The Happy Hollisters and the Trading Post Mystery (#7 in the Happy Hollisters series)There is great activity in the Hollister household upon the arrival of Domingo, the donkey promised Sue in New Mexico. The excitement mounts higher with the discovery of a note attached to the donkey's halter signed Y.I.F. So begins one of the two mysteries that run through this book.In the midst of the approaching Christmas season, the Hollisters work out a plan to use Domingo in a special project to provide gifts for the poor children of the town. The project, centered around The Trading Post, Mr. Hollister's sport and toy store in Shoreham, involves putting a life-sized model of Santa, his sleigh and six reindeer on the roof of the store and then filling the sleigh with gifts contributed by the people of the community.What happens when this wonderful plan seems completely spoiled by the disappearance of the model? Could there be any connection between the notes signed Y.I.F. and the disappearance? The five children find themselves in the middle of one of their most baffling puzzles.Here is a Happy Hollister book with not one, but two exciting mysteries along with the fun and companionship that unite this lively family.First published in 1954, this charming mystery-adventure story, faithfully reproduced, is now available in paperback and eBook for the first time! Written for boys and girls between the ages of six and twelve, The Happy Hollisters are wholesome books, with an accent on humor and good, clean fun. Integrity always pays off and right wins over wrong. Parents, grandparents, and teachers love these books for their healthy celebration of life in simpler times. Kids are thrilled with the fast-paced action and will not want to put them down. The action-packed illustrations make the story - and the Hollister family - so vivid that the reader has a feeling of really sharing in on the adventures of this lovable and interesting family.
About the Author: The Happy Hollisters by Jerry West was actually written by Andrew E. Svenson, a prolific yet somewhat anonymous, writer of books for children. Jerry West was the pen name assigned to Svenson when he started writing The Happy Hollisters for the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book packager well-known for its development of children's book series including Tom Swift, The Bobbsey Twins, The Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew. Many of these series were intended to have long publishing lives, and were written by multiple authors using the same pseudonym. The Happy Hollisters, however, were all written by Andrew Svenson, whose identity as Jerry West was kept secret until several years after his death in 1975. Andrew Svenson was born in Belleville, NJ, in 1910, and his interest in writing started early. He was editor of his high school newspaper and yearbook at Barringer High School in Newark, and then went on to study Creative Writing at the University of Pittsburgh. After his graduation in 1932, he worked as a reporter and editor for the Newark Star Eagle and the Newark Evening News. During this time, Andrew Svenson was encouraged by his friend and co-worker Howard Garis (author of Uncle Wiggily) to try his hand at juvenile fiction. Svenson joined the Stratemeyer Syndicate in 1948, where he contributed to established series as Franklin W. Dixon (The Hardy Boys) and as Laura Lee Hope (The Bobbsey Twins). The first volume in The Happy Hollisters was published in 1953 by Doubleday & Company, and he was made a partner in the Stratemeyer Syndicate in 1961. As he wrote and developed 33 titles in The Happy Hollisters, he was also creating additional series for children under other pen names: Bret King by Dan Scott and The Tollivers by Alan Stone, the first series written for and about African-American children. Andrew Svenson wrote more than 70 adventure and mystery novels for children, which were published in 17 languages and sold millions of copies. The Hollister family was modeled on his own family and he often used Svenson family events and travels as the foundation for The Happy Hollisters books. He also kept copious newspaper clippings for story ideas, and interviewed hundreds of school children and teachers for additional suggestions. These ideas were worked into his storylines, adding an educational element that was appreciated by parents and educators alike. Children loved the books for their elements of danger and excitement geared to their comprehension level.