On a recent trip to the local library my daughter headed straight for the Encyclopedia Brown series and picked one of the 20 or so titles. Donald Sobol, a World War II veteran, began the series in 1963 and published the latest title in 2007. Hopefully he will continue to write these delightful books.
Although there are plenty of titles to choose from, each book can be consumed in tiny nibbles because each episode, written as a separate chapter and usually less than 10 pages, contains a single mystery.
The nature of the mysteries are small, like the length of each episode: “No case is too small for Encyclopedia Brown,” writes 10-year-old Leroy Brown. Leroy has been nicknamed Encyclopedia Brown because of his encyclopedic knowledge.
He solves cases involving pranks and lies of neighborhood children (with the young villain Bugs Meany appearing in many of the stories), but also cases for his father, the city police chief, who has garnered a reputation in his community. These cases may include robbery and even kidnapping, but no one knows who is really behind their resolution.
Encyclopedia can smell a lie a mile away, although it is the clues in the stories, all fairly presented, that really allow him (and the readers) to solve the cases. His approach, Sherlock Holmes-like, is to notice all the sensory details in the case, and find those that just don’t fit together.
Children are encouraged to look for clues, too, along the way because each mystery is left as a riddle for the reader. The explanation of the case’s solution is at the back of the book.
If your child wants some light reading this summer, “Encyclopedia Brown” is perfect. It can be picked up and set down quickly between other more active pastimes.
Although there are plenty of titles to choose from, each book can be consumed in tiny nibbles because each episode, written as a separate chapter and usually less than 10 pages, contains a single mystery.
The nature of the mysteries are small, like the length of each episode: “No case is too small for Encyclopedia Brown,” writes 10-year-old Leroy Brown. Leroy has been nicknamed Encyclopedia Brown because of his encyclopedic knowledge.
He solves cases involving pranks and lies of neighborhood children (with the young villain Bugs Meany appearing in many of the stories), but also cases for his father, the city police chief, who has garnered a reputation in his community. These cases may include robbery and even kidnapping, but no one knows who is really behind their resolution.
Encyclopedia can smell a lie a mile away, although it is the clues in the stories, all fairly presented, that really allow him (and the readers) to solve the cases. His approach, Sherlock Holmes-like, is to notice all the sensory details in the case, and find those that just don’t fit together.
Children are encouraged to look for clues, too, along the way because each mystery is left as a riddle for the reader. The explanation of the case’s solution is at the back of the book.
If your child wants some light reading this summer, “Encyclopedia Brown” is perfect. It can be picked up and set down quickly between other more active pastimes.
