Express Train to Trouble: A QUIX Book

Miss Mallard Mysteries

by Robert M. Quackenbush

World-famous duck-tective Miss Mallard works to solve the case of a missing prankster in this Aladdin QUIX mystery.

Miss Mallard sets out to explain the disappearance of George Buddy Duck, a prankster who has aggravated all of the passengers on a train. Will she find him before he has the chance to cause more mayhem?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Chapter Books, Fiction, Childrens

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Author/Artist/Educator Robert Quackenbush has written and illustrated over 200 books for young readers including his popular Miss Mallard Mysteries, which have been made into animated films for children's worldwide television programming by Cinar (now Cookie Jar Entertainment) that are showing in 70 countries. His books have won many awards and citations including an Edgar Allen Poe Special Award for Best Juvenile Mystery, a Gradiva Award, and a gold medal from the Holland Society of New York for distinction in art and literature by a member of the society. He is a frequent visiting author at schools and libraries giving programs to instill children with a love of books and reading. These tours have taken him across the US, including Alaska, South America, Europe, and the Middle East. His art is in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, the Department of Interior, the U.S. Air Force Museum, and Norton Simon Museum. For further information, visit his Web site www.rquackenbush.com, which also gives his Facebook and Blog addresses.

Reviews

[D'ale lui Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trenul expres către necaz

O reinterpretare scurtă a celebrei cărți "Crima din Orient Express", în care protagonistul nu este Hercule Poirot, ci
Miss Mallard si nu investigheazăo crima, ci o dispariție. Este o rață detectiv de faimă mondială, iar trenul face turul Valea Regilor din Egipt.
Alături de ea se mai află Sir Reginald Baldpate, Lady Teal, profesorul Buffehead și enervantul, stresantul George Russy Duck ce face numai glumite de prost gust.
Agasantul George Russy dispare, iar Miss Mllard trebuie să descopere ce s-a întâmplat pentru a nu fi pătată reputația acestui tren.

Mi-a plăcut că are un glosar la final unde explică semnificația unor cuvinte, dar si ideea de a adresa câteva întrebări despre carte, asta pentru a testa vigilenta cititorilor.
Această serie cere atenția la detalii, si la cunoștințele cititorului, adică numarul de umbrele nu a coincis cu numarul de persoane din castel, iar tigrii nu trăiesc în Africa, de aici a reușit să-si dea seama că prosesorul este un impostor.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: At breakfast on the luxurious Nile Express, chaos broke out in the dining car. The world-famous ducktective, Miss Mallard, could not believe her eyes.

Premise/plot: When one of the train's passengers goes missing it is up to Miss Mallard to solve the mystery and find him in time. The passenger who disappears is a prankster who has given all the others ample reasons not to like him. But who has motive enough to want him gone?

My thoughts: I enjoyed the Miss Mallard mystery that I reviewed yesterday. I did. It was fun. It was enjoyable. But I enjoyed this one more. Perhaps because of the setting--a train in Egypt. Perhaps because it wasn't quite as silly.

I wish my library had more than just the two books. I would read them one and all if I could track them all down.

Original audience born circa 1974 to 1976.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Mallard is on the Nile Express train for a tour of the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The tour is not as pleasant as many had hoped thanks to the annoying pranks one member keeps pulling. When he disappears, it is up to Miss Mallard to find the missing prankster and who absconded with him.

A very nice little mystery. There are some good clues given in the middle that kids should easily be able to pick up on but aren't so glaringly easy to solve that they are insulting. Instead, it should make little sleuths feel like they have the skills to solve this mystery. The story has elements that definitely give nods to some of Agatha Christie's most famous mysteries. Highly recommended to little sleuths just getting the hang of using their magnifying glasses and little grey cells.

No content issues.

[Ramona Cantaragiu · Rating 2 out of 5]

The problem with Miss Mallard is that the mysteries are grown up mysteries which have nothing to do with children's interests. For example, in the story I have read someone stole a precious document with the names of some families which had moved to Texas a long time ago... children at this age (bear in mind this is for very young readers) don't care about that. In addition, while attempts at red herrings are done there is not much sleughting going on and the solution comes too soon for my taste. I would rather have less intro and more mystery.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This title is one of the "Miss Mallard Mystery" series. Great for emerging readers who want the challenge of a book that is longer than a beginner level reader but still has illustrations. The word list at the back of the title is a nice feature, as are the questions. Terrific title and fun illustrations - looking forward to the rest of the series.

[Nanny B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to get a child hooked on mysteries. 🔎📚💜

[Tim Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too short to be a real classic, but great fun all the same.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death on the Nile meets Murder on the Orient Express for lower grade readers in this Agatha Christie inspired series about a duck solving mysteries. I adore this idea for younger readers- bringing real literature and class to meet them at their level. I also really like that there are actual clues that the observant reader can pick up on to solve the mystery themselves.

The text level is very simple and there are pictures on nearly every page, so I would suggest this for kids who have started reading short, color picture, chapter books like Henry and Mudge - The First Book but are ready for the next step before longer chapter books with few pictures and no color.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first book I remember buying was a Robert Quackenbush. He had come to our school, gave a talk and autographed books. I still have the only one that I could afford some thirty five years later. That said I jumped on the ebook availability with my local library when I saw a Miss Mallard mystery. Simple but mostly nostalgic, the illustrations take me back to my first Quackenbush books.

With that preface stated, this particular one was not as interesting and the mystery was more pulled out of the air. This one rates just a two-star (it was ok).

[Christine Turner]

Description: 64 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm
Series Title: Quix fast fun reads