Reviews (8)

Great Story, But Gives Rise To Concerns For Chet
The original edition of this book was a great teen mystery story involving a holiday outing and a stolen stamp collection. However this (and several other of the Hardy series) give rise to concern for Chet Morton's health. Repeatedly described as "plump," Chet had great affection for "good food and plenty of it." Chet avoided exercise (unlike boxer Biff Hooper), and this and his propensity to consume were the formula for serious health problems. During the era in which this story was set (and this is also true of the 1956 edition, which wasn't as good as the original), health consciousness was not robust in the Barmet Bay and other areas. Fat and sugar consumption were high, with liberal use of butter and rich fatty sauces. The meals Chet (who appointed himself cook, on the Cabin Island holiday outing) prepared were loaded with cholesterol, as it appears the Hardys and their friends only ate for taste, pleasure and convenience -- not for health. It's sad to contemplate how Chet ended up in later life, given the atrocious eating and dietary habits he exhibited throughout the Hardy series. Let's hope he woke up before it was too late, and he had advanced into irreparable heart disease from his eating. And Iola too.

One Of The Better Revisions
This review concerns the revised 1966 edition. Frank, Joe, Chet and Biff receive permission from Elroy Jefferson to spend their Christmas holiday at his cabin on Cabin Island. Mr. Jefferson also asks for the boys' help in finding his missing grandson. While staying at the cabin, the boys find clues which lead them to believe that a valuable medal collection, stolen from Mr. Jefferson two years ago, is located somewhere on the island. However, before they can find the medals, they must deal with an unscrupulous criminal intent on finding the collection himself and a strange ghost inhabiting the island. This is probably one of the better revisions (I'd give it 3 1/2 stars, if they gave half star ratings); the story closely follows that of the original volume and, while the excellent writing of the original is gone, the book still wasn't written badly. The mystery isn't bad; although, the whole ghost part wasn't very interesting and could have been easily left out. I would recommend reading the original, if possible, but the revision wasn't bad either.

Perhaps The Best Written Of The Books
This review concerns the original 1929 edition. While spending the Christmas holiday on Cabin Island with their chums, Chet and Biff, Frank and Joe Hardy stumble upon a mystery surrounding the disappearance of a valuable stamp collection. The mystery related in this book, though interesting, is average. It is the writing that makes this book a joy to read. The scenes are so well described that one could almost picture oneself there at that time and the language used hasn't been dumbed down like in many of the recent volumes. The action is well-paced and it didn't feel as though the mystery was solved too quickly. This was a great book, definately worth reading.

Mystery Of Cabin Island
This was my 3rd book and my best. I like the plot, and it's hard to tell the outcome of the ending, even though I found out. I got this book from Boise's library, and it was dirty, old, but terrific. No wonder so many people liked it if the book's the way it is now. The ghost part is the least exciting, I'd have to say. But there are so many good parts it's hard to choose which one is the best!!! So if you want a good mystery and action book, this beats all other mystery and action stuff, guaranteed!!!

One of the best Hardy Boys stories
It's Christmas time in Bayport and the Boys and their chums are enjoying themselves iceboating out on Barmet Bay. They decide to explore lonely s Cabin Island but are chased away by a surly stranger (Hanliegh). On the way back, they nearly come to ruin in an accident with another iceboat manned by Tad Carson and Ike Nash, a pair of obnoxious bullies.

Heading home from this near disaster, they find a message from Elroy Jefferson (who's car they recovered in The Shore Road Mystery). They head over to Jefferson's posh digs to collect a reward and obtain permission to camp out on Jefferson's Cabin Island retreat over the Christmas school holiday.

The Boys along with Chet and Biff head out to the island on their iceboats and have an unpleasant encounter with Ike and Tad, who are in cahoots with Hanliegh. They chase Hanliegh off the island and settle in for some rousing winter adventures. Soon, they find their supplies stolen and head to the nearest town to get more from elderly storekeeper, Amos Grice, and, incidentally, discover from him that Jefferson had a valuable stamp collection stolen many years ago.

Back at the island, they have more adventures, discover a notebook dropped by Hanliegh indicating that the stolen stamps are hidden in the chimney of the cabin. They make a search and, surprise, find nothing.

Later, during a howling blizzard, they are forced to rescue Hanliegh who has come to grief in an iceboat accident. The storm increases in intensity, finally blowing down the chimney of the old cabin. Searching through the rubble, the Boys discover the stamp collection which miraculously has escaped any damage whatsoever despite being walled into a chimney over a huge fireplace for more than twenty years. They return the stamps to Jefferson and pick up yet another reward and Jefferson's offer to let them use his Cabin Island retreat any time they want.

Comments: This tale appears on almost everyone's list of favorite Hardy Boys stories and with good reason. The story is well written and paced and the prose is charmingly evocative and descriptive. One can almost picture oneself ice-boating and camping along with the Boys and their chums.

The mystery is, as usual, solved pretty much by dumb luck (aided by the infamous foul weather that seems to plague Bayport) but this doesn't take away from the excitement and mystery presented here.

The action is not too far removed from that which a teenage detective could accomplish. The villians are bad but not too bad and the mystery not too difficult to solve.

As in a few other of the earlier stories, the Boys arm themselves in this book (this time with rifles) and, although they threaten to use them, no shootings take place (except for a hapless fox who meets his demise in a totally extraneous sequence.)

Apparently the accident with the iceboat shook up Frank more than he cared to admit because the suggestion to go camping had to be made twice to him! When the suggestion was made the second time, Frank acts like he never heard of such a thing before - oh well!

I'm glad to note that, for once, the Boys' chums got a share of the reward but sadly there was no lip-smacking feast to cap off the Boys triumph in this case!

The revised version of this story by Andrew Svenson sticks close to the plot of the original and although the charm of McFarlane's prose is completely lost, it still ranks among the best of the revisions. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent!
This book is very good! In this book, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose visit Wallis Wallice in Maine. Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose go lobstering, have a picnic, find a cave, and something else.

Just the right amount of mystery and intrigue!
Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose visit an old castle on the coast of Maine and set out to discover what is making the screeching sounds which everyone believes to be a ghost! Along the way they run into flickering lights after dark, a secret underground passage and a dangerous, water-filled cave.

My 5-year old kept flipping back to study the map and wouldn't let me stop! ... Read more

Book Description

S is for Skeleton. . . .
It’s a bone-afide mystery at Dink’s school. Some sneaky soul has stolen the skeleton from the nurse’s
office! The principal promises free aquarium tickets to the savvy sleuths who can track down poor Mr. Bones. Soon mysterious clues are showing up all over the school. It’s up to Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose to follow the clues and put those old bones to rest. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A terrific Tale
I liked this book because in the first couple of chapters they found all of the clues. The middle of the book they got closer to finding the skeleton. In the end,the kids discover who took the skeleton and all was well.

loved it!
My son, who is 6, sat down and read the entire book before bed one night. I was impressed that it held his interest so thoroughly! Highly recommended...he asked me to buy him some more books from the series. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Worst Book Of The First Ten
This review concerns the original 1929 edition. An elderly lady seeks Fenton Hardy's assistence in locating her twin brother who disappeared shortly after an accident. Meanwhile, Frank, Joe, Chet and Biff travel up the coast to camp at some caves where mysterious things are occuring. This book is easily the worst of books 1-10. The writing (language used, descriptive scenes, etc.) is excellent, like in all of the early originals; however the writing is the only saving grace of this book and the only real reason to read it. The plot is weak and their is no real mystery. There is only one criminal in the book. He is captured on page 139 and the manner in which he is captured was the second most pathetic way that I have seen in all of the Hardy Boys books that I have read; the worst being the criminal in #76 "Game plan For Disaster" that the Hardy's find already tied up on a motel room floor. Unfortunately for Frank and joe they had to tie the guy up this time, but; otherwise, it was somewhat similar. The book contains too many ridiculous coincidences. The Hardys are supposed to be miles from Bayport, yet when they look for a passing motorist to take the criminal to the police station in Bayport, not only is the very first car they stop going to Bayport, the driver is someone the Hardy's know. If that wasn't enough, a similar situation happens later in the book. The reader is left to figure out the explanation of the strange happenings at the caves because it is never explained. This book is worth reading for the writing, but that's about it.

What Was The Author Thinking?
This review concerns the revised 1964 edition. A young girl asks Mr. Hardy, Frank and Joe to find her brother, a young university professor, who recently disappeared. A clue left by the professor leads Frank, Joe, Chet and Biff to the Honeycomb Caves, not far from Bayport, where the boys discover a connection to Mr Hardy's other case involving sabotage at a new radar station in Bayport. I don't know what the author of the revised edition was thinking; he/she took the original edition, that was already not very good, largely rewrote it, stripped away the only really good thing about the original (its rich language and descriptiveness) and made an already dull book even worse. This is a bad book with a boring mystery and not much action. If you're determined to read this title, read the original if you can, neither one is very good, but at least the original was well written.

The cave collapsed.
I think this book is the worst Hardy Boys book ever.This book is so poor I think it wasn't even made by Franklin W. Dixon.I would give it one star but I have to give it some credit.Listen to me and don't get this book.

My Hardy Boys #7 Review
I think this book is a great read for everybody, young and old.I especially liked the part where they meet the retired sea captain in the cave,and at first he is cool with Chet, Biff, Joe and Frank, then they return and he gets all aggressive with them.To sum it up, this book, The Secret Of The Caves is an awesome book.
Go read it!

Fine
This review refers to the original text. The book did not live up to its appealing title and is over rated. While it ranks as one of the best volumes in the set, it ranks among the worst of the early volumes. There is actually one criminal Carl Schaum, captured on page 59. Outside of the brothers going through the caves during the middle chapters the book was rather medicore. The revision (1964) was horrible. Still the book is a definite read as are all the early volumes. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good book....
This is a good book.The cases are about a secret pitch,a balloon man accused of kidnapping,a cowboy that's ambushed,stolen gold,a hitchhiker who is a witness to a holdup gang,a boy poet who gets in a fight,a boy who gets shot by an air gun,a stolen penknife named Excalibur,a man who gts tricked out of his violin by a glass of ginger ale,and a stolen bike.

Mysteries and Puzzles
Encyclopedia Brown is a 5th grade boy who solves puzzles, crimes and mysteries as easily and as unconsciously as breathing.

Each book is a series of short mysteries (5-10 pages each) ending with a question - usually "how did Encyclopedia know that X was responsible for the crime". The answer to each mystery is at the back of the book. Solving the mystery takes no special knowledge, but it does require paying attention to detail. Don't turn to the answer too fast.

This book is the second in the series, but the books do not have to be read in order. I loved the Encyclopedia Brown books when I was growing up. I am reading them again before I give them to my nephew who I hope will enjoy them as I did.

Adults who like this series may also enjoy the Lateral Thinking Puzzles books.

This is a good book for kids.
You should read Encyclopdia Brown and the Case of the Seceret Pitch.It's exciting!! It's about a boy that solves mysteries.You should read it to find all the good funny mysteries in it.That's why I gave it five stars. Everybody should have one. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Better Than The Original Edition
This review concerns the revised 1967 edition. Mr. Hardy asks Frank and Joe to "break into" the house of a neighbour and retrieve a secret invention to prevent it from being stolen by a gang of thieves he is currently investigating. Later, at a party at Chet's home, Joe is kidnapped at the stroke of midnight. Frank, along with some friends, must find Joe and learn why he was kidnapped; as well, the Hardy's have to keep the gang from stealing the invention. Personally, I preferred this edition to the original. The original edition was better written; although, that is true in most cases. However, I found that revised edition had a more interesting mystery and it had a lot more action. I don't consider this book to be one of the best of the series, but it is far from being one of the worst.

An Average Book
This review concerns the original 1931 edition. At the stroke of midnight, Joe is kidnapped from a party at the Morton farm and Frank and his chums set out, not only to find Joe, but to discover why he was kidnapped. I'd more accurately give the book a rating of 3.5 stars. The writing, like with all previous volumes, is excellent and the mystery is alright, but the book doesn't quite live up to the intriguing title. Mr. Hardy does not make an appearance in the book as he is said to be on a case out West and, in my opinion, his omission only hurts the story. Most readers would probably not rate this book as one of their favorites in the set, but they probably wouldn't rate it as one of their least favorites either.

the amazing book
This book is about a secret invention that has to be taken good care of while Mr.Hardy and the inventor are out of town. While the hardy boys are protecting it throughout the book ,many things happen and happen to them. Then finally near the end they arest people of the smuggler/kidnapper gang and get a clue as they go along.Read it and find out what happens in the end.my opinion about the book is that it is very interesting and entertaining. I like it because as you go along it gives you a clue and makes you think like a investagator. Then in the end it all comes together and you get the whole meaning of everything.

The best Hardy Boys book I've ever read!
Okay, so I only read The Tower Treasure, Hunting for Hidden Gold, Tthe Mystery of Cabin Island and The Clue of the Broken Blade, bu this is the best book I have read so far! They must get into their neighbor's house to take an invetion before thieves get it, then they have to find Joe (one of the Hardys) that the theives captured! When Joe was kidnapped in the car, he heared one of the gang's name was Chris. They follow chris through NYC, then they meet up with Keith, the investigator. Frank plays the role of "Youngster", a fake name, by pretending he is part opf the gang, to visit Shorty, one of the gang memebers, and make him spill the beans! This a a great book! Here are my ratings for the hardy series I have read:

Best to Least...

What Happened at Midnight
The Clue of the Broken Blade
Hunting for Hidden Gold
The Tower Treasure
The Mystery of Cabin Island

You may also like Nancy Drew because Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew are extremely similar, with the "look" of the books, except different colors, of course. Too bad there isn't a Hardy Boys software game!

A Twisted and Awesome Book
In this book Frank & Joe Are told by thier father to break into a house and get something before a group of thieves steal it Unfortunately while the Hardys are trying to get the object the thieves come and the Hardys are forced to knock them one. They find more and more suspects until they find the head leader named Taffy Marr.In about the middle Joe gets kidnapped and is left in a cave across a body of water from Bayport. And to gather evidence they somehow always run into a suspect and shadow them. ... Read more

Book Description

Arthur has the hiccups, and none of the traditional cures suggested by his parents help. Ignoring his pesky sister D.W., who claims she knows how to get rid of them, he calls on his friends for help. The Brain suggests standing on his head; Buster says laughter is the best cure and reads him jokes; Muffy’s old family cure is licking a lollipop while hanging upside down. But nothing does the trick. Dejected and still hiccuping, Arthur goes to bed. And that is when D.W. proves she really does know how to get rid of hiccups.
... Read more

Book Description

In this book, originally published in 1934, the search for a stolen boat leads the Hardy Boys to Mexico where they become involved with a band of Indians and a strange smuggling operation. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Mexican Adventure With The Hardy Boys
This review refers to the original 1934 version written by Leslie McFarlane.
The Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe, along with their dad, Fenton, travel to Mexico to locate a missing witness in oil stock swindle.
Along the way, they rescue a kidnapped Mexican boy and get invited to his father's hacienda, where they meet a mysterious Yaqui Indian who aids them on their quest.
All the threads come together as the Boys and their father are captured by the murderous Vincenzo and his band of cut-throats.

There's plenty of action and adventure here as the Hardy Boys battle their way free and solve the case!

Danger South of the Border
Frank and Joe are out in their motor boat when they have a run in with a man in another boat driving recklessly. Searching for him again, they find the boat abandoned and spot what looks like a submarine. Meanwhile, there father has started a new case. A bookkeeper, the star witness in a stock [problem] case, has disappeared, and Mr. Hardy must find him. Soon, the trails lead the Hardys down to Mexico, where they must use all their skills to track the men into the wilderness. But what will they find when they get there?

I always wanted to read this book as a kid (something about the name attracted me), but never got around to it. Finally reading it as an adult, I enjoyed being back in the Hardys' presence. Frank and Joe are still able to entertain, although I must admit they couldn't quite mystify as much as they did when I was a kid. Still, their fans will love this adventure with plenty of danger, excitement, and close calls. Not to mention a wonderful escape scene near the end.

These books have captured the imagination of generations of boys for a reason - the adventure. This book will keep readers glued to the page to find out what happens next to their heroes.

Above Average
This review concerns the revised 1967 edition. The Hardys and Chet go to Mexico to search for a missing witness in a stock-fraud case on which Mr. Hardy is working. Their search takes them to the desert and mountain regions of Baja California; where they come upon a village terrorized by a mysterious symbol carved into the doors of peoples homes and a ruthless criminal who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Much of the beginning of this book is similar to the original; however, the ending has been completely rewritten. The book is rather good and I would actually give it 3 1/2 stars. There is a moderate amount of action and the plot is interesting. I found the book made good use its mexican setting and the writing was fairly descriptive. It was a good book that is definately worth reading.

An Entertaining Adventure
This review concerns the original 1934 edition. The search for a missing witness leads Frank, Joe and Mr. Hardy to Mexico. I'd more accurately give the book 3.5 stars. The book; although not quite as well written as earlier volumes, was loaded with action and adventure. Chapters 15-23 were very good; however the final two chapters were a major letdown, as the mystery was resolved much too soon. One thing that I did not like about the book was that after the first few of chapters, none of the Hardy's friends were included in the mystery. But still, it was a good book; definately worth reading.

A scary adventure!
Frank and Joe try to help stop the kidnapping in this mystery. Every time someone got kidnapped there was a strange mark on the door of there house. Then the Hardy Boys find out what the sign means and solves the mystery!I think you should buy this book if you like adveture, mystery, and a little vilonce. ... Read more

Book Description

When Trixie and Honey explore an abandoned gatehouse, they discover more than dust and spiderwebs. Stuck in the dirt floor is a huge diamond! Could a ring of jewel thieves be hiding out in Sleepyside? ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A rollicking adventure!
Trixie Belden and Honey Wheeler find a diamond in the abandoned gatehouse at the edge of the Wheelers' property, but someone is trying to get it back. Meanwhile, Trixie's brothers Brian and Mart have returned from camp, meeting Honey and her brother Jim for the first time, so the secret Bob-Whites of the Glen club is ripe for formation.

As much trouble as the girls get into, the adults still come off as helpful and intelligent, unlike many other YA mystery series (or even the Harry Potter books).

Usually I prefer the Deluxe edition from the 1960s with covers illustrated by Paul Frame, but for this one, check out the edition illustrated by Mary Stevens. One picture shows Trixie and Honey doing some pruning -- with Trixie looking remarkably like Beavis of MTV fame -- and a charming Ashley Judd look-alike picture of Trixie greeting Mart. This book also features the memorable line by Regan, the Wheeler's beloved young groom, "Reach for the ceiling, Laughing-Boy."

My Favorite in a Favorite Series
When Trixie and Honey go to explore the abandoned gatehouse on Honey's property, they find a diamond pressed into the dirt floor. How did it get there? Is there a gang of thieves in the area? Or did someone bury treasure there long ago? The girls are determined to find out. And with the help of Jim and Trixie's brothers Mart and Brian, they just might.

This is easily my favorite book in the series, and I love the entire series. While the mystery plot itself is a little easy to figure out, finding out how Trixie is going to prove it keeps you turning pages. But for me, the best part of this book was character and setting. Trixie, her family and friends, and their surroundings seem so real when reading this book. And the fun and friendship they share has always made me want to be part of the group.

Julie Campbell must be given credit for the wonderful way she handles the introduction. A lot happened in the first two books, and new readers will need some of that information to understand character relationships. She does it in an entertaining way that makes it seem part of the story. She also finally introduces Brian and Mart (they've only been mentioned previously) and the new friends form the "Bob Whites of the Glen" in this book. Frankly, I consider this the last foundational book, even though we still have two more main characters to meet.

I've gone back to this book and reread it so many times, I practically have parts memorized. I'm so thrilled to see Random House reprinting the series so that a whole new generation can share the adventures of Trixie and her friends.

a trixie belden must
This book must be one of my favorites in the serice. Its about a girl named trixie belden who`s life ambition is to be a detective. Her best friend shares that will her. When Trixie`s yongest brother trips and falls one something sharpe trixie and honey look for what might Bobby might of fallen on trixie finds something that look like a dimond only to find out that it is a real one!! Well knowing trixie she has to find out where the dimond came from. This book is a great book whith humore and much more that you can imagan a teenage book might have. Julie Campbell created a great book and serice. THIS IS A MUST READ. ... Read more

Book Description

In this book, originally published in 1940, A trunk that Nancy receives from her father for a trip to Buenos Aires becomes the center of a mystery. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Almost Perfect
Of course, every detective needs a day off of sluething! So naturally, Nancy decides to go on a cruise with her fellow detectives, Goerge Fayne and Bess Marvin. While boarding the ship, Nancy notices a man on the pier spell out her name saying 'Beware of Nancy Drew and Ne' but did not see the rest. As she goes to her cabin, she finds Nelda Detwieler in the cabin too. At first, Nancy distrusts the native girl. Then Nelda tells Nancy of what happened to her, and mysterious things happen when a mysterious trunk is delivered to their cabin that is identicle to Nancy's but is not hers.
I think this book is very good and I highly recomend it so that if you go on a cruise and your trunk is not delivered but someone elses and a desparete girl with an amazing story is set in your cabin, you now what to do!

Not Much Mystery Here
This review concerns the original 1940 edition. The trunk which Nancy takes with her on a cruise to South America, along with a similar trunk owned by another passenger, appear to be at the center of a mystery. This book was alright, but I found that it really didn't have a mystery to it until the last few chapters. The first part of the book concentrates on the efforts of the mother of one passengers to keep Nancy from sailing. Ultimately, the mystery is somewhat dull and predictable and the book lacks much action. The book is probably worth reading, but I doubt that it will be one of many people's favorites.

One of the BEST Nancy Drews
This is one of the best Nancy Drews! the other one is the Tolling Bell. Anyway, in this one, Nancy meets Nelda Detwiler (N. D., same anishiles) and she has been acused of stealing a dimond braclet! A mysterieous trunk appears that LOOKS like Nancy's but is not. (They can't find Nancy's, so she has to use Bess, George and Nelda's close) Anyway, I can't tell you much more. Oh, and they are all on a cruse ship, so Nancy has to solve the mystery before it's over. BUY THIS BOOK OR GET IT SOMEHOW!!

AN INTERESTING BOOK
I have read many of Nancy Drew books and like this book. Although this is not in my top list but it still good. This book is worth to read. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good - but a change in style.
For those of you who loved the first 34 Trixie Belden books, you may be somewhat disappointed by the writing style of this one. Attempts by the author to modernize and update elements of the story seem blatant and out-of-place in these here-to-fore timeless classics. Although the BWGs are once again working for a good cause - an environmental one at that - the spirit of the book does not ring as true as in previous volumes. Even Trixie's language and thoughts seem out of character. I'm guessing they brought in a different ghostwriter than that was utilized in the Kathryn Kenny books prior to volume 35 (I've yet to read 35, 36, 38, and 39; they're on their way to me right now). Although I love Trixie Belden, I was somewhat disappointed in this book - especially as I had paid so so much for it in an auction in order to complete my collection. Of note, however, those who enjoy the modernized "fanfics" on the various Trixie web-sites may indeed like this volume. I, myself, prefer the older style - without the illustrations.

Reddy takes center stage
The perfect book for kids interested in enviromental issues and wondering how you could help. Trixie and the rest of the Bob-Whites take charge of the situation in an attempt to save the starving game birds in their community. Fans of the series will enjoy the role that Bobby and Reddy play in this book. Of course, Trixie gets herself into another mystery and into jepordy. This book has all of the adventure worthy of a Trixie Belden Mystery, but clearly is written to invoke young minds into thinking about bigger issues and world problems. In the end, the mystery is solved, yet many life questions that people continually face are left for another day. ... Read more

Book Description

Who knows how a handleless teacup can point to a thief? What a pair of soggy sneakers has to do with three stolen fishing rods? How the word "Crabcake" can reveal the identity of a kidnapper?

Encyclopedia Brown knows?

The world's youngest supersleuth is here with ten brand-new solve-it-yourself mysteries to challenge and entertain his fans. Match wits with the ten-year-old detective as he and his junior partner, Sally Kimball, puzzle over brainteasers and coded messages, intrigues and whodunits. Their case load includes a perplexing calendar code, three water-filled canoes, a missing shopping bag, and a hundred-year-old treasure tree.

Reviews (4)

Too hard!!
The mysteries are cool. ( This is why I gave it 2 stars.) There are ten of them in the book. When you are done reading the mysteries they ask you how Encyclopedia Brown figured it out. You can never figure them out. They don't give you enough info. This makes it not very fun! Don't try the other books. They all have the same problem. Just don't waste your money. ( I gave the one star for trying.)

they're tough and fun to read.
They're tough and fun to read. I like black jack's treasure. It's about black jack's treasure and a tree with a mark on it. It's also about this kid named Wilford Wiggins. He tries to fool kids too.

We really love your book.We enjoy mysteries.
We liked all the details in your story. We liked how you had a Disgusting Sneaker Contest. We would like to try this at our school. Thanks for such a neat book.

I LOVE Donald Sobel books!
Donald Sobel is the best author in the WORLD!! IHave read many other Donald Sobel books but thisis the BEST! I would recomend it to kids who enjoy mysteries and ages 8 to 13. ... Read more

Book Description

... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Behavior that Drives Reform
Once again the Great Brain aka TD manages to swindle his friends out of money by being smart enough to bet on a sure thing, but words it in such a way that his friends believe that they will win. For example, TD bets his friends that he can magnetize a wood stick. They fall for it since they know that he can't possibly magnetize wood. Well, we later find out that he made a boomerang and pretends to use a magnet to bring it back to him. My favorite part of the stories in this book is how TD livens up the swindles and money-making schemes with his story telling. Who wouldn't want to ride the raft, Explorer, after hearing him narrate during the ride? The author tells the story in such a way that it makes you smile. This book concludes with JD getting fed up with his older brother TD and devising a plan to make him reform. You won't want to miss it.

An Unforgettable Classic: A Must Read
John D. Fitzgerald, in the tradition of Mark Twain, wrote a semi-fictitious account of his childhood as a Mormon in Utah. The milieu and time for "The Great Brain" series is a Victorian, early 1900's era, making the stories more in the lines of Tom Sawyer and Huck Fynn. But that does not belittle this timeless classic written in the 70's. The Great Brain is in fact an interesting character to follow. The stories are told from the point of view of his younger brother, as he follows him through many schemes (all of which are money scams) and escapades, which somehow wind down to moral lessons. The Great Brain is a humorous, brilliant and witty work of historic fiction that is sure to touch every reader in some way. I first read the series as a young child myself, growing up in much the same way The Great Brain does- a strict religious family that promotes hard work and academic education. These stories are hard to find nowadays, Victorian morales having slipped away somehow in our modern day. I am glad to know that Amazon.com still has these great books and I recommend them to everyone, young and old. For me, reading the novels was a form of escape, as well as an insightful glimpse of a time that was far more innocent than our own- the violent gangs of today and MTV, Britney Spears, Joy of Pepsi, Ossie Osbourne generation compare nothing to the rebelliousnes of the Great Brain. All of the books are enjoyable, and it is not until the last book in the series, "The Great Brain Reforms" (the name says it all) that we discover the startling growth and changes the punky, swindling, intelligent adult-trapped in the body of a child Great Brain undergoes. A Must Read.

Trust me, he doesnt actually
John Dennis Fitzgerald intended to chronicle his youth in Utah for adults, not children. His publisher thought otherwise and the result are these gems. I don't even call them children's lit gems because I find them just as enjoyable as an adult. Before I go on, you should know that Fitzgerald wrote one book about his youth that is for adults, called "Papa Married a Mormon". It is one of the most amazing books on the American west that I have ever read. Sadly, it is out of print, and you may, like me, have to pay an exorbitant sum to get a copy. Trust me, save up and do it. Now back to this book. Every single Great Brain book in the series is pure gold, and the entire set can be had cheaply, so I say buy them all at once. I "put my money where my mouth is" as Tom the Great Brain would say, and bought the lot.

Best series of books ala Tom Sawyer-esque
The Great Brain series is my very favorite of all the books I read as a kid. I recall beginning reading the series as a fourth grader, and re-read them ...and even now if I want an easy read that is guaranteed to make me chuckle I pull them out and read them. Also, Harriet the Spy, Little House series, and of course classics like Treasure Island, Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer will appeal as well.

Funny and realistic..An excellent book for all ages
The "Great Brain"(also known as Tom) is one of the most clever characters I have ever seen. He proves to be above both the children as well as the adults with his money-loving heart and his great brain. Tom manages to swindle every single child in his town (especially his simple-minded brother) and gets away with it most of the time. He could argue his way out of everything and he uses this advantage over others to have his own way over everything. I loved this book mainly because it was hilarious and was very realistically written by the author. I would certainly recommend this book to anybody who loves to read!! The "Great Brain" reminds me a lot of what I used to do to my brother, Chandu, when we were little. I used to get my way with him every time just like the Great Brain did with his brother, John. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun Installment in a Solid Series
A new kid on the block (staying in Dink's house!), a little action (a kidnap!), a little language lesson (French!), and a lot of teamwork (involving both children, parents, and authority figures) leads to another intriguing tale and a happy ending. Ron Roy's A-To-Z-Mysteries have proven quite successful in our household. I've now read all eleven installments to my four-year-old son, and he has found them immensely entertaining. Similarly, our best friend's daughter, an advanced elementary school reader, promptly consumed these books and deemed them enjoyable. Sure, like most of the chapter book series for little people, the plots tend to be marginally predictable -- conversely, these books weren't written for the parents (and the children seem to find the mysteries sufficiently compelling). I also find that, at a certain level, the fact that the characters in these mysteries are (reasonably) normal children confronting seemingly pedestrian criminals is a welcome break from my son's fascination with the preternatural and his preference for the less realistic (but highly entertaining) series such as the Secrets of Droon, Bailey School Kids, and the Magic Tree House. Also, unlike many of the series books, it does not seem critical to read the books in order (although we do). It's also nice that the protagonists -- Dink, Ruth Rose, and Josh -- play well together, think through difficult problems, exhibit good manners and, for the most part, display the type of vocabulary you won't mind if your children repeat. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Original Edition Is Better
This review concerns the original 1941 edition and the revised 1971 edition, the one commonly found in book stores. In the original edition, Mr. Drew has Nancy help him track down a missing heiress and Nancy, Bess and George stumble upon a mysterious moss-covered mansion. They later hear that someone was murdered near the mansion and they repeatedly hear strange noises coming from inside the mansion. I really enjoyed the first 100 or so pages of this book, but I found that after that I was gradually losing interest in the story. Any of the chapter endings toward the end of the book that had even the smallest bit of interest were quickly resolved in the next chapter. The end of the book was rather bad as the two best things about the book, the murder and the mansion, were resolved with dull explanations. Most of this book is worth reading and I rate it 3 stars. In the revised edition, Nancy, George, Bess, Mr. Drew and Hannah travel to Florida when a friend of Mr. Drew is accused of trying to sabotage the space program by sending a truck of explosive oranges to the Space Center complex at Cape Kennedy. When you finally stop laughing over how lame this plot sounds and actually read the book, it; unfortunately, isn't any better. There is not much action in the book, the mystery isn't very exciting and the writing style is vastly inferior to the original edition. I didn't enjoy the revised edition of this book at all and I'd give it a 1 1/2 star rating.

Best Nancy Drew Book Ever
Nancy Drew: The Case of the Moss-Covered Mansion was one of the best Nancy Drew books I have ever read. It had more action than some other Nancy Drew books. Nancy Drew was working three different cases at the same time. She saw tigers two feet away and dangerous things happen to her and her friends, Bess and George. In the last four or so chapters, I couldn't put down the book. I like the way that the author describes the scenes where Nancy and her friends are at. It was one of the best, most intense, Nancy Drew endings ever.

The Best Nancy Drew Book Besides Whispering Statue
I love Nancy Drew Do You? I'm In 3rd Grade And I Love Nancy Drew Books.My Friend Susanah W. Got Me In To Nancy Drew Books. I've Read About 7 Nancy Drew Books And Im Only 8 years Old. Nancy Drew Isnt JUST For Girls Is It. Because Im A Boy And I Love Nancy Drew.In The Story Nancy Goes To Florida And Has To Find Out Who Deliverd Explosive Oranges To The Kennedy Space Center After That She Finds Out That She's Closer To A Black Lepord Than She Ever Will Be!

The book is about the Kennedy space center, and other places
The Mystery Of The Moss-coverd Mansion is a great book. There is a lot of really exiting parts, and some parts that are funny. I am 12 years old and I am planning on reading all of the other Nancy Drew Books. I have so far read 28 of them and enjoied them all. I think it is a great book!!! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

One Of The Best Nancy Drew Books
This review concerns the original 1931 edition and the revised 1961 edition, which tells a story similar to the original, but it is shorter. While on a shopping trip, Nancy, Bess and George meet a young girl named Millie (Joanne in the revised edition) who lives at Red Gate Farm with her grandmother. Millie/Joanne and her grandmother may be forced to sell their farm because they don't have enough money, so they decide to take in boarders. Nancy, George and Bess go to the farm to spend some time with their new friend and she tells them about a weird nature cult that rents part of their land and performs strange rituals at night. Nancy; however, suspects that the cult is not quite what it seems. To find out if she is right you'll have to read the book. I really enjoyed this book. I found the mystery intriguing and the writing was very good (at least with the original edition, which was the one I read). I'd recommend reading the original edition, if possible, but either way, this is a very good story that fans of the series would enjoy.

Great Book
I loved reading this book. It was very interesting and made me analyze all the characters to figure out who the counterfeiters were. I was amazed at the twists and turns of this mystery story. This book is about a group of people who make false money and try to pass it off as real money. Nancy, Bess, George, and Joan help uncover the group and stop the production of the fake money. There is a strong climax when Nancy and her friends are trapped in a cave and a caught. Basically, this was one of the best books I have read. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to read a great mystery.

A pretty good book!
I read the 1931 version. As usual with the original Nancy Drew books, the writing was good. But this particular volume stands out as being one of the better Nancy Drew books. While the whole book is good, the ending at the cave is really exciting.

Kindness Personified
I read this book not too long ago after a long break from reading the hardcovers. I forgot how much I liked it!
In this book, Nancy and the gang helps out a girl and her granny at their farm, and becomes entangled in solving a mystery involving counterfeiting, greed, and a KKK-like "clan."
What really stood out in this book was Nancy's eagerness to help others, and her generosity. I love how Nancy shows so much concern for Joanne. She drove Joanne to different towns in search of a job, and went to her farm to be a paying boarder just so they wouldn't have to sell the place. You don't read about that sort of thing in the paperbacks nowadays. I haven't read a YSPC in a really long time, so it was a treat to read something so refreshing and different! You really lose sight of the real Nancy when you start reading paperbacks. I've never really realized how different Nancy had become since the 50s, or the 30s, for that matter, until now.
This book is the quintessential example of Nancy Drew being a great role model.

S.J.

Excellent, ONE OF THE BEST NACY DREW BOOKS EVER!
This is one of the most thrilling Nancy Drew books EVER published. I would encourage ANYONE to read this book(the original version of course) ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Couldn't get enough of it
My 6 year old who hates to read and hates chapter books can't wait for me to read the next chapter to her! The mystery part isn't too hard to figure out and the clues are easy enough for her to catch. I highly recomend this series to any parent who it trying to show their children that reading can be fun. We now own over half of the series.

Really neat!!
I love this book and The Absent Author. Thery both are kind of scary and really mysterious. The Bald Bandit is about three kids, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose. A boy has taped a robber robbing the Green Lawn bank. The three kids have to find the tape and the robber and you'll be surprised at who robbed the bank!!

Family hour fun time!
A new children's mystery series from A - Z. Meet Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose and enjoy their adventures in Green Lawn. Help them solve who robbed Green Lawn Savings Bank. A great way to spend quality time with your children and have fun together as a family. Can't wait for the "Canary Caper" to become available. ... Read more