might entice new ones." CM Reviews

"Linda Bailey [makes] Arthur the star of his story. . . . Young readers may learn a little bit more about Sherlock Holmes, but they will most definitely learn loads about Arthur Conan Doyle and understand better how he became the man who wrote Sherlock." CanLit for Little Canadians

"Linda Bailey and Isabelle Follath . . . devise a rational, beautiful, and entertaining introduction to the inventor of one of literature's greatest sleuths. . . . Whatever the goals of the children in your life, Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock encourages them to both dream and pursue what they love." —Imaginary Elevators

About

The adventures of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the legendary Sherlock Holmes, come to life in this inspiring picture book biography.

What if you wrote a story about a detective, and he became the most famous detective ever? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Or . . . would it? Arthur has always loved stories. Even as he grew up poor, endured hardships at school and experienced danger on the high seas, Arthur was always thrilled and inspired by stories. Eventually, he writes his own, and after many years of struggle as a writer, he finally finds success with a series of mystery stories starring his genius detective, Sherlock Holmes. But is it possible for a character to become too successful? Too popular? And if that happens to Arthur, will he really throw his greatest literary creation . . . over a cliff?!


From the author of Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein comes a riveting and humorous picture book about the incredible life of Arthur Conan Doyle: doctor, adventurer, tireless campaigner for justice . . . and creator of the world’s most famous detective!

Author

© Lia Grainger
LINDA BAILEY has written nearly forty books for children, including The Three Little Mittens, Carson Crosses Canada, Princesses Versus Dinosaurs and If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur. Her books have been translated into twenty languages and have won multiple awards such as the Ontario Blue Spruce and Silver Birch Awards, the California Young Reader Medal, the Georgia Children's Picturebook Award and the UK School Library Association Information Book Award. Linda has been honored for her exceptional body of work in children’s literature with the Vicky Metcalf Award. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. View titles by Linda Bailey
ISABELLE FOLLATH is a freelance illustrator based in Switzerland who has created art for advertising agencies, magazines and publishers for over 15 years. Her clients include Lufthansa, La Perla and children's publishers across Europe. She has illustrated Jeanne Willis's book of nursery rhymes, What Are Little Girls Made Of, as well as the picture books Joy by Corrinne Averiss and The Incredible Hotel by Kate Davies, and the middle-grade novel series Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen by Marthe Jocelyn, Sally Nicholls' In Time series and Jack Meggitt-Phillips The Beast and Bethany series. View titles by Isabelle Follath

Awards

  • SELECTION | 2023
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • FINALIST | 2023
    Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize
  • SHORTLIST | 2023
    Chocolate Lily Award

Praise

"Bailey . . . writes with a sure sense of her audience. . . . Follath's droll illustrations capture the look of the Victorian era, the drama of Doyle’s imagination, and the dry wit of Bailey’s text. A lively, memorable biography." —STARRED REVIEW, Booklist

"[A] lavish testament to the life of Arthur Conan Doyle. . . . This book will surely inspire wonder, breathe new life and cement conviction into minds doubting the power of their own curiosity and imagination." —STARRED REVIEW, Quill & Quire

"[P]recise, detailed watercolor, pencil, and digital illustrations provide a lot to pore over. . . . An informative biography for an older picture-book audience." —Kirkus Reviews

"Bailey’s homage to the iconic Sherlock Holmes, once called 'the world’s most famous man who never was,' and his incredibly talented creator is sure to please fans of the books and just might entice new ones." CM Reviews

"Linda Bailey [makes] Arthur the star of his story. . . . Young readers may learn a little bit more about Sherlock Holmes, but they will most definitely learn loads about Arthur Conan Doyle and understand better how he became the man who wrote Sherlock." CanLit for Little Canadians

"Linda Bailey and Isabelle Follath . . . devise a rational, beautiful, and entertaining introduction to the inventor of one of literature's greatest sleuths. . . . Whatever the goals of the children in your life, Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock encourages them to both dream and pursue what they love." —Imaginary Elevators

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