With just one question, the supersmart Leroy (a.k.a Encyclopedia) Brown will solve each mystery as he has for the past thirty years, using his superior logic skills. And because readers love to match wits with him, this series will endure for many more years, it is certain. Teachers can bedevil their students by reading a mystery each morning (they take about a minute each) and then letting the class try to solve it before the end of the day. When I did this, I had to hide the book in the trunk of my car because the kids were desperate to figure out the answer. Delightfully innocent, wonderfully tricky, all ages will love these quick vignettes with answers at the back of the book. Would also be good to use with seniors!

Boy detective, Encyclopedia Brown returns as a parody of himself. What can you expect from a boy who's been 10 for 30 years? The stories (cases) takes place in a parallel time not the past and not the present. It's a time where kids have names like Herb, Rupert, and Wilford and a foil named Bugs Meany. You can still hire a boy detective for 25 cents a day and preteens say things like, "stop beating your gums," and "keen for the green." There is something appealing about heroes being called "goody goods," by their foes and being told to, "go adopt an egg." It's good innocent fun. As for the mysteries, they are as clever and incomprehensible as the earlier books in the series--many will try, but few will figure them out. Solutions are in the back of the book.