When your daughter’s a bookworm with an ear for audiobooks, summer can turn into a literary marathon. This summer, she’s been running mighty fast.
The complete A to Z Mysteries series? Check.
Cam Jansen? More than ten of ’em.
Encyclopedia Brown? Nearly a dozen down.
But what happens when you start running low on fresh material?
Enter the Hardy Boys – and my chance to introduce one my childhood faves to a new generation of fan!
Here’s the lowdown:
Frank and Joe Hardy are high school seniors on paper but mature 13-year-olds in appearance (just check out that frontispiece!). Their supporting cast includes Chet (always hungry), Biff (always… there), and interchangeable girlfriends Iola and Callie. Papa Fenton Hardy is a famous detective who sets the family crime-solving bar high.
The formula? Simple but addictive. A mystery appears, the boys investigate, mild peril ensues, and the crime gets solved and the day saved!
Sure, the writing won’t win any literary prizes. But these books offer intriguing puzzles, satisfying resolutions, and solid lessons in character.
So far, we’ve tackled The Tower Treasure during bedtime reading, The Mystery of Cabin Island as car ride entertainment, and The Great Airport Mystery and What Happened at Midnight, which she’s listened to on her own.
The verdict? The Case of the Next Book Series is officially solved… at least until August rolls around!
Learning Together 