Reviews (4)

Go Mike
This, along with The Woodshed Mystery, was my favourite book (not just Boxcar Children, but books in general) for some time. It brings back to life the definite promise of adventure from the third book that slumbered through the fourth, and is one of the most well-laid-out and realistic of the series. At least I've always thought so. :)

We met Mike in "Surprise Island", and here he is back again in the little town that has sprung up around the Aldens' uranium mines. But when his house burns down suspiciously, a mystery follows. I think much of the reason I liked this so much was because the two youngest children, Benny and Mike, were really the main ones solving the mystery, with a bit of help here and there from the elder ones.

Definitely give your children this book. I know they will love it.

This Book Was Great!
This book was a great book. When Mike's house burns down the Alden children hear a rumor that Mike burned his own house down! But the Alden children know he didn't do it. The only reason why I didn't like it is because they only mentioned Snowball once, and I LOVE HORSES and all other animals.

This book was a very interesting book.
One warm night four children stood in front of a bakery. No one knew them. No one where they had come from. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny used to live alone in a boxcar. Now they have a home with their grandfather and are spending the summer out west on Mystery Ranch. The excitement begins when they meet their old friend, Mike. When Mike is blamed for starting a fire, the Boxcar Children know he's innocent. But can they discover who's really behind Mike's Mystery-before it's too late? I really enjoyed this book there is a lot of mystery in this book. I think that this book is definitely worth reading. "The four Alden children could hardly wait to get back to Mystery Ranch." That's probably the only thing about the book that I don't like. Which is those fake names of ranches or towns or something like that.

This is the greatest book I've ever read.
This book is about four children named Henry,Jessie,Violet,and Benny that help their friend named Mike find out who set his house on fire.They think a man in a blue hat did it but they're not sure.See if you can follow the clues to find out who did it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An Intriguing And Exciting Mystery
This review concerns the original 1951 edition. Nancy is approached by a young college professor who tells her about a treasure that he and some other professors were searching for in Mexico. They had found a stone tablet which they believed would help them locate the treasure, but before they could translate it, the tablet vanished along with one of the professors. Did he steal the tablet or was he kidnapped? Nancy is asked to help find the missing professor and the tablet and to guard a valuable, black, half key which together with another 2 1/2 similar keys would unlock the treasure. This is probably one of the 10 best Nancy Drew books. The mystery, though a little implausible, is quite interesting. The book has a lot of action and suspence and was well-written. I was hooked from beginning to end. This is a very good book and every Nancy Drew fan should have this one in their collection.

A Dreamy Mystery
I'm a 9-year-old in fourth grade named Britany. This book was a challenge for me because it made me predict what might happen in the next chapter. When I was at school I couldn't wait to read this book. I was so interested in the story that when I got home from school I read way over the limit I am allowed to read. Nancy Drew has a life I would like because I like doing mysterious types of things. When I was sleeping at night I had dreams about the book. I mean when I was asleep I'd see the characters move, talk, and do the scenes I had read. In this book there are three black keys and this guy named Jurez Tino who wants all three of the keys to get the treasure. The problem is he only has two and a-half-keys because Nancy Drew had the other half of the key. He is looking for it so he could get to the treasure. There was a house that Nancy and her friends found and they went up to the front and knocked on the door, but no one answered so they knocked again and still no one answered. Then one of her friend's found a window that was open and her friend went inside but she didn't. I don't want to tell you the whole story, but you should get this book and read it. If you like mysteries you will like this book.

A very thrilling book to all Nancy Drew fans
I liked this book alot, because it really is a mystery. I still gave it four stars because it was not THE best, even though I liked it. It was about Nancy, and she goes to solve a mystery, with black keys. There are some people who want to get the keys because they are supposed to unlock treasure. They want to get the treasure themselfs.

Clue of the Black Keys( Nancy Drew mystery)
This book was good because when I got into the book, I coudn't put the book down. It's about Nancy Drew and her finding this black key to a set of keys, and the one she has opens a trunk of jewels and valueables. But the trunk is in cuba. The villians , a tricky gang of thieves,will do anything to get the key.They will harrase,kidnap, and fight to get the key. Find out how Nancy and her friends outsmart those evil gang members.And how Nancy saves the treasures, and how she saves the life of a young Cubain boy, in the thrilling, suspensful book by Carolyn Kien, "The Clue of the Black Keys". ... Read more

Book Description

Approx. 2.5 hours
2 cassettes

Listen to the first two hilariously hip Chet Gecko mysteries in this one audio package!

The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse
Shirley Chameleon's friend Billy has disappeared and it's up to Chet, super sleuth, to find him.

The Mystery of Mister Nice
What has happened to Principal Zero?All of a sudden he's nice.And one thing is certain: Principal Zero is not a nice guy.It's up to Chet to prove he's an imposter.

... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent
This book is a must-read. It is almost a whole different story from the blue cover edition. It uses 1930s words.

A Masterpiece!!!... by David House
The whole thing in this mystery is just terrific! The plot was made and planed very well. Plus I admitt one part gave me a little bit of the chills, like the part when unexpectingly the ticking of the clock that made Frank and Joe still. I hope that you'll read this book in 30 minutes like I did.(if you can) Please beg your mom and dad to get this book for you.

While The Clock Ticked
In all of those mystery books I had read, The Hardy Boys is the only kind I really interesting in, and in those Hardy Boys books the one I really love is While The Clock Ticked because I had it...^wink wink^...! Beside, I am a fan of The Hardy Boys after I had read this book from a friend. ... And it worth it, it was really.
It was starting with a mysterious stranger apparently steals some of Mr. Hardy's papers from the Hardy home, suspicious events are occurring at the local Chinese laundry and one of Mr. Hardy's clients demands that his name be cleared of rumors that he is involved in smuggling Chinese immigrants. And there is going to be more action and interesting then what I just wrote. So I suggest you should check you this book. But the whole idea of the book is it focused heavily on the title that I liked and presented a fairly good mystery.
It is really good in the beginning, and terribly good at the end. All people like to read mystery books should check out this book but do not forget to check out all other Hardy Boys books, though. Because I know author Franklin W. Dixon did not write just one book but many of them. I heard others Hardy Boys from him are really good, too. And in a minute I am going to look for them online. So anyway, I recommend you should check them out and save them for your summer reading books. Enjoy reading them and have a fun summer student from Mrs. Lenhardt's class.

An Intriguing Mystery
This review concerns the original 1932 edition and the revised 1961 edition. The revised edition closely follows the plot of the original and the two books are only different in that the revised edition is shorter than the original and some events have been added, eliminated or altered from one book to the other. A man from a neighboring town is receiving death threats, left in the secret room of a mansion that he recently purchased, and upon learning that Fenton Hardy is out of town, reluctantly allows Frank and Joe to investigate. As with all of the low volumes of the original set, this book gets high marks for the writing, in terms of the language used and the level of description applied to the scenes. The mystery is highly intriguing; however, the book is a little light (just a little) on action and this keeps it from ranking as truly one of the best Hardy Boys books.

The Hardy Boys and another spooky old mansion.
First published in 1932 and written by the great Leslie McFarlane. Revised in 1962 by James Buechler. The Plot: Raymond Dalrymple has been receiving death threats left in the secret locked room of the spooky old Purdy mansion on the Shore Road, which he recently purchased. He seeks Fenton Hardy's aid but Fenton's conveniently out of town, so Dalrymple reluctantly allows Frank & Joe to investigate the mystery. Rating: Original text: B+ Revised text: C+ ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Hardy Boys Head South
This review concerns the original 1935 edition.
The Hardy Boys and their pal Chet head to the deep South and become involved in an old fued between the Rand and Blackstone families.
Modern readers are likely to have their sensibilities offended by the racial sterotypes in this book which cast African-Americans and Southerners in a particularly negative light.
Stereotypes aside, this isn't a bad adventure although it certainly doesn't rank among the best in the series.

An Average, But Interesting Book
This review concerns the revised 1961 edition. The owner of a newspaper based in a southern town asks Frank and Joe to prove his innocence in a libel case brought against him after his paper accused the ancestors of one of the towns leading families of having made their money through piracy. This isn't a bad book; there certainly are many different mysteries for Frank and Joe to solve: the libel case, a long-lost treasure and a strange "monster" which inhabits a pond not far from where the Hardys and Chet camp out. Mostly, the book was pretty good; although, the ending was a little disappointing as the criminals were caught without much trouble, but I think that most fans would enjoy "The Hidden Harbor Mystery".

A GREAT MYSTERY!
This is a book filled with adventure. I don't like Joe because he's very impolsive. And Frank he thinks about things before he does things and I like that and plus I'm dark-haired too like him. Anyway this book was completely thrilling. How would you like to walk in a hurricane? Well here's your answer in a realistic way. Be part of the fun and treasure this book forever.

A Highly Entertaining Book
This review concerns the original 1935 edition. Frank, Joe and Chet become involved in an old-time Southern feud when they come to the aid of an elderly man and he later accuses them of robbing him. This book actually reminds me more of something that I would read in the Nancy Drew series, but for people who aren't fans of Nancy Drew, don't let that keep you from reading this book, because I really enjoyed it. The book is very well-written and is very interesting. I'd recommend this one to any Hardy Boys fan.

Oh my God!
I liked it because it was action paced. I liked it when they discover theirs a family treasure to find and when they get trapped on a island, they run out of food and someone takes there boat. They also discover theres something mysterious in the pond. ... Read more

Book Description

2 hours, 42 mins.
2 cassettes
Performance by Phyllis Newman

The fourth book from the series offers even more mystery.Grandpa Alden's sister Jane is all alone on her ranch out west, and the Alden girls have gone to care for her.When Henry and Benny Alden come to join the girls, the four children find themselves unraveling an intriguing mystery...with some amazing results!
... Read more

Reviews (4)

It's not so mysterious
Why isn't this book as good as the rest? I hated it when i was little, much as I loved the rest of the original series. Years have passed since then and I read it again and it's not so bad. But the other reviewers are correct in the fact that this is no mystery, really.

As for the purpose of this book in the scheme of the entire series, it's actually very important. This book is the important link between books 3 and the rest of the series. This book introduces Aunt Jane, a very important role in the future of the children, and it sets the groundwork for book 5, "Mike's Mystery", which takes place on the same ranch some time later. And book 5 is the springboard for Mike to be more important in later adventures. So there is a purpose to this book.

I can't really recommend it though. But any child who wants to read the whole series should not skip this book - it's still part of the experience, no matter how dull it may seem, and it's really not THAT bad.

What a flop!
This is the most boring book I have ever read! I loved the boxcar children books, and all of them I would rate better the 3 stars, but this one was so borring. MYSTERY ranch? What MYSTERY? The was no mystery in this book at all. The whole thing was just so borring. It's the worst boxcar book I have ever read, and I have read about 42 of their so far 87 books! It's just so borring.

I'll never forget the boringness--oops, I already did. Zzzz
This was the book where the Boxcar Children ate peas for dinner and went to bed at 8:00. They took an entire chapter to plan what they were going to do that day, instead of just doing it. I think this is the right book, but I don't remember because they were all so boring I forgot them. If you are looking for a series for your children to read, I would advise you to keep this out of children's reach. They may need psychiatric treatment after reading this bore of a lifetime. Nothing worth your time is in this book, except that going to bed at 8:00 was a good laugh. --Andy, 12 years old

Your child could do worse than read this book,strictly "okay
"The Mystery Ranch" is part of the Boxcar Children series. In my opinion,it is not as well thought out as the first book,though my 5you loved the whole thing. The children are still very independent,doing things unsupervised that I would never allow my children to do(travelling alone,cooking,shopping.) Of course,that's part of the fun of the Boxcar series. My daughter so identifies with the girls,she wants to BE like them. So,on a too-hot-to-breathe day I might suggest this book,if your kids have nothing better to do. It's not a waste of time,just not the author's best effort ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Diamond In The Ruff
Published in 1942 - Although I rate this book a three star which denotes an average book, I cannot slander this book for any particular reason. In fact I cannot find anything wrong with it to any degree - except for this: There are other books in the series that are better and it would be unfair to them to give this volume the same high rating as them. Broken Blade was less breath taking, less action packed and less exciting than several other HB volumes, but I still regard this as a very good volume. The plot is about a search for part of a sword and a race against time as the Hardys and unscrupulous characters hunt for the same sword simultaneously. Their objectives are the same but the goals are different. Who will find the blade first? Broken Blade is one of the least talked about HB books. People rarely list it among their best or worst and it tends to go unnoticed by comparison. RATED B-

REVISION: The 1970 revision was not as good as the first but I still regard it as a pretty good book in its own right and definitely worth reading.

Not Very Exciting
This review concerns the revised 1970 edition. Frank and Joe help their fencing instructor, Ettore Russo, by going to California, along with Chet, to find the guard end of a broken saber. The saber had belonged to Russo's grandfather, and proof that Russo is the rightful heir to his grandfather's estate is supposed to be engraved on the saber. Also looking for the saber is a gang on bank robbers, who have stolen some of Mr. Hardy's voiceprint records. Personally, I didn't care much for this book. I found that the first few chapters weren't all that important and could have been eliminated or shortened without hurting the rest of the story much. Also, the Hardys are told to track down a certain man who may be able to give them clues as to the whereabouts of the saber and it takes them very little time to find him. I didn't feel that the book had much action and the last chapter was pretty bad. Frank and Joe don't even catch most of the gang; the only one that they do catch is in, of all places, the city dump. You can read this book if you like, but its not one I'd strongly recommend.

Well Paced And Lots Of Action
This review concerns the original 1942 edition. Mr. Hardy's case of thieves stealing merchandise as it is being unloaded from ships leads Frank and Joe into another case concerning a broken sword blade. This book is well written, fast paced, has plenty of action and has a good beginning that quickly grabs the reader. My big problem with the book was that, while Mr. Hardy played a prominent role in this book, he was the only one of the other main characters of the series to do so, since most of the book was set outside of Bayport. Still, it was a really good book that most Hardy Boys fans should enjoy.

Good Mystery
This was a very good mystery book. It is about fencing (swordfighting) and the search for an old missing blade that has a will written on it. In order to gather clues to find the blade, the Hardy Boys go on-set at a movie filming to help with stunts. In the process they actually partially team up with their father who is working on a separate but closely related case (which makes this book a bit different from others in its series). Although the plot was rather predictable (gosh, could it possibly be that Frank and Joe save the day?!?), the book was still a fun read and will be enjoyed by anyone who enjoys fencing.

Plenty of action
This review pertains to the revised edition: This was good book. Lots of action from start to end. I would highly reccomend reading it. I was not real crazy about the last chapter. It lacked creativity but otherwise the book is worthy of an average rating. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

One Of The Best Of The Series
This review concerns the original 1944 edition and the revised 1970 edition which closely follows the plot of the original, with a few small changes. Elderly Mr. March approachs Nancy seeking her help to find his deceased son's unpublished sheet music. Mr. March desperately needs the money to care for his granddaughter, Susan. Unfortunately, a thief has been secretly entering the March house and stealing whatever songs that he can find and publishing them himself. I really enjoyed this book. In my opinion, it is the second or third best of the series (I can't decide between it and The Bungalow Mystery; The Hidden Staircase is my #1). I found it to be well-written, highly descriptive, and had quite a bit of action. The climax of the book, when Nancy finally finds the music and is confronted by the thief, is perhaps the best scene of the series for its originality, excitement and suspense. The only thing that I did not like about this book, was how the thief was caught because Nancy had pretty much nothing to do with actually capturing him.

you'll relish this one
As a child I delighted in the Nancy Drew stories, and I've re-read them at various times since. "The Secret in the Old Attic" is a well-plotted, satisfying thriller in which Nancy finds the manuscripts for some songs which will help to restore the fortunes of her elderly friend, Mr. March, and his young granddaughter. Nancy's chums, plump and frilly Bess and her tomboyish cousin, George, help Nancy in her investigations. Hannah Gruen is on hand to provide cocoa and comfort. Nancy sits down at the piano and plays some of the songs, demonstrating yet another of her fine abilities.

All-American girl Nancy shines as she solves the mystery and brings the criminals to justice. Young readers will be entranced. Highly recommended.

A Great Book
I read a great book called Nancy Drew and the Mystery In the Old Attic by Carolyn Keene. My favorite part of the 180-page book was when Nancy Drew and her friends came so close to finding the thief. If you want to learn more about this wonderful book then go to your local library. Nancy Drew and the Mystery in The Old Attic was really a very good book! There are many great surprises.

IF YOU LIKE NANCY DREW YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK!!
this is one of my favorite nancy drew books it was a on going suspensful book!!read it

This is an EXELLENT book. 10 stars!!!!!!!!!!
Nancy Drew books are very good. I have read a lot of them andthis is one of my favorites I've read it twice and I know I'll read itagain. My mom read these books as a child and now I'm reading them! This book will keep you wondering into the last pages. You must read this book!! It's a mind challenger and a thriller. There are times when you will feel baffled and times when you will feel scared. Nancy will stop at nothing to help a person in need, and in this case to find Phillip March's unpublished music which is hidden somewhere in his fathers home Pleasant Hedges. Nancy must find the music and stop the man who is stealing from getting any more. At the same time, figure out the intruder's secret means of getting in the mansion! I think this is one of the best books I've ever read. And I read A LOT!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Once you start reading, you cant stop
Hardy Boys, Hunting for Hidden Gold is one of the best books I have read in my life. It combines mystery, adventure, and suspense all crammed in one book. The Hardy Boys series is a really great series. I usually don't like mystery books but this one is really good.Unlike some books that have boring parts. Hunting for Hidden Gold doesn't have any boring parts. That is very good. I really don't like parts where they just talk and talk about boring things that don't interest me. The Hardy Boys have been around for awhile and people still read them. Hardy Boys can be read by all ages. it is not really hard to read. In the whole Hardy Boys series there are 58 books. I am looking forward to reading more books from the series. Hunting for Hidden Gold is a sort of long book. It is about 150 pages long. That is not too long but it is not very short either. Since it is long, it gets lots of action in it. If it was any longer, it would have some boring parts in it. In conclusion, this book deserves five stars.

A book review of Hunting for Hidden Gold by Alyssa Laspesa
Recommendation - This book is an exciting thrill packed mystery novel. I recommend this book to anyone 13 years or older. It contains thrills, suspense, and many unpredictable close calls. If you are adventurous this book will hold your interest. "She may drown" Frank thought fearfully. The boys were very adventurous and brave to swim after the drowning animals. Another reason would be that the Hardy boys are heroes. "Look out!" Frank cried out. He grabbed Joe's arm and both boys leaped ahead in the nick of time. No matter difficult the situation, they never get hurt. They always come out the good guys. The Hardy boys think over each clue carefully so they out smart everyone. In conclusion, if you like a mystery novel where the main characters end up heroes, read this book.

Will Frank and Joe find the gold before the crooks do?
This review is of the 1963 Revised Version of "Hunting for Hidden Gold". The first 38 titles in the series were revised over the course of 15 years (some with minor changes, others were completely re-written). "Hunting for Hidden Gold" is the fifth Hardy Boys mystery. This edition is said to be drastically altered from the original. What this means, according to the Hardy Boys Unofficial Home Page, is that the text and plot have both been changed.

Frank and Joe Hardy become involved in another mystery when their father calls them out west to help with a case. They are searching for a gang that is involved in robbery, and even on the way out west, they are kidnapped and attacked and it is only with great luck that they even are able to meet up with their father. They find him hurt badly, but begin the investigation on their own and learn about a mystery about gold that was stolen from a prospector years ago. Can the brothers keep out of harm's way long enough to solve the case?

"Hunting for Hidden Gold" is another solid offering in the Hardy Boys series, though I would not say this is one of the best. It is a bit of an adventure story and it gives the sense of really being out west (as opposed to a story set in Bayport). There is a definite sense of place in this book. As usual, this book is recommended for kids of all ages (even the 25 year old kid).

-Joe Sherry

The book is like gold!
This is my second favorite Hardy Boys book.I think this is one of the best and thrilling book ever.Out of all the books I've read this is the second best.I like when Frank and Joe were getting chased by the wolves.I loved reading it.

Incredible!!
... This book is excellent; definately one of the top three of the series. The action starts on page 1 and doesn't let up until the book is finished. Hunting For Hidden Gold has perhaps the best mystery out of all of the books in the series and is written quite well unlike most of the books put out after the early 1950s. The book is very exciting, as quite often Frank and Joe are chasing, or being chased by, the criminals. Definately one of the best, no Hardy Boys fan should miss this one. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great book
I loved this book when I was little. I read it about ten times. This is a great kids series and suggest it to child who likes to read short novels.

Books by Carlon Keene are interesting
I think it was a good book,I like when they figger out who does the crimes in all the Nancy Drew books I've read.Each book I've read by Carlon Keene has been interesting. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by Bill Irwin
approx. 3 hours
2 cassettes

When Mr. Hardy disappears while investigating a mystery surrounding a vacant house rumored to be either haunted or an abode for criminals, the Hardy Boys search for the truth. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

A great mystery book
Mr.Hardy is on a vacation and tells the boys,"So you boys want to help m e on anouther case?" The two Hardy boys answer by telling him," You mean it dad?". Later on, they also get their friends to join in the spying game.The boys are out motorcycling along the mountain road and decide to investigate an abandonded house high up on the cliffs. Once inside, they hear a shriek which scares all but Frank and Joe out. The Boys investigate but find nothing. They leave but a storm forces them all back to the house. They hear more shrieks, get locked in and part of the house starts to collapse! They finally get out but have problems with their motorcycles and find their tool kits stolen. They are distracted by a boat chase out on Barmet Bay. With the starting of a normal day, it turns out to enravell a chilling mystery.

I liked the book because it actually made me read it until the end. Other books do not have as much desrciption as this one had. This book was so mysterious that I had been confused whom the kidnapers were and why they had chosen to capture hostages. Plus this book had great action scene and I felt i was one of the charaters in the book.

I disliked the book because it had confusing parts to it, also the parts of the book really didnt sum up and make much sence.

My favorite scene in the book was when Mr. Hardy and both the Hardy boys had been kept hostages after being captured. Mr. Snattman put threaten them by saying," If i get turned in, your all dead." The story gets really interesting and the ending is a surprise!

The best one written!
The Plot: One day shortly before summer vacation, the Boys, along with Chet, Biff and Jerry, are out motorcycling along the Shore Road and decide to investigate the spooky old abandoned Polucca house, high on the cliffs overlooking Barmet Bay. Once inside, they hear a shriek which scares all but Frank and Joe out. The Boys investigate but find nothing. They leave but a storm forces them all back to the house. They hear more shrieks, get locked in and part of the house starts to collapse! They finally get out but have problems with their motorcycles and find their tool kits stolen. They are distracted by a boat chase out on the bay. There are shots from one boat and the other boat explodes!.... Comments: The best story in the canon! A dark, violent tale of smuggling, drugs, kidnapping and murder! None of the other stories can match this one for sheer exciting adventure! I've always thought this tale would make a great Hardy Boys movie. The Boys show plenty of guts and good detective ability in this one. Fenton plays a major role here and he works well with his sons. The gun battle and fight at the climax is the most thrill-packed prose in any Hardy story. If you read only one Hardy Boys book, it should be this one. Rating: Original: A+

Can the Hardy Boys stop the smugglers?
This review is of the 1959 revision to "The House on the Cliff". Over the course of 15 years, the first 38 Hardy Boys stories were revised to a slightly shorter format with some changes to the original stories. "The House on the Cliff" is the second Hardy Boys mystery story.

The internationally renowned detective Fenton Hardy has asked his two sons, Frank and Joe, to help him on a case involving the smuggling of rare medical drugs. The Hardys enlist their friends and spend some time with their telescope looking out over the bay for suspicious activity. They hear a strange noise coming from the abandoned house, but when they came out they found that the lenses had been stolen from the telescope and the tools taken from their motorcycles. Something is going on, but does it relate to the smuggling case they are working on?

"The House on the Cliff" is another fast paced Hardy Boys mystery. It is more of a straightforward story (with twists, of course) than "The Tower Treasure". We are introduced to the main mystery right from the start: there are smugglers and the ringleader might be a man named Snattman. Everything that happens in the book drives towards solving that case. This was an excellent Hardy Boys mystery.

-Joe Sherry

Jenner's Review
The Hardy boys (Joe and Frank) are visiting their father on the second floor study of their apartment. Their father is a famous detective, Fenton Hardy. He asks them to spy on some smugglers, who have a leader named Snattman. Joe and Frank go to an abandoned house on a cliff to do the reconnaissance. They soon save a spy for the coast guard who is also under cover. They take him to a farm to recover. Then they go back later to check on him. He was man napped! They soon learn that their father is missing. They look for him at the smugglers' hideout, at the abandoned house. They almost got away, but the smugglers captured them. Soon they try to escape, but something happened! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries. It deserves a Newbery.

The Amateurs Help the Professional
The Series: In 1927, Franklin W. Dixon launched the "Hardy Boys" books, a series of books telling of the exploits of Frank and Joe Hardy, the sons of a big-city detective. The Hardy boys lived out in the country and, with their friends, loved following in their father's sleuthing footsteps. The result was a set of wonderful amateur detective stories that I read as fast I could find when I was a kid. The Hardy Boys helped launch me on my lifelong reading binge.

This book: When the detective father of Frank and Joe Hardy disappears, the boys step up to the plate and begin a thrilling adventure, with their father's life likely at stake. Is the house haunted, or a criminal hideaway, or both? Did Dad get kidnapped or go under cover? This is pure adventure and sleuthing at its best. Enjoy the ride! ... Read more

Book Description

The Cam Jansen books are perfect for young readers who are making the transition to chapter books, and Cam is a spunky young heroine whom readers have loved for over two decades.Now the first ten books in the series have updated covers that bring new life to these perennial best-sellers.Old fans and new readers will love Cam's cool, modern look! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Clever and well written
I read this a long time ago. All the Cam Jansen books are greatfor kids. This one was interesting and clever. There were parts thatcracked me up, like when the Cam discovers the people posing as aliens from outer space and the "space people" are trying to get away. That was so funny! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The Secret Of Shadow Ranch
This book is about Nancy Drew who was taking a vacation at Phonix, Arizona and has a to solve the mystery of Shadow Ranch. This book has a little of everything. It has mystery, adventure, romance, and much more.
I really enjoyed reading this book by Carolyn Keene, she's one of my favorite writers. I give this book five stars. Hope you enjoy it.

Kind of boring, but not completely bad...
I read the 1931 version. This book is signifigant because it introduces Bess and George, but otherwise it's sort of boring. It was written more like the western adventure books that were being written at the time rather than Nancy Drew mystery story for the most part, but it was still okay, and well written, at least.

The Secret of Shadow Ranch
When you first read, Boy, by Roald Daul you will notice that it is an autobiography. You will read about life history, persistence and risk taking.
Roald Daul was born in 1916 in Norway. He was brought up by his mother with 5 other brothers and sisters. Roald was a very persistent and risky person. He loves to have fun and is always stirring up trouble.
There were many incidents in Roalds life. There are just a few that were important. One mid-spring day Roald and a few friends found a loose board in their school classroom. They opened the board and found a dead mouse. They decided to play a wretched trick on the candy storeowner Mrs. Prattchett. So they brought the mouse in to the store and snuck it into a candy jar and left. The next day they walked passed and it was closed with the candy jar broken on the floor. After that they raced to school and were told to go outside. All of a sudden Mrs. Prattchett was on her way to find the boys who played the joke. She found them and they were brought to be smacked on the butt for doing that awful trick.
Another life event was when Roald almost lost his nose. His family had just gotten a new car and his sister had been practicing to drive. Now you have to know that back then, you didn't have to have your driver's license because not very many people had cars. So, his sister was driving the whole family out in the country when all of a sudden there was a sharp turn. Well, she had practiced turns so they went flying into the bushes. After they had stopped Roald sat up and his nose was half way off. Everyone started to panic. They finally turned around and rushed to the doctor's house. When they got there he told them to go home and he'd be there in and hour. When he got there the doctor put Roald under anesthesia and sewed him up.
Through Roalds life he was move to several public and private English schools. When he was about to go into college but decided not to go to college. So what did he do with his life, you'll have to read the book and find out. If you like funny life stories and autobiographies Boy, by Roald Daul This is the perfect book for you.

The Secret of Shadow Ranch
This book is about 18-year-old girl named Nancy Drew who likes to solve mysteries. She usually solves her mysteries with her two best friends, Bess Marvin and George Fayne.

Nancy was taking a vacation to Pheonix, Arizona and found herself a new mystery for her to solve. It takes place on Shadow Ranch. People say that the ranch is haunted by a phantom horse and an unknown enemy that always appears sometimes at night. People think that the unknown enemy and the phantom horse is a curse of Dirk Valentine, a man who was killed many years ago at Shadow Ranch. Finally, Nancy finds out that it's not a curse. She also found out that a man was causing all the trouble. The man used a special kind of paint to paint the horse and himself, so people think he is a ghost. Now that Nancy had solve the problem, the man was never seen at Shadow Ranch again.

BEST BOOK!
This book is great! The best book of the Nancy Drew Book. I think it has Romance because of the story of why is the ghostly horse that has been appearing. Well this book has Action at the end. And is very mysterious. The characters are awesome also. Well hope you readers like this book alot, because is the best. ... Read more

Book Description

Arthur promises to buy ice cream for his little sister, D.W., if she can

read ten words.The twosome race to the park, where D.W. is quick to recognize

signs such as ZOO, DON'T WALK, POLICE, and ICE CREAM.When she reads WET PAINT

before her big brother does, Arthur is in for a colorful surprise!




... Read more

Reviews (3)

Reading is fun
This book is awesome!! Funny too. The reason i think it is funny is because the older brother puts his younger sister to the test on reading and he thinks she cant do it because she is younger. But then she proves him wrong and reads 10 words. And the deal was if she read 10 words he would buy her an ice cream cone. And she did so he bought her one. In the end it turns out the younger one can read and seems more smarter than the older one!

A little fun between bro and sis.
In this book Arthur and his sister D.W. have a reading contest to see if she could really read. So D.W. could read after all and Arthur ended up taking back what he said about her. He said she couldn't read but he didn't know she could.

Brilliant use of a simple medium to teach children to read.
One of many books in the Arthur series, Arthur's Reading Race, is extremely well designed, using stickers to ecourage and assist in the reading and learning of new words. On almost every page there is a word writen in blue which the child must match with a sticker. The kinestic activity of tieing the visual cue to the word enhances the learning process. Thematically, Marc Brown, couldn't have been more apropo, using the much loved Arthur character to challenge his younger sister, D.W., to read ten words. New readers, identifying with D.W., are immediately invested in discovering whether the novice is successful in meeting her older brother's challenge. Marc Brown, does not dissappoint his young fans, as D.W. manages to read ten words and receives her reward (an ice-cream). Brown uses humor extremely well eliciting delighted giggles from young readers as they follow D.W. and Arthur on this immaginative and educational journey. Other bonuses include a review activity, an additional sticker page which allows the child to create their own story, as well as excellent ideas/advice in a "Note to Parents" page.Unfortunately, this is one of very few Arthur: Step into reading books which I have been able to locate which offer the stickers and all the asociated activities. -Victoria Romani ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good Reading for 3rd Graders
Nate the Great is a "great" series for kids in the 2-4th grades. My son enjoys reading about Nate's adventures, and the large selectionof other Nate stories makes it an excellent way to get a kid hooked on reading.

Another book featuring a young girl as the lead character who solves mysteries is "Abby and the Bicycle Caper."

Nate the Great and the Phony Clue
My two boys and I have read all of the Nate the Great books, and this is one of their favorites. If you're paying close attention, you can even spot some clues long before Nate does, and help him solve the case. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Coolest Mystery
Rebecca Ramirez is having a slumber party. Her parents allow her only to invite eight guests. The next day she loses her party invitations and some more very important items for the party. Nancy, her friend, was willing to help her, along with Bess and George too. Some sneaky things go on before the party and during it.
Usually first books are not as good as the rest of a series, but this one seems to be very good. Actually it is the best one I read so far.

THE BEST CHAPTER BOOKS FOR AGES 5+ !...
If your daughter likes chapter books and solving puzzles; then this is a great book for her. The characters come to life and have separate personalities. The stories are simple and fun. I finish one and my daughter immediately wants another book. If I get through all the ones I order online then she wants me to re-read them. They have about 8 chapters so I make it last a week with 2 chapters on the last night. I started my daughter out when she was 3, on the old Raggedy Ann and Andy chapter books which are in reprint now. She had a little bit of a hard time going from a book with all pictures to a book where you imagine most of it. The Nancy Drew stories were a little hard to get started on because her complaint was that the pictures (1 or 2 per chapter) are all black and white drawings. I told her that she can look at the cover to see the color picture. Once she heard the first chapter, she didn't care if it had pictures or not. She was hooked. You know I liked these books so well I just bought my daughter's school a set of 10 for their library. They are really good. If you want your child to start early on reading get them started on this series. I hope that one day my daughter will be reading them to me. :o) Enjoy!

Enjoyed it!
If you like mysteries, you will like this book. It's adventerous, a little scary and fun as Nancy tries to figure out who stole the party invitations from Rebecca.

GREAT READ
This is an excellent childrens book. I read them when I was little. My little cousin Anna just loves them. This is a series that never fails to please the childs mind. It's good for kids who have just started reading short novels.

Fantastic
My daughter is a second grader and I am trying to help her fall in love with reading. This book series is fantastic. I have finally found enjoyable reading at her level that keeps her attention the whole time. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Arthur Meets The President
I think Arthur Meets The President is a great book because the book was interesting and it's very fun to read. I like Marc Brown books because they're fun to read and I really understand the books that I read.

Introduction to the President.
Arthur is so popular that my students tell me the names of the characters. This book will assist me in introducing the president and his role in the US government.

Great Set Induction for lesson!
This book is a fantastic set induction to a unit or lesson on Presidents. The author provides a creative storyline to get the students interested in Presidents. The book disscusses a variety of different subjects relating to the president such as, the White House, diffferent sights in Washington, and how kids can write to the President and get a response. It can also be used to reinforce appropriate letter-writing structure. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make the subject a little more fun for children. Of course, it is filled with fun stuff between Arthur, his pesty sister D.W., and friends.

Everyone loves Arthur
I am a 1st grade teacher. My class and I always enjoy finding out about Arthur and his friends in the books written by Marc Brown. I especially like Arthur Meets the President. I use this book during the month of February as a literature connection to a theme study of presidents. Not only does this title lend itself to my curriculum but it also has a wonderful storyline dealing with a brother/sister relationship with all its ups and downs. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

This Book Is Funny!
This story is about Arthur going to a summer camp. He is nervous about going and gets homesick. He feels lonely at camp. At the end of the story he helps his team win and he finally loves camp. We liked this book because we love Arthur stories.

Homesickness
This book tells about the time Arthur's parents decided to send him off to camp. Arthur isn't sure he wants to go, and is a bit homesick. The children at camp play pranks like setting off smoke bombs, putting frogs in people's beds, and hiding their clothes. Arthur writes home postcards about how lonely he is. He still manages to enjoy himself somewhat, however, when he helps his team win the intercamp scavenger hunt. Arthur fans may get a kick out of this book, as well as kids who dream of going to summer camp. The book about 700 words.

Arthur goes to camp
This was a great book. It was about-facing fears and doing something you don't think you would like. Arthur has to go to camp and he thinks its horrible then he gets there and it starts out bad then gets better as soon as they figure out whose trying to scare them. They end up scaring them right back and winning the scavenger hunt and he has a great time. I think this is for ages 5-10. It teaches kids know matter how bad u may think something is it may not turn out so bad.

Arthur Goes To Camp
In this book Arthur's parents send him to a summer camp with a few of his friends. Arthur wasn't pleased with the idea of spending a summer at camp and it seemed to only get worse. When spooky thing starting happening, the campers decided to investigate, and find out who had been playing the tricks on them, and at the same time, have fun. The book wasn't a bad read, kids between the ages of 3 and 5 would most likely enjoy it.

Arthur Goes to Camp (Cloth)
This book gets three stars primarily because we love Arthur. This story, however, seems a little short changed. It appears that the text version cannot due justice to the idea of Arthur finally feeling comfortable at camp. Arthurs change of heart at the end is a little to quick for the kids to process comfortably. The illistrations are wonderful as always. ... Read more