Hardy Boys 12: Footprints Under the Window

I reread this original 1933 version of "Footprints Under the Window" and really enjoyed it. The book was later revised in 1965 with a completely different story line. I know I read this book as a kid but I didn't remember anything about it. This is one of the notorious Hardy Boys books (along with Mark on the Door and Hidden Harbor) that includes language bordering on racism. And yes, the book is full of "pidgin English" and the Chinese characters are referred to as "Chinamen" but I'm sure that was reflective of a lot of literature of the 1930s. The plot has to do with the smuggling of Chinese into the US because of restrictions on Chinese immigration at the time. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 suspended Chinese immigration and was not repealed until 1943. I know Leslie McFarlane is credited with authoring this book; however, the style seems quite different from some of the earlier books he wrote. But overall, I thought the story was more adult than some of the other volumes. This could have been written by Sax Rohmer, author of the Fu Manchu stories. The Chinese smuggling premise was probably a real occurrence at that time. There was also some humor thrown in - some related to Riley the cop and some dialog on page 116 that could have come out of an Abbot and Costello routine. Cally Shaw and Iola Morton were trying to find out the name of a disguised Chinese dressed as a girl. His name was Tom Wat so when they asked Joe her name, he said "Wat." Of course they heard this as "What" and a dialog reminiscent of "Who's on First" ensues. There were a few things in the book that were more than coincidental and the person who left the Footprints under the window turned out to be someone (I won't give who this is away) who's feet were probably bigger than a size six as measured by the boys. Also, although I love the Gretta cover, the scene where the Chinese are fighting on the dock was not witnessed by the Hardy Boys as shown on the cover. Overall though, I would give this one about an 8 out of 10.

The Hardy Boys become involved in a series of mysteries that involve a foreign dictator, missing people, stolen luggage, and secret work at Micro-Eye, a plant doing some kind of top secret work for the government. Mixed into all this action are mysterious people who run from the Hardys, but also run from those the Hardys believe to be criminals. Furthermore, what does Orrin North, the shipping magnate, have to do with all these mysteries? As the mysteries unfold, the Hardys learn that people who have been smuggled from a Caribbean dictatorship have been disappearing. An investigator sent to learn more has disappeared. It also appears that someone is after the top secret project at Micro-Eye. Perhaps it is not a coincidence that Orrin North's ships are no longer accepting passengers. While this book contains some interesting mysteries, I was less impressed with the action and the story than some of the previous stories. The story is interesting, and you want to get to the end, but the mystery is less well developed than in other books up to this point. While giving four stars is probably being generous, the story seemed worth more than just three stars. However, this book is not the one which I would use as a starting point for the series. Though the Hardy Boys series is written in a relatively archaic fashion, as reading material for an increasingly younger audience they are excellent. The stories were once recommended for children ages 10 to 14. As children are exposed to more violence and seem to require greater levels of stimulation, the recommended age range has move to 9 to 12. I think any child capable of reading some of the challenging words in these books will enjoy them, regardless of how tame most of the action may be. Once a child has reached age 12 or so the stories may be of less interest, but given the combination of mystery and action, these books remain good safe choices for parents who want to know what their children are reading.

This book is my favorite book that I have read in the Hardy Boys series. I have #1-20. The hardy boys are an awesome kids reading series. Even though they were written in the 1930's they are still great books for mystery readers of all ages. If you like this book I reccomend you try some other books in the series. This is a great book!!!!

Frank and Joe Hardy are driving by the MicroEye plant in Bayport when they spot someone trying to break in. Foiling that only leads them to more questions. Who is trying to steal secrets from the plant? Then they rescue a man who jumped overboard from a ship, only to have him run off when they reach land with a mysterious warning about "footprints." Mr. Hardy is out of reach on a case of his own, but important papers of his are stolen from the house. The Hardys have few clues, but they follow them doggedly on a trail that leads them to South America and brings them plenty of danger.I remembered enjoying this book as a kid, and rereading it, I found I enjoyed it again. There is so much happening here, it's almost hard to keep it all straight. And it's certainly hard to figure out how all the pieces will fit together. Yet everything is skillfully woven together in the end for a breathtaking and logical climax.The Hardys are always good for some exciting escapist fun, and this book is no exception.

This book is good for kids. The Hardy Boys protect an ultra-secret camera from spies. It's a classic.