What do you think?
Rate this book
The Happy Hollisters #12
The Happy Hollisters and the Old Clipper Ship
A rain storm and an unexpected guest bring this new mystery into the Hollisters’ lives when a lightning-struck tree branch falls on a car in front of their home in Shoreham. The car is occupied by a young Hawaiian, Tom King, who, although not seriously hurt, needs help from the Hollisters to get out of his car. While resting in their home, he tells them he has come all the way across the country in search of a log book from an unidentified clipper ship. The only clue he has are a few sketches of the ship which he hopes will be identified by one of the old clipper ship captains he has been told to see. This log book is important to Tom for it will prove his grandfather and grandmother were married on this ship giving him evidence that he is legally entitled to the inheritance left by his uncle. How is this mystery connected with Gregory Grant and Lisa Sarno, the famous movie stars, and a motion picture in which the Hollister children have an active part? And who is the sinister stranger in the checkered shirt? Why should he first try to buy Tom’s sketches of the clipper ship and then, failing that, try to steal them? From the beginning to end this new story will keep you guessing as the Hollisters once again prove their ability as master sleuths. First published in 1956, 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.
178 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
24 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Jerry West
92 books51 followersThe 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. The Stratemeyer Syndicate was 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. He also taught creative writing courses at Rutgers University and Upsala College.
Andrew Svenson was encouraged by his friend Howard Garis (author of Uncle Wiggily) to try his hand at juvenile fiction. He joined the Stratemeyer Syndicate as a writer 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 his own original series, 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, one of the first series written about and for African-American children.
Under various pseudonyms, 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 actual 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 then worked into his storylines, adding an educational element that was appreciated by parents and educators alike. The children loved the stories for their elements of danger and excitement geared to their comprehension level.
After his death in 1975, the Stratemeyer Syndicate assigned all rights to The Happy Hollisters to his widow, Marian Svenson; they subsequently became the property of The Hollister Family Properties Trust. The current publication was initiated by Andrew E. Svenson III, grandson of the author, on behalf of The Hollister Family Properties Trust.
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. He also taught creative writing courses at Rutgers University and Upsala College.
Andrew Svenson was encouraged by his friend Howard Garis (author of Uncle Wiggily) to try his hand at juvenile fiction. He joined the Stratemeyer Syndicate as a writer 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 his own original series, 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, one of the first series written about and for African-American children.
Under various pseudonyms, 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 actual 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 then worked into his storylines, adding an educational element that was appreciated by parents and educators alike. The children loved the stories for their elements of danger and excitement geared to their comprehension level.
After his death in 1975, the Stratemeyer Syndicate assigned all rights to The Happy Hollisters to his widow, Marian Svenson; they subsequently became the property of The Hollister Family Properties Trust. The current publication was initiated by Andrew E. Svenson III, grandson of the author, on behalf of The Hollister Family Properties Trust.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 8, 2017
Loved reading this 61 year old book! Even if the age softened pages were hard to turn. I learned lots; Hawaii was still a territory at the time....nautical miles are longer than regular miles...and children were SO competent! 12 yr olds could build sailboats and fix broken windowpanes, 10 year olds could sew beautifully, and 7 year olds could refinish dining room chairs on their own! These kids inspire me.
January 2, 2008
I inherited the Happy Hollisters collection from my mom. Man, did I love these books, which describe with 1950s glee the hijinks that ensue when a bunch of siblings set out to solve various mysteries. I still have the collection of hardbound books that I want to pass down to (hopefully) a daughter someday.
March 28, 2008
My brother and I are playing a game with these books as adults, we loved them so much when we were kids. We have almost the entire set, and are continually re-reading them as a way of escaping into childhood.
June 26, 2008
I collected these and loved reading them as a kid.
March 5, 2011
First Hollister book I read.
August 1, 2011
about what I expected. doing some reading for a project. anyone else have a beloved old series of kid sleuths to suggest?
Read
August 5, 2012This is the Norwegian translation of The Happy Hollisters and the Old Clipper Ship by Jerry West (pseudonym for Andrew Svenson).
April 30, 2014
This was part of my childhood mystery reading. I'm better now.
June 30, 2020
i liked it it was good
December 18, 2015
Loved it when I read it in 1968.
January 21, 2020
Another one completed for my collection! :)
March 25, 2021
The Happy Hollisters and the Old Clipper Ship (Happy Hollisters, #12)
This story starts out with a storm and tree falling on the car parked near their house. the kids were playing in the attic, a movie about clipper ships.
The tale from the Hawaiian man about proving an inheritance has the kids wanting to help him. Love the hand drawn sketches.
They make some smart moves as Tom gets his photos back. Someone is out to steal them from him. They go out of their way to make things difficult for the family in everything they do.
The movie actors show up and after an exciting dinner invite the family to be in the movie about clipper ships in Orient Harbor, MA.
They find a lot of clues and piece things together. Love the sketches and learning all about the sails. we have sailed our remote control boats but only had 2 sails to worry about.
So fascinating to learn so much about their adventures.
This story starts out with a storm and tree falling on the car parked near their house. the kids were playing in the attic, a movie about clipper ships.
The tale from the Hawaiian man about proving an inheritance has the kids wanting to help him. Love the hand drawn sketches.
They make some smart moves as Tom gets his photos back. Someone is out to steal them from him. They go out of their way to make things difficult for the family in everything they do.
The movie actors show up and after an exciting dinner invite the family to be in the movie about clipper ships in Orient Harbor, MA.
They find a lot of clues and piece things together. Love the sketches and learning all about the sails. we have sailed our remote control boats but only had 2 sails to worry about.
So fascinating to learn so much about their adventures.
January 2, 2023
Jeg valgte denne bøken fordi 'Lykkebarna: løser julenisse-mysteriet' finnes ikke på Goodreads.
Denne anmeldelsen er for denne annen bøken, derfor. Jeg vil sie at det var ikke veldig interessant, selvfølgelig, det er for barna og jeg er ikke. Men jeg har leste andre barnabøker på norsk som var veldig bedre. Det var rart og det virket som ingen skjedde. Jeg håper jeg vil relese senere til øvelse. Stolt for det, forresten!
Denne anmeldelsen er for denne annen bøken, derfor. Jeg vil sie at det var ikke veldig interessant, selvfølgelig, det er for barna og jeg er ikke. Men jeg har leste andre barnabøker på norsk som var veldig bedre. Det var rart og det virket som ingen skjedde. Jeg håper jeg vil relese senere til øvelse. Stolt for det, forresten!
February 24, 2020
What to mention in my review?
My excitement over the fact that I read one of the cool new paperback copies?
The detail that I kept forgetting that I was reading a book that is over sixty years old? (And boy was that making my brain frustrated.)
The fact that I now want to go research so many details about the 1950's?
Or should I simply be satisfied with an odd look into a time long gone?
My excitement over the fact that I read one of the cool new paperback copies?
The detail that I kept forgetting that I was reading a book that is over sixty years old? (And boy was that making my brain frustrated.)
The fact that I now want to go research so many details about the 1950's?
Or should I simply be satisfied with an odd look into a time long gone?
June 15, 2019
Life was good.....
This story took me back to a happy time in my life when the world was a bigger place and full of hope. Thank you, Mimi, for loaning me this book twice now ! Once, long ago in the "60's" and electronically today.
This story took me back to a happy time in my life when the world was a bigger place and full of hope. Thank you, Mimi, for loaning me this book twice now ! Once, long ago in the "60's" and electronically today.
Read
November 21, 2024Another fun Hollister Adventure
July 8, 2025
The Happy Hollister children search for an Old Clipper Ship
August 28, 2025
Leído hoy día no es nada del otro mundo pero puedo entender por qué me gustaban tanto con 8 o 9 años.
March 24, 2016
Los Hollister es la serie de libros que me inició definitivamente en la lectura. Recuerdo haber leído el primero y, con todo el dinero que había ahorrado por mi primera comunión y en todos los años anteriores, ir a por los 32 restantes, que costaban 600 pelas cada uno. Los compré todos en la feria del libro de Ceuta, lo recuerdo perfectamente, y volví a mi casa con dos bolsas y una mochila llenas de libros, que me duraron tres meses exactamente, para sorpresa/preocupación de mi madre.
Cada libro es el mismo, con aventuras algo diferentes, y con los mismo personajes, que no evolucionan nada en toda la serie. Pete, Pam, Holly, Ricky, Sue, puedo recitar sus nombres treinta años después sin consultarlo. Yo siempre fui de los Hollister, despreciando a quieres eran de los siete secretos, los Cinco o (puaj) Puck.
Junto a Mortadelo, los tres investigadores de Alfred Hitchcock y (a petición de mi padre) las aventuras de Guillermo, comenzaron a formar mi universo lector. Y por ello, aunque sean libros de lo más intrascendente, los considero fundamentales.
Cada libro es el mismo, con aventuras algo diferentes, y con los mismo personajes, que no evolucionan nada en toda la serie. Pete, Pam, Holly, Ricky, Sue, puedo recitar sus nombres treinta años después sin consultarlo. Yo siempre fui de los Hollister, despreciando a quieres eran de los siete secretos, los Cinco o (puaj) Puck.
Junto a Mortadelo, los tres investigadores de Alfred Hitchcock y (a petición de mi padre) las aventuras de Guillermo, comenzaron a formar mi universo lector. Y por ello, aunque sean libros de lo más intrascendente, los considero fundamentales.
October 20, 2025
love love love the Happy Hollisters!
second reading: did not realize it was almost exactly one year ago
second reading: did not realize it was almost exactly one year ago
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews