Why The Happy Hollisters are Great Summer Reading Adventures!
The Happy Hollisters, written by Andrew E. Svenson under the pseudonym “Jerry West,” is the perfect series of mystery books for children. These classic youth mystery novels are a great way to improve reading skills and enhance critical thinking, and they are simply great fun for today’s young readers, punctuating exciting adventures with old-school values and charm. There are 33 books in total, and we’ve put together some of our favorites that are perfect for summer reading:
The Happy Hollisters at Sea Gull Beach
Nothing quite says summer like going to the beach, so why not sit back and read about the Hollister children having their own seafaring adventure? It starts off with the kids putting on a play about pirates, but quickly turns into another exciting mystery, thanks to a gift sent to them by their Uncle Russ. This takes them to Sea Gull Beach to look for the treasure of a sunken ship, which leads to everything from a seaside rescue to a kite-flying contest.
The Happy Hollisters and the Monster Mystery
Excitement and intrigue abound in this amazing Hollisters adventure that just might include creatures from outer space! After a series of mysterious UFO sightings in Shoreham, the children are faced with a set of strange footprints, a stolen doll, and other interesting clues. This sends them on the trail of a potential monster, which leads to a mysterious airplane, pilot, and kidnapping that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The Happy Hollisters at Circus Island
In this story, the Hollister family makes their way to Circus Island in Florida with the intention of purchasing a houseboat. This leads them to a group of circus dog thieves that have put circus employees and the entire community on edge. As they dive deeper into the mystery, they discover what the thieves are doing is much worse than they originally thought. During this adventure, the Hollisters will be involved with a tumbling act, tightrope walking, and maybe even a clown or two.
The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery at Missile Town
The Hollister family is filled with amazing people! Uncle Walt, rocket genius extraordinaire, is no exception. When an unmanned missile explodes and its nose cone gets lost at sea, this sends the Hollisters on yet another exciting adventure. This time, however, they’re competing against a group of nefarious treasure hunters to see who can locate the nose cone first, which may determine whether future launchings occur at all.
The Happy Hollisters on a River Trip
The Hollisters love to visit the water when the sun’s out, which makes this river trip the perfect time to relax and enjoy themselves. Of course, it doesn’t take long before they’re thrust into another mystery after catching a large fish with a curious tag on its tail. This takes them to the Muskong River where they’ll encounter unusual wildlife, get lost in the fog, and make several surprise discoveries as they hunt down their missing friend, Bobby Reed.
The Happy Hollisters and the Whistle-Pig Mystery
This incredible story takes the Hollister children to historic New England, where they discover that masked bandits have stolen nearly a million dollars. At the same time, they learn that a carved wooden Indian has vanished from a nearby museum. Are these two occurrences related somehow? This is exactly what the Hollisters set out to discover in this adventure that will ultimately involve a kidnapping, an old, covered bridge, a hurricane, and a family of groundhogs known to locals as “whistle-pigs.”
The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery in Skyscraper City
After finding a letter written in Chinese tucked away in an old book about New York tunnels, the Hollisters have another mystery on their hands. Luckily, Mr. Hollister has just been invited to New York as a consultant for a “Soaring Satellite” toy, which gives his children the perfect opportunity to set forth on an adventure. While exploring New York City and Chinatown, the Hollisters will have a wonderful vacation while solving an intriguing mystery.
Contact The Happy Hollisters for Summer Reading Adventures
The Happy Hollisters is a classic children’s book series that lends itself to summer reading and year-round adventures. If you have any questions about any of the 33 books in the set, visit the Happy Hollisters store or become a member of The Happy Hollisters Book Club today!