The Mysterious Schoolmaster

Cecilia & Michael #1

by Karin Anckarsvärd, Paul Galdone (Illustrator), Annabelle MacMillan (Translator)

In a Swedish coastal village two young children stumble onto an adventure involving espionage and the military police

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Young Adult, Fiction

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Karin Inez Maria Anckarsvärd became a student in Stockholm in 1934. She graduated as a secretary and then worked as a medical secretary for a few years. In 1952 her debut novel was Bonifacius den gröne (Bonifacius the Green), a playful book about two children and a dragon.

Reviews

[girl writing]

This is the first in a three-book series with grade school age Michael and Cecilia saving Sweden from an international spy ring (the author is Swedish and the books were translated into English). Absolutely loved these books when I was in grade school (foreign country, intrigue, cute boy to hang out with) and they are a fun light read now. Why is it I never stumbled across a mystery to solve with a cute boy??

This book actually started my book collecting craze. In my late 20s, I accompanied a friend to an antique store and was wandering around while she searched for something specific. A small shelf of books caught my eye and to my amazement I discovered this book. If such an obscure book as this could be found, I could search for all of my favorites from childhood through high school! I've loved the years of book hunting.

[Cindy aka "The Book Fairy"]

A tween age/childhood book I enjoyed long ago :) Great mystery for kids!

[Rosa]

It was good and very funny in some parts. But at the same time, it seemed to be promoting the paranoid Cold War mindset. The book never says what country the spies are spying for, but I'm guessing it was the Soviet Union. Also, Sweden was neutral in WW2, so minus points for that.
"Kids, in this risky day and age, it's important to do your part in the espionage effort. Don't trust anyone who's from a different country or speaks a different language, don't hesitate to stick your nose in if you get suspicious, trust your hunch about that teacher you don't like, and you will be richly awarded."

[CLM]

This is a mystery set in the equivalent of our middle school - Swedish teens Michael and Cecelia don't know each other when the school year begins but join forces to solve a mystery surrounding the new teacher.

This is another author I discovered in the John Ward School elementary library, and my favorite of all her books, several of which follow Michael and Cecelia as they grow up.

[Naomi McCullough]

The first Michael and Celia mystery, is by no means as simple as the title. Caught up in their light-hearted investigations of their school-teacher's strange behavior in their quiet Swedish village, Michael and Celia might have bitten off more than they expected.
One of those unassuming paperback mysteries from the 50s-60's era, that you just know won't disappoint!

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer]

I read this in the '60s-- got it from a Scholastic book club order. Great mystery, but I never found any others by this author published in English. I know I've still got the book somewhere-- must re-read it!

[Mark]

The people who populated Nordvik, a small coastal town in northern-part of Norway, had no clue that their country was infiltrated by foreign agents from a nameless country (my wild guess would be USSR, currently known as Russia). However, thanks to two nosy schoolchildren, Michael Olmstedt and Cecilia Acker, the foreign spies' plan to smuggle stolen information about Norway's national defense was thwarted at the very last minute, all because of a dance lesson!

This book should be back on print because the female main character, petite Cecilia Acker, was the one with intelligence and bravery. Obviously, such character will inspire many little girls however dated this story was.

"The Mysterious Schoolmaster" was one entertaining read for children and young adults that came out of Europe's Cold-War era.

[Jody]

I read this to see how dark a mystery from this publishing era got mid-1950s. I was pleasantly surprised. The writing wasn't stilted, as is sometimes the case. And the characters were in real danger from real villains. I enjoyed visiting this world for a while.

[James]

Interesting in that it is a translation of a Norwegian story. The feel is definitely what one would think of that part of the world. Schoolkids stop spies while learning to dance

[Sharon Buxton]

C. fiction, children's fiction, upper elementary, mystery, adventure, intense, from stash, discard

[Jackson]

Inger Joan if she has stayed by sea!

[Kittie]

shockingly underrated!! loved this book as a kid

[Cecily]

I read this first as a girl, and I still love it. I will pick it up to skim though when I need something calming to read. I am excited to read it to my boys when they are a little older. It is the story of two children who sense there is something afoot in their seaside town. So they decide to see what going on and end up protecting their country from spies. The children are good, responsible figures with a sense of humor, and, most importantly, they are normal.

[Rose]

I wish these were all in print. Swedish MG mystery taking place shortly after WWII. Two kids defeat spies working through their school. I remember thinking that all the freedom these kids have on their bikes in this book and others was sort of a fantasy, until I moved to Germany and saw how autonomous 5th graders really are.

[Alicia]

Josh loved this mystery, solved by children. Another great 1950's book translated from the Swedish (like Pippi Longstocking). I love these treasures we find on "free bookshelves" or used book sales.

[Kari]

Good book!

[Lila]

I really enjoyed these books as a child. I could not remember the author's name for a long time

[Carlye Novak]

So bad it was amazing. The translation is absurd, and the lesson is...be a good little Swede!