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Bobbsey Twins #3
The Dune Buggy Mystery
The mystery surrounding a dune buggy bought at the town dump deepens when the vehicle is stolen.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
28 people want to read
About the author
Laura Lee Hope
580 books79 followersLaura Lee Hope is a pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate for the Bobbsey Twins and several other series of children's novels. Actual writers taking up the pen of Laura Lee Hope include Edward Stratemeyer, Howard and Lilian Garis, Elizabeth Ward, Harriet (Stratemeyer) Adams, Andrew E. Svenson, June M. Dunn, Grace Grote and Nancy Axelrad.
Laura Lee Hope was first used in 1904 for the debut of the Bobbsey Twins, the principal characters of what was, for many years, the Stratemeyer Syndicate's longest-running series of children's novels. Other series written under this pseudonym include: The Outdoor Girls (23 vols. 1913-1933), The Moving Picture Girls (7 vols. 1914-1916), Bunny Brown (20 vols. 1916-1931), Six Little Bunkers (14 vols. 1918-1930), Make Believe Stories (12 vols. c. 1920-1923), and Blythe Girls (12 vols. 1925-1932).
The first of the 72 books of the Bobbsey Twins series was published in 1904, the last in 1979. The books related the adventures of the children of the middle-class Bobbsey family, which included two sets of mixed-gender fraternal twins: Bert and Nan, who were 12 years old, and Flossie and Freddie, who were six.
Edward Stratemeyer himself is believed to have written the first volume in its original form in 1904. When the original series was brought to its conclusion in 1979, it had reached a total of 72 volumes. At least two abortive attempts to restart the series were launched after this, but in neither effort was the popularity of the original series achieved.
Speculation that Stratemeyer also wrote the second and third volumes of the series is believed to be incorrect; these books are now attributed to Lilian Garis, wife of Howard Garis, who is credited with volumes 4–28 and 41. Elizabeth Ward is credited with volumes 29–35, while Harriet Stratemeyer Adams is credited with 36–38, 39 (with Camilla McClave), 40, 42, 43 (with Andrew Svenson), and 44–48. Volumes 49–52 are attributed to Andrew Svenson, while 53–59, and the 1960s rewrites of 1–4, 7, 11–13, and 17, are attributed to June Dunn. Grace Grote is regarded as the real author of 60–67 and the rewrites of 14 and 18–20, and Nancy Axelrad is credited with 68–72. Of the 1960s rewrites not already mentioned, volumes 5 and 16 are credited to Mary Donahoe, 6 and 25 to Patricia Doll, 8–10 and 15 to Bonnibel Weston, and 24 to Margery Howard.
--from Wikipedia
Laura Lee Hope was first used in 1904 for the debut of the Bobbsey Twins, the principal characters of what was, for many years, the Stratemeyer Syndicate's longest-running series of children's novels. Other series written under this pseudonym include: The Outdoor Girls (23 vols. 1913-1933), The Moving Picture Girls (7 vols. 1914-1916), Bunny Brown (20 vols. 1916-1931), Six Little Bunkers (14 vols. 1918-1930), Make Believe Stories (12 vols. c. 1920-1923), and Blythe Girls (12 vols. 1925-1932).
The first of the 72 books of the Bobbsey Twins series was published in 1904, the last in 1979. The books related the adventures of the children of the middle-class Bobbsey family, which included two sets of mixed-gender fraternal twins: Bert and Nan, who were 12 years old, and Flossie and Freddie, who were six.
Edward Stratemeyer himself is believed to have written the first volume in its original form in 1904. When the original series was brought to its conclusion in 1979, it had reached a total of 72 volumes. At least two abortive attempts to restart the series were launched after this, but in neither effort was the popularity of the original series achieved.
Speculation that Stratemeyer also wrote the second and third volumes of the series is believed to be incorrect; these books are now attributed to Lilian Garis, wife of Howard Garis, who is credited with volumes 4–28 and 41. Elizabeth Ward is credited with volumes 29–35, while Harriet Stratemeyer Adams is credited with 36–38, 39 (with Camilla McClave), 40, 42, 43 (with Andrew Svenson), and 44–48. Volumes 49–52 are attributed to Andrew Svenson, while 53–59, and the 1960s rewrites of 1–4, 7, 11–13, and 17, are attributed to June Dunn. Grace Grote is regarded as the real author of 60–67 and the rewrites of 14 and 18–20, and Nancy Axelrad is credited with 68–72. Of the 1960s rewrites not already mentioned, volumes 5 and 16 are credited to Mary Donahoe, 6 and 25 to Patricia Doll, 8–10 and 15 to Bonnibel Weston, and 24 to Margery Howard.
--from Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 15, 2024
PUT A HELMET ON, YOU KIDS.
Also, I didn't know Mr. Bobbsey had it in him. Where's the book about his story?
This was fun to read to the 7 year old. He demanded I give it 10 stars. We'll call 5 a compromise.
Also, I didn't know Mr. Bobbsey had it in him. Where's the book about his story?
This was fun to read to the 7 year old. He demanded I give it 10 stars. We'll call 5 a compromise.
April 7, 2020
I would have liked Kelly to be in the book a bit more-she was basically just there to cry and give Nan and Flossie a moment to hear her woes so the Bobbseys would have a good deed to do and forward the story. She didn't seem "real" if that makes sense.
I know these books were copied from the Tolliver series, but I don't see why the Bobbseys had to be on vacation-unlike the last book, no real exotic locales came up, and the story would have worked just as well if they were home. The two bullies could have been condensed to Danny Rugg (the usual baddie in the Bobbsey series), and their friends could have been Nellie Parks, and the boy who is Bert's friend in the series whose name escapes me at the moment.
Anyway, one question was answered-I guess in the Bobbseryverse, 16 is too young to have a drivers license as they explain at some point. It was kind of thrilling to see the story unfold where we know some cloud hangs over Mark and his buggy and then figure out what.
An old thing though-you know how chapters a lot of times end on a suspenseful cliffhanger? Well, the note Mark's mother read just said that Mark's rent on the garage was due-it would have been more thrilling to get a threat from the baddies about selling the buggy or else-or some such.
To me, the Wanderer series is kind of an interrim between the old original series (which is just chapter adventures) and the New Bobbsey Twins series from the late 80s/early 90s. I know I sound like a broken record, but I just think that series was the pinnacle of the whole franchise. Still to give my rankings, this book falls in the middle thus far. The first book (Blue Poodle) I didn't like too much, and the second (Pirate's Cave), I loved. This one isn't a clunker like #1, but not an awesome volume like #2. I guess I give #3 the Dune Buggy Mystery a 5 out of 10
I know these books were copied from the Tolliver series, but I don't see why the Bobbseys had to be on vacation-unlike the last book, no real exotic locales came up, and the story would have worked just as well if they were home. The two bullies could have been condensed to Danny Rugg (the usual baddie in the Bobbsey series), and their friends could have been Nellie Parks, and the boy who is Bert's friend in the series whose name escapes me at the moment.
Anyway, one question was answered-I guess in the Bobbseryverse, 16 is too young to have a drivers license as they explain at some point. It was kind of thrilling to see the story unfold where we know some cloud hangs over Mark and his buggy and then figure out what.
An old thing though-you know how chapters a lot of times end on a suspenseful cliffhanger? Well, the note Mark's mother read just said that Mark's rent on the garage was due-it would have been more thrilling to get a threat from the baddies about selling the buggy or else-or some such.
To me, the Wanderer series is kind of an interrim between the old original series (which is just chapter adventures) and the New Bobbsey Twins series from the late 80s/early 90s. I know I sound like a broken record, but I just think that series was the pinnacle of the whole franchise. Still to give my rankings, this book falls in the middle thus far. The first book (Blue Poodle) I didn't like too much, and the second (Pirate's Cave), I loved. This one isn't a clunker like #1, but not an awesome volume like #2. I guess I give #3 the Dune Buggy Mystery a 5 out of 10
April 2, 2021
I honestly resented that it was written for the girls to just make sandwiches in this book while the boys solved the mystery and had all the fun. Urgh. I much prefer the original Bobbsey Twins book series.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews