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Original Bobbsey Twins #57

The Bobbsey Twins and the Greek Hat Mystery

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A strange note in a fur hat -- two Greek words and a drawing of a bull's horns! That's all it takes to arouse the curioisity of the Bobbsey Twins.
If a square white box had not fallen off a speeding bicycle -- if the twins had not located the owner and returned the box -- if a letter from Athens had not arrived at that very moment -- the Bobbseys' surprise visit to Greece would not have been enhanced by mystery.
A tour of the Acropolis in Athens is very exciting, but exploring the ruins of the ancient palace of Knossos in Crete proves to be even more so. Here, Flossie is lost in its puzzling labyrinth, and Freddie uncovers a valuable tiny bronze chariot in a deep stone pit.
En route to Delphi, Bert observes a familiar-looking bundle of fur in a truck found smashed against a boulder, and Nan finds herself directly in the path of a huge rock which comes hurtling down the mountainside.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1964

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About the author

Laura Lee Hope

602 books79 followers
Laura 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

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5 stars
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23 (31%)
3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Profile Image for Laura Edwards.
1,198 reviews15 followers
August 10, 2020
Despite a lot of interesting facts about Greece throughout the story, this was not one of my favorite Bobbsey Twins books as a kid and I can't say I enjoyed it any better as an adult. I think the reason is because all the facts really bog down the story. The best books in this series tend to be action-packed and "The Greek Hat Mystery" just was not.
Profile Image for Tommy Verhaegen.
2,984 reviews8 followers
July 20, 2020
Twee tweelingen die ondertussen al heel wat (detective)avonturen beleefden vertrekken met hun ouders op vakantie naar Griekenland. Daar beleven ze opnieuw een avontuur dat begon en eindigt in Nederland.
De lezer krijgt heel veel achtergondinformatie over Griekenland: de mensen, de geschiedenis, de cultuur, folklore, natuur, taal en de regio's en steden. Na het lezen van dit boek zal de gemiddelde lezer er dan ook meer van weten dan de vriendjes/vriendinnetjes. Altijd meegenomen natuurlijk.
Een deel van 1 van de grootste en bekendste Amerikaanse jeugdseries is natuurlijk bovengemiddeld en de moeite waard. Toch voel je goed de tand des tijds: geen gsm en internet, alle afspraken gaan nog per brief. Wat de schrijfster niet weerhoudt om er een heel hoog tempo op na te houden. De kinderen vliegen (soms letterlijk) van de ene plaats en gebeurtenis naar de andere. Overal is wel wat te beleven al komen ze nooit echt in gevaar, integendeel volwassen criminelen zien hen als een bedreiging.
Ontspannend, lichtvoetig en volgepropt met aktie en wetenswaardigheden. Dat impliceert ook wel een ingewikkelde plot en het geheel komt niet erg waarschijnlijk over. Jeugdige lezers, en dat is toch wel de doelgroep, gaan daar niet wakker van liggen, dus aan te raden. Kan op zichzelf gelezen worden, het is niet nodig om de vorige delen van de reeks gelezen te hebben. Gelukkig maar, wat de Nederlandse uitgver respekteerde de Amerikaanse volgorde niet.
Profile Image for Alyson.
213 reviews19 followers
September 3, 2016
I read tons of Bobbsey Twins books as a kid, so this was a fun nostalgic trip to Greece, the early 60s, and my childhood.

What I was really surprised about is how well these books are researched, how much time must have gone into each one, and how well written these are, even reading them as an adult.

I want to re-read some more of these and see how they hold up, but this one definitely delivered. It is a fun, innocent romp through Greece with the sleuthing set of twins. I can't wait til my son is old enough to start reading these!
Profile Image for Niranjanah.
14 reviews25 followers
Read
April 23, 2013
This was one book in my childhood, which made me want to go to Greece....hopefully that will soon come true. Grekam, im coming for ya!!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews