SHERLOCK SAM AND THE MISSING HEIRLOOM IN KATONG - A.J. Low

Straight up, I love Sherlock Sam.  Almost immediately, this book reminded me of the Encyclopedia Brown books I devoured as a kid (though this is a full-length book, as opposed to a collection of short mysteries) - and if this first-in-the-series is any indication, Sherlock Sam is just as deserving of as much fame and attention from fans around the world.  The story: Samuel Tan Cher Lock (aka Sherlock Sam), lover of maths and mysteries, is a stocky/slightly chunky young boy in Singapore who, along with his newly-created (and often sarcastic) robot named Watson, fancies himself a detective ... who soon gets his first case when Auntie Kim Lian's heirloom cookbook, in her family for generations, disappears.  Following clues and logic with equal measure, Sherlock Sam and Watson - along with Sam's sister Wendy and his schoolmate Jimmy - set out to find the precious heirloom so Auntie Kim Lian can keep making the delicious dishes Sam so loves to eat.  The mystery and Sam's detection are logical and easy for young readers to follow along with, and the book's cast of characters are easy to like.  The fact the books are to be set in Singapore, with an Asian lead/characters populating them, was a first for this reader and hugely appreciated; there's even an index in the back, complete with definitions, for words and phrases (English or not) used in the book, educating the reader about a different culture and customs, as well.  A warm, welcomed and lighthearted addition to the children's section of any bookstore.  ****1/2

Note: I received a free ARC of this title via NetGalley and the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.