What do you think?
Rate this book
The Happy Hollisters #29
Los Hollister y el misterio del caballo fantasma
Not long after the Hollisters, Indy and Emmy Rhodes arrive on Wicket-ee-nock Island, they discover that something is very much amiss. The Franklins, who live on the island, seem to be hiding something in their barn. The Franklins warn them not to go near the barn! A prowler is seen near the abandoned inn where the Hollisters are staying. Later, their belongings are ransacked, and they receive a fake telegram, supposedly from Mrs. Hollister, ordering them to return home. Then, one night, the ghost horse looks eerily out of the fog. When the Hollisters realize that someone is trying to scare them off the island, they are determined to find out why. A man with a beard and a foreign accent saves them from drowning, but, then disappears into the night. A pair of Lipizzan horses, a scrap of paper bearing a coat-of-arms, and a secret tunnel, provide several clues, and after experiencing some harrowing moments, the Hollisters set out to find the valuable diamond encrusted coat-of-arms that is the heart of the mystery of the ghost horse! In the process, they learn a great deal about the work of the Audubon Society and about the training of the world-famous Lipizzaners.
196 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1965
36 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Jerry West
92 books51 followersThe Happy Hollisters by Jerry West was actually written by Andrew E. Svenson, a prolific yet somewhat anonymous, writer of books for children. Jerry West was the pen name assigned to Svenson when he started writing The Happy Hollisters for the Stratemeyer Syndicate. The Stratemeyer Syndicate was a book packager, well-known for its development of children’s book series including Tom Swift, The Bobbsey Twins, The Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew. Many of these series were intended to have long publishing lives, and were written by multiple authors using the same pseudonym. The Happy Hollisters, however, were all written by Andrew Svenson, whose identity as Jerry West was kept secret until several years after his death in 1975.
Andrew Svenson was born in Belleville, NJ, in 1910, and his interest in writing started early. He was editor of his high school newspaper and yearbook at Barringer High School in Newark, and then went on to study Creative Writing at the University of Pittsburgh. After his graduation in 1932, he worked as a reporter and editor for the Newark Star Eagle and the Newark Evening News. He also taught creative writing courses at Rutgers University and Upsala College.
Andrew Svenson was encouraged by his friend Howard Garis (author of Uncle Wiggily) to try his hand at juvenile fiction. He joined the Stratemeyer Syndicate as a writer in 1948, where he contributed to established series as Franklin W. Dixon (The Hardy Boys) and as Laura Lee Hope (The Bobbsey Twins). The first volume in his own original series, The Happy Hollisters, was published in 1953 by Doubleday & Company, and he was made a partner in the Stratemeyer Syndicate in 1961. As he wrote and developed 33 titles in The Happy Hollisters, he was also creating additional series for children under other pen names: Bret King by Dan Scott and The Tollivers by Alan Stone, one of the first series written about and for African-American children.
Under various pseudonyms, Andrew Svenson wrote more than 70 adventure and mystery novels for children, which were published in 17 languages and sold millions of copies. The Hollister family was modeled on his own family and he often used actual Svenson family events and travels as the foundation for The Happy Hollisters books. He also kept copious newspaper clippings for story ideas, and interviewed hundreds of school children and teachers for additional suggestions. These ideas were then worked into his storylines, adding an educational element that was appreciated by parents and educators alike. The children loved the stories for their elements of danger and excitement geared to their comprehension level.
After his death in 1975, the Stratemeyer Syndicate assigned all rights to The Happy Hollisters to his widow, Marian Svenson; they subsequently became the property of The Hollister Family Properties Trust. The current publication was initiated by Andrew E. Svenson III, grandson of the author, on behalf of The Hollister Family Properties Trust.
Andrew Svenson was born in Belleville, NJ, in 1910, and his interest in writing started early. He was editor of his high school newspaper and yearbook at Barringer High School in Newark, and then went on to study Creative Writing at the University of Pittsburgh. After his graduation in 1932, he worked as a reporter and editor for the Newark Star Eagle and the Newark Evening News. He also taught creative writing courses at Rutgers University and Upsala College.
Andrew Svenson was encouraged by his friend Howard Garis (author of Uncle Wiggily) to try his hand at juvenile fiction. He joined the Stratemeyer Syndicate as a writer in 1948, where he contributed to established series as Franklin W. Dixon (The Hardy Boys) and as Laura Lee Hope (The Bobbsey Twins). The first volume in his own original series, The Happy Hollisters, was published in 1953 by Doubleday & Company, and he was made a partner in the Stratemeyer Syndicate in 1961. As he wrote and developed 33 titles in The Happy Hollisters, he was also creating additional series for children under other pen names: Bret King by Dan Scott and The Tollivers by Alan Stone, one of the first series written about and for African-American children.
Under various pseudonyms, Andrew Svenson wrote more than 70 adventure and mystery novels for children, which were published in 17 languages and sold millions of copies. The Hollister family was modeled on his own family and he often used actual Svenson family events and travels as the foundation for The Happy Hollisters books. He also kept copious newspaper clippings for story ideas, and interviewed hundreds of school children and teachers for additional suggestions. These ideas were then worked into his storylines, adding an educational element that was appreciated by parents and educators alike. The children loved the stories for their elements of danger and excitement geared to their comprehension level.
After his death in 1975, the Stratemeyer Syndicate assigned all rights to The Happy Hollisters to his widow, Marian Svenson; they subsequently became the property of The Hollister Family Properties Trust. The current publication was initiated by Andrew E. Svenson III, grandson of the author, on behalf of The Hollister Family Properties Trust.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 7, 2020
These books are some of my most treasured possessions from my childhood. Many of my collected books from the series were from each of my parents when THEY were little, and I continue to collect the books when I come across them at antique stores.
November 12, 2018
The Happy Hollisters books are wonderful; and there's 33 of them!
The Hollisters are such a nice and close-knit family, and they have so much fun together, whether it's playing, working at the family store, ... or solving a mystery together! Each one of the Hollister children - Pete (12), Pam (10), Ricky (7), Holly (6) and Sue (4) - plays an important role in finding clues, along with their parents who are always ready to join in on the excitement. These books remind me a lot of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books, but with a whole family!
They're wholesome, reinforce family unity and have that ol' fashion charm. There's some good life lessons tucked away in here.
Cleanliness: Swell, Jeepers, by George, Cricket, Goodness, Gee, Golly, Gracious, and the like are all used throughout book. Some people think there is a ghost horse but there is not. There is a mean bully in the story (that is cast negatively) and the children learn not to be like him and how to handle his meanness. Two boys get in a fist fight (it is with a bully).
Parent Takeaway
The Hollisters are a nice and close-knit family that have so much fun together, whether it's playing, working at the family store, or solving a mystery together. The bully in the story is not portrayed positively, but is there for a lesson of not only what type of child not to be, but how to respond and behave around someone that is mean. Some good life lessons tucked away in here.
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!
Visit my website!
The Hollisters are such a nice and close-knit family, and they have so much fun together, whether it's playing, working at the family store, ... or solving a mystery together! Each one of the Hollister children - Pete (12), Pam (10), Ricky (7), Holly (6) and Sue (4) - plays an important role in finding clues, along with their parents who are always ready to join in on the excitement. These books remind me a lot of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books, but with a whole family!
They're wholesome, reinforce family unity and have that ol' fashion charm. There's some good life lessons tucked away in here.
Cleanliness: Swell, Jeepers, by George, Cricket, Goodness, Gee, Golly, Gracious, and the like are all used throughout book. Some people think there is a ghost horse but there is not. There is a mean bully in the story (that is cast negatively) and the children learn not to be like him and how to handle his meanness. Two boys get in a fist fight (it is with a bully).
Parent Takeaway
The Hollisters are a nice and close-knit family that have so much fun together, whether it's playing, working at the family store, or solving a mystery together. The bully in the story is not portrayed positively, but is there for a lesson of not only what type of child not to be, but how to respond and behave around someone that is mean. Some good life lessons tucked away in here.
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!
Visit my website!
September 9, 2020
Clean wholesome fun. Entertaining and a lot of information about the Audubon's Society's activities during this time as well as information about some special horses.
February 21, 2019
The Happy Hollisters only get better as the series goes on. Each book blends into the next, and yet can work as a stand alone if you are not reading them in order. For example, going into this story the children are on their way home from New Mexico when they are waylaid by a pink seagull. They wonder who might be painting the seagulls and learn all about a preservation effort going on along the New England coast. This leads them to their next mystery: they want to determine what is causing the so-called ghost horse that is scaring people, including the well-meaning Audubon society, off of Wicket-ee-nock Island. They find that one mystery blossoms into several, and bravely face danger in order to solve them all.
These young sleuths, brothers and sisters based out of New England who travel far and wide to solve mysteries and have adventures, are a barrel of laughs. The kids are precocious but never annoying, and they get into many scrapes as you'd imagine but always come out alright in the end. They have great heart in trying to help others, and serve as wonderful role models for kids with their work ethic. Still, kids will be kids, and so Ricky can't help but want to set off flares and Sue goes exactly where she's not supposed to go. The Happy Hollisters are always a delight; I loved them as a child and still enjoy reading them as an adult.
These young sleuths, brothers and sisters based out of New England who travel far and wide to solve mysteries and have adventures, are a barrel of laughs. The kids are precocious but never annoying, and they get into many scrapes as you'd imagine but always come out alright in the end. They have great heart in trying to help others, and serve as wonderful role models for kids with their work ethic. Still, kids will be kids, and so Ricky can't help but want to set off flares and Sue goes exactly where she's not supposed to go. The Happy Hollisters are always a delight; I loved them as a child and still enjoy reading them as an adult.
May 14, 2021
The Happy Hollisters and the Ghost Horse Mystery (Happy Hollisters, #29)
This one starts while kids and Indy and his sister are on their way back home from the last adventure.
a pink sea gull, how cool is that and to find out why and they go help the adventure along and hope to find other signs of the ghost on the island.
Never heard of short sheeting, so funny! Love the techniques they learn and all about the horses. Am familiar with them but more mysteries arise.
This one starts while kids and Indy and his sister are on their way back home from the last adventure.
a pink sea gull, how cool is that and to find out why and they go help the adventure along and hope to find other signs of the ghost on the island.
Never heard of short sheeting, so funny! Love the techniques they learn and all about the horses. Am familiar with them but more mysteries arise.
December 22, 2024
Muy buena lectura, interesante y atrapante trama literaria.
March 24, 2016
Los Hollister es la serie de libros que me inició definitivamente en la lectura. Recuerdo haber leído el primero y, con todo el dinero que había ahorrado por mi primera comunión y en todos los años anteriores, ir a por los 32 restantes, que costaban 600 pelas cada uno. Los compré todos en la feria del libro de Ceuta, lo recuerdo perfectamente, y volví a mi casa con dos bolsas y una mochila llenas de libros, que me duraron tres meses exactamente, para sorpresa/preocupación de mi madre.
Cada libro es el mismo, con aventuras algo diferentes, y con los mismo personajes, que no evolucionan nada en toda la serie. Pete, Pam, Holly, Ricky, Sue, puedo recitar sus nombres treinta años después sin consultarlo. Yo siempre fui de los Hollister, despreciando a quieres eran de los siete secretos, los Cinco o (puaj) Puck.
Junto a Mortadelo, los tres investigadores de Alfred Hitchcock y (a petición de mi padre) las aventuras de Guillermo, comenzaron a formar mi universo lector. Y por ello, aunque sean libros de lo más intrascendente, los considero fundamentales.
Cada libro es el mismo, con aventuras algo diferentes, y con los mismo personajes, que no evolucionan nada en toda la serie. Pete, Pam, Holly, Ricky, Sue, puedo recitar sus nombres treinta años después sin consultarlo. Yo siempre fui de los Hollister, despreciando a quieres eran de los siete secretos, los Cinco o (puaj) Puck.
Junto a Mortadelo, los tres investigadores de Alfred Hitchcock y (a petición de mi padre) las aventuras de Guillermo, comenzaron a formar mi universo lector. Y por ello, aunque sean libros de lo más intrascendente, los considero fundamentales.
March 5, 2011
They were driving along and they found a pink seagull. And they took it to the animal hospital (veterinarian). The vet said the seagull came from an island that they trap and paint the seagulls. They got to go to that island and take it back. They painted some seagulls while there. First Pam and Pete saw the ghost horse. The people who own the island Wicket-ee-nock had two white horses and the passageway through the rock came up through a hole to the barn and that's how the robber man got in. He used the horses to pretend they were ghosts to scare everybody off. A man got the coat of arms back and gave it to the king in Germany.
The owners got the treasure back and gave it to the King, which made me happy.
The owners got the treasure back and gave it to the King, which made me happy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews