The Happy Hollisters and the Secret Fort

Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1955. The Happy Hollisters is a series of books about a family who loves to solve mysteries. The series was created by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and almost entirely written by Andrew E. Svenson under the pseudonym Jerry West. Helen S. Hamilton illustrated the books. This series recounts the adventures of a young American middle class family solving mysteries from their home on Pine Lake in Shoreham. The Hollister family includes five children, their parents, a family of cats, and a dog. Pete is the oldest of the Hollister children and is 12 years old. Pam, or Pamela, is ten years old, loves sports, and is very adventurous. Ricky is a red-headed, rambunctious 7-year-old and Holly is a 6-year-old tomboy. The youngest is Sue, age 4. Their father, Mr. Hollister, owns a general store named the Trading Post, where he sells hardware, sporting goods, and toys. Mrs. Hollister tries to help her children solve mysteries and is always ready with handy tips for solving clues. Joey Brill and Will Wilson appear as rivals of the Hollister family in most books. While not actually villains, they appear as obstacles to the Hollisters' mystery-solving efforts in most plots. . Not Indicated. Hard Cover. Fine/Very Good +. Illus. by b/w Illustrations.