Schoolhouse Mystery

ISBN 0807572632 - I find myself amazed that I, childhood (and lifelong) fan of the Bobbsey Twins, Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, the Hardy Boys and others... I somehow missed the Boxcar Children until now. Don't let this happen to you! In Schoolhouse Mystery, Benny is challenged by his friend Max to visit a dull, boring fishing town and find something, anything, in the way of adventure there. The Alden children and their grandfather do just that, with a little help. Between making friends and teaching at the local schoolhouse, the children notice a suspicious man who is hailed by the people in the town as something of a hero, offering money and gifts in exchange for very old things they believe are junk. The Aldens set out to find out what he's up to and who he is before he - and they - leave town! I didn't like the illustrations in this book at all. I realize the book is copyrighted 1965, but they're selling it in 2005 and it would be nice if the illustrations were updated to make them a bit more attractive. I did have some trouble with the ages of the kids - one is old enough to drive but they all seem to speak like very young kids - and the "Boxcar Children" is a misnomer by this book, #10, as they are already out of the boxcar and living with the grandfather. But that's nit-picking. The fact is, kids won't care about anything but the fact that it's a good book and a fun series. - AnnaLovesBooks

Schoolhouse Mystery was good. When Benny's friend Max challenges him to go to a little town that he says has no mystery, they ask Elizabeth Gray, who owns the schoolhouse, she lets Benny, Jessie, Violet and Henry be school teachers. One day in school, Benny's student Isabelle tellls him about The Money Man, Mr. Fred Willet, he had traded antiques for money or nice and shiny things. In the schoolhouse there is a painting of George Washington, and on one of his buttons, instead of a button, there is a space. At the end, when John Carter and Benny discover that there is a secret place in the chimney, that Freddy Willet has 3 names and stole schoolroom books and library books. At the end, Freddy gets aressted. If you like mysteries, then this book is for you!

This is one of the greatest boxcar children books ever! The kids have a great adventure!