Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol

Give this to the nearest 6-10 year-old (or adult who wants to be 6-10 years old again). This kid here is way too hip to be the Leroy 'Encyclopedia' Brown I grew up with!

But like so many kids' books that have been continually reprinted through the ages, to older covers were a lot better than what I'm seeing up there.

The books were still pretty fun, though, even if my all-too-honest mom made it clear I was never going to get to actually live them out in real life. When your mom laughs at you, you know right then and there it ain't gonna work. I went so far as to paint my own detective agency sign and everything. I was determined to seek out neighborhood wrongdoings, solve some petty crimes, and maybe even win a few friends in the process. And in my mind, it actually seemed kind of possible. When you're the nerdy kid on your block, and you discover a character who is the smartest kid in school, kind of popular despite that fact, can not only stand up to but often humiliate the local bully, and gets to hang out with the prettiest girl in the school? Yeah, you're gonna wish life imitated art in that case. A fun, although sometimes dated read.I could say that I loved the Encyclopedia Brown series as a kid, but that wouldn't be entirely accurate.

The plot is rather thin and the characters shallow, but the emphasis is on quick mysteries with thoughtful solutions. Upper elementary school readers will enjoy the short chapters and the clever thinking that the mysteries entail. For answers we need to turn to a designated page to get a full page solution. At the end of each chapter, Encyclopedia has solved the crime but we don’t know how exactly. Encyclopedia Brown also runs the Brown Detective Agency, helping his friends with their cases by charging them “25 cents per day plus expenses.” Each chapter, interspersed with black and white lined sketches, provides us with an introduction to a mystery along with some clues. The book reads like a story, but each chapter is divided into mysteries that his father takes on as Chief of Police. Encyclopedia Brown’s real name is Leroy Brown but since his “head was like an encyclopedia” he became known in town by his nickname. The book I reviewed was copyrighted 1963, but had a modern cover to entice today’s readers. Encyclopedia Brown: Boy Detective is the story of a 10 year old boy detective who outsmarts his father, Police Chief Brown by solving mysteries before he does.

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol