Hopping Mad

The Hardy Boys: Secret Files #4

by Franklin W. Dixon, Scott Burroughs (Illustrator)

In Hopping Mad, the boys have to figure out a way to stop their school talent show from being ruined—by raining frogs! Let the sleuthing begin!

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Detective

96 pages, Paperback

First published September 14, 2010

About the author

Franklin W. Dixon is the pen name used by a variety of different authors who were part of a team that wrote The Hardy Boys novels for the Stratemeyer Syndicate (now owned by Simon & Schuster). Dixon was also the writer attributed for the Ted Scott Flying Stories series, published by Grosset & Dunlap.
Canadian author Leslie McFarlane is believed to have written the first sixteen Hardy Boys books, but worked to a detailed plot and character outline for each story. The outlines are believed to have originated with Edward Stratemeyer, with later books outlined by his daughters Edna C. Squier and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams. Edward and Harriet also edited all books in the series through the mid-1960s. Other writers of the original books include MacFarlane's wife Amy, John Button, Andrew E. Svenson, and Adams herself; most of the outlines were done by Adams and Svenson. A number of other writers and editors were recruited to revise the outlines and update the texts in line with a more modern sensibility, starting in the late 1950s.
The principal author for the Ted Scott books was John W. Duffield.

Reviews

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

When frogs start falling from the ceiling at the school talent show it’s fortunate the Hardy boys are in attendance to solve the mystery before everything is cancelled. The school bully has confessed to the incident but is he really the culprit. Luckily the Hardys’ best talents are solving mysteries!

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay last book in the series at this moment and of course the boys get pulled into another case they need to solve in order for them to finish being in the talent show...So in this one the boys signed up to do their favorite scene from the movie "Princess Bride" at the school's talent show but disaster strikes when some frogs decide to join the fun.. 2 young people are up on stage when the frogs drop from the sky and cause an issue so the principle threatens to cancel unless the bad guy/girl fesses up..someone does but not the correct someone so you have 2 read it to find out..

[Vidyuth Gowtham · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son enjoyed this and kept suggesting ways the frogs got loose.

[Richard Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun book, but the outcome to the mystery was pretty lame. Even my kids weren't very impressed.

[FinishingMyTBR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute!

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adorable story! However … I knocked it down a star due to Simon and Schuster needing to find better proofreaders. Seriously. I’m available!!

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute kid-sized mystery! What's good about these is how low-stakes the mystery is: this one is ONLY about who dumped frogs onto the performers during the school talent show.

That said, the solution is a bit odd to me, in that I don't really understand

1. how the culprit didn't seem to have any clue connecting the frogs from the talent show to the frogs that went missing from the science room, and

2. how the frogs ALL went through the ducts together, in a veritable swarm, rather than in multiple directions (including nowhere at all) for the Hardy boys to stumble across when they traced the vent backwards.

So, I don't know. Point off for the weird implausibly, but overall decent. I also like the mini-comic at the end!

[Mr. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book. It made me want to read it again. It was a good book for me to read. I loved that the book had a little adventure in it. I will read the book again.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great to read with my 3rd grade son.

[David Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st read: 4 stars

2nd read: 5 stars because I understood it better.

[TheBookWorm🐛 🐛 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because I like mysteries