COLLECTORS’ CORNER:
The Happy Hollisters in Spanish and Catalan
Any fan of The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West will recognize the Hollister family as introduced on the back cover of the Spanish-language editions—even those who don’t speak or read Spanish. You might not recognize them by their hair colors, though!
Los Hollister – Spanish Editions – 1965-1972
All 33 volumes of The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West were published in Spanish by Ediciones Toray, S.A., between 1965 and 1972. The series was called Los Hollister, translated to Spanish by Consuelo G. de Ortega. They were printed with “picture covers” on a white background (i.e., the 4-color artwork was printed directly on the front and back covers). Artist Antonio Borrell created the front and back cover art, as well as new one-color (black) interior illustrations for the Spanish series. We do not know why he took liberties with the hair colors shown on the back cover; the translation of their descriptions matches the original English text.
The publication order was changed so that the first six Spanish-language volumes were: 1) Los felices Hollister (The Happy Hollisters); 2) Los Hollister van al rio (The Happy Hollisters on a River Trip); 3) Los Hollister en el castillo de roca (The Happy Hollisters and the Castle Rock Mystery); 4) Los Hollister y las monedas de la suerte (The Happy Hollisters and the Secret of the Lucky Coins); 5) Los Hollister y el idolo misterioso (The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Totem Faces); and 6) Los Hollister en Suiza (The Happy Hollisters and the Swiss Echo Mystery). [Note that in Spanish book titles, only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.]
Els Hollister – Catalan Editions – 1982-1987
Beginning in 1982, all 33 volumes were translated into Catalan as Els Hollister by Albert Vilanova and published by Editions Toray, S.A. [Like standard Spanish, Catalan evolved from Latin, but it is grammatically and phonetically closer to French.] The illustrations created previously by Antonio Borrell were retained for the interiors, but new covers were designed by Antoni Bosch Penalva. The new covers featured unique wraparound artwork on an orange background; the illustrations extended from the front cover across the spine and back cover. [The photograph here shows the Els Hollister collection offered in the 1985 Toray Catalog.]
Los Hollister – Spanish Editions Reissued – 1980s
In the mid-1980s, the Spanish editions were reissued in the orange format with yet another set of new wraparound cover illustrations by artist Salvador Fabá. These volumes used the Ortega translations and the interior illustrations by Antonio Borrell.
Los felices Hollister – Spanish Omnibus – 2011
Fast-forward to 2011. The first six books from the Spanish series were published by RBA Libros/Molino in conjunction with The Happy Hollisters Reissue Project, using the original translations by Consuelo G. de Ortega. They were published in a 588-page omnibus edition, with six books included in a single volume. The omnibus, titled Los felices Hollister, included The Happy Hollisters, The Happy Hollisters on a River Trip, The Happy Hollisters and the Castle Rock Mystery, The Happy Hollisters and the Secret of the Lucky Coins, The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Totem Faces, and The Happy Hollisters and the Swiss Echo Mystery. The orange cover featured the wraparound artwork by Fabá, but there were no interior illustrations.
Los Hollister – Spanish Volumes 1-6 – 2015-2017
Volumes 1-6 were reissued yet again beginning in 2015, but as individual volumes, by RBA Libros, S.A./Molina. The volumes included 1) Los felices Hollister (The Happy Hollisters); 2) Los Hollister van al rio (The Happy Hollisters on a River Trip); 3) Los Hollister en el castillo de roca (The Happy Hollisters and the Castle Rock Mystery); 4) Los Hollister y las monedas de la suerte (The Happy Hollisters and the Secret of the Lucky Coins); 5) Los Hollister y el idolo misterioso (The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Totem Faces); and 6) Los Hollister en Suiza (The Happy Hollisters and the Swiss Echo Mystery). These editions were updated with modernized translations by Mireia Rué and updated covers and interior illustrations by Pedro Rodríquez.
Start Your Spanish or Catalan Collection
Ready to start collection of Los Hollister or Els Hollister? Keep in mind that the translated books were published in a different chronological order than the originals, so the numbers on the spine will not match the order of the English-language originals.
Spanish Titles
The volume numbers shown here are the original numbers; the year shown is the Spanish publication date.
Los felices Hollister/The Happy Hollisters (V1; 1965)
Los Hollister van al río/River Trip (V2; 1965)
Los Hollister en el castillo de roca/Castle Rock Mystery (V23; 1965)
Los Hollister y las monedas de la suerte/Lucky Coins (V22; 1965)
Los Hollister y el ídolo misterioso/Totem Faces (V15; 1965)
Los Hollister en Suiza/Swiss Echo Mystery (V25; 1966)
Los Hollister van al circo/Circus Island (V8; 1966)
Los Hollister en Dinamarca/Little Mermaid Mystery(V18; 1966)
Los Hollister en una aventura espacial/Missile Town (V19; 1967)
Los Hollister van al oeste/Cowboy Mystery (V20; 1967)
Los Hollister van el mar/Sea Gull Beach (V3; 1967)
Los Hollister y el tesoro indio/Indian Treasure (V4; 1967)
Los Hollister y el reloj de cuco/Cuckoo Clock Mystery (V24; 1968)
Los Hollister y la bruja dorada/Golden Witch (V30; 1968)
Los Hollister y el viejo barco/Clipper Ship (V12; 1968)
Los Hollister y el carnaval de hielo/Ice Carnival Mystery (V16; 1968)
Los Hollister en la isla de las tortugas/Sea Turtle Mystery (V26; 1969)
Los Hollister en Italia/Punch and Judy Mystery (V27; 1969)
Los Hollister en el campamento de nieve/Snowflake Camp (V6; 1969)
Los Hollister y el secreto del Fuerte/Secret Fort (V9; 1970)
Los Hollister contra los ladrones/Scarecrow Mystery (V14; 1970)
Los Hollister y el misterio del rancho /Pony Hill Farm (V11; 1970)
Los Hollister y el secreto de las marmotas/Whistle-Pig Mystery (V28; 1970)
Los Hollister y la cueva misteriosa/Monster Mystery (V32; 1970)
Los Hollister y la casa encantada/Haunted House Mystery (V21; 1970)
Los Hollister y el misterio del centro commercial/Trading Post Mystery (V7; 1971)
Los Hollister y la montaña tenebrosa/Mystery Mountain (V5; 1971)
Los Hollister y el secreto del carrusel/Merry-Go-Round Mystery(V10; 1971)
Los Hollister y el tesoro de Puerto Rico/Lizard Cove (V13; 1971)
Los Hollister en Nueva York/Skyscraper City (V17; 1971)
Los Hollister y el misterio del caballo fantasma/Ghost Horse Mystery (V29; 1971)
Los Hollister y el ídolo mejicano/Mexican Idol Mystery (V31; 1971)
Los Hollister y el misterio de los gnomos/Midnight Trolls (V33; 1972)
Catalan Titles
The volume numbers shown here are the original numbers; the year shown is the Catalan publication date.
Els feliços Hollister/The Happy Hollisters (V1; 1982)
Els Hollister al castell de roca/Castle Rock Mystery (V23; 1982)
Els Hollister a Suïssa/Swiss Echo Mystery (V25; 1982)
Els Hollister i les monedes de la sort/Lucky Coins (V22; 1982)
Els Hollister i l’ídol misteriós/Totem Faces (V15; 1982)
Els Hollister se’n van al riu/River Trip (V2; 1982)
Els Hollister i el tresor indi/Indian Treasure (V4; 1983)
Els Hollister se’n van a l’oest/Cowboy Mystery (V20; 1983)
Els Hollister se’n van al mar/Sea Gull Beach (V3; 1983)
Els Hollister i el misteri de Cap Canaveral/Missile Town (V19; 1983)
Els Hollister i el vell vaixell/Clipper Ship (V12; 1984)
Els Hollister i la bruixa daurada/Golden Witch (V30; 1984)
Els Hollister a Dinamarca/Little Mermaid (V18; 1984)
Els Hollister se’n van a Itàlia/Punch and Judy Mystery (V27; 1984)
Els Hollister a l’illa de les tortugues/Sea Turtle Mystery (V26; 1984)
Els Hollister i el rellotge de Cucut/Cuckoo Clock Mystery (V24; 1984)
Els Hollister se’n van al carnaval del gel/Ice Carnival Mystery (V16; 1984)
Els Hollister se’n van al circ/Circus Island (V8; 1984)
Els Hollister i la muntanya tenebrosa/Mystery Mountain (V5; 1984)
Els Hollister al campament de neu/Snowflake Camp (V6; 1985)
Els Hollister contra els lladres/Scarecrow Mystery (V14; 1985)
Els Hollister i el misteri del ranxo/Pony Hill Farm (V11; 1985)
Els Hollister i el secret de les marmotes/Whistle-Pig Mystery (V28; 1985)
Els Hollister i el secret del fort/Secret Fort (V9; 1985)
Els Hollister i la cova misteriosa/Monster Mystery (V32; 1986)
Els Hollister i el secret dels cavallets/Merry-Go-Round Mystery (V10; 1986)
Els Hollister i la casa encisada/Haunted House (V21; 1986)
Els Hollister i el misteri del centre commercial/Trading Post Mystery (V7; 1986)
Els Hollister i el tresor de Puerto Rico/Lizard Cove (V13; 1987)
Els Hollister a Nova York/Mystery in Skyscraper City (V17; 1987)
Els Hollister i el misteri del cavall fantasma/Ghost Horse Mystery (V29; 1987)
Els Hollister i el misteri dels gnoms/Midnight Trolls (V33; 1987)
Els Hollister i l’ídol mexicà/Mexican Idol (V31; 1987)