What do you think?
Rate this book
Encyclopedia Brown #16
Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Mysterious Handprints
A stolen watermelon...Dueling kites...A blond wig left at the scene of the crime...And a smashed wristwatch whose time has run out!These are just some of the ten brain-twisting mysteries that Encyclopedia Brown must solve by using his famous computerlike brain. Try to crack the cases along with him--the answers to all the mysteries are found in the back!
98 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1985
118 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Donald J. Sobol
180 books219 followersDonald J. Sobol was an award-winning writer best known for his children's books, especially the Encyclopedia Brown mystery series. Mr. Sobol passed away in July of 2012.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 30, 2020
Neo and I enjoy reading these sets of Encyclopedia Brown mysteries, having read sixteen collections (that’s about 160 cases!). We quickly read this group of stories, filled with some unique mysteries we can process in a few minutes, connecting with one another as we guess the all but obvious solutions. The kid detective still works his magic in Idaville, USA, keeping the town crime-free and collecting his coins from those who can pay. Encyclopedia helps solve a case related to a boat race for his father, proves Bugs Meany is a liar as he seeks cause more trouble, and finds himself deep in a case about watermelons. These wonderful five-minute mysteries seek to entertain and exercise the brain of both child and adult, but require some keen sleuthing. Neo and I have used them as a before bedtime activity and we are getting much better at piecing the clues together in a timely manner. Young sleuths in the making may want to sharpen their skills with the massive collection of stories.
Neo really likes the stories that keep him thinking. I remember having these stories read to me when I was young as well, helping me want to pass along the tradition. Neo thoroughly enjoys listening to the stories and making an effort to uncover the clues that will help solve the cases. He mentioned that these are perfect stories for parent-child reading, but would be great for a good reader when they have time or are on a road trip. A note to parents: the stories are dated (even as they author writes in the 1980s) and some of the terminology or word choices might not be as correct as you would like your young reader to use on a daily basis.
Did you know Neo’s has his own GR account for reviews? Check him out: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
Neo really likes the stories that keep him thinking. I remember having these stories read to me when I was young as well, helping me want to pass along the tradition. Neo thoroughly enjoys listening to the stories and making an effort to uncover the clues that will help solve the cases. He mentioned that these are perfect stories for parent-child reading, but would be great for a good reader when they have time or are on a road trip. A note to parents: the stories are dated (even as they author writes in the 1980s) and some of the terminology or word choices might not be as correct as you would like your young reader to use on a daily basis.
Did you know Neo’s has his own GR account for reviews? Check him out: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
May 6, 2017
When I was in third grade I discovered Cam Jansen and Encyclopedia Brown. I read all of these mysteries, and once I got used to the styles was solving most of them with the title characters. These books started my love affair with mysteries and my love of interactive books (In a few years I would discover the Choose Your Own Adventures and the Lone Wolf books, which in turn would lead to my love of RPGs....).
My wife found one of the old 1986 Bantam Skylark books of Encyclopedia Brown at one of the local "Little Libraries" and brought it home for my own little emerging reader. I couldn't help but spend a few minutes to relive my childhood. I scored an 85% this time, which isn't too shabby.
While these stories are not deep or powerful, or high literature by any stretch, they are competently told and teach close reading skills that are lacking in most other early reading material. I highly recommend them for emerging readers.
Plus, and this is something that 7 year old me wouldn't have noticed, the girl characters are all strong and independent characters. Sally Kimball, Encyclopedia's junior partner, is the muscle of the group and a capable human being in her own right.
My wife found one of the old 1986 Bantam Skylark books of Encyclopedia Brown at one of the local "Little Libraries" and brought it home for my own little emerging reader. I couldn't help but spend a few minutes to relive my childhood. I scored an 85% this time, which isn't too shabby.
While these stories are not deep or powerful, or high literature by any stretch, they are competently told and teach close reading skills that are lacking in most other early reading material. I highly recommend them for emerging readers.
Plus, and this is something that 7 year old me wouldn't have noticed, the girl characters are all strong and independent characters. Sally Kimball, Encyclopedia's junior partner, is the muscle of the group and a capable human being in her own right.
August 22, 2013
No matter how many of these I read, I still can't manage to solve even half of the cases. I'd feel dumb, but I'm pretty sure no one on earth could solve all of them, since EB sure uses a lot of circumstantial evidence and far-out theories to explain his "solutions".
I would love to see one of the villains just laugh in his face and say he's proved nothing during EB's holier-than-thou speech on why he, and he alone, solved the case.
That being said, man this is fun re-reading these and snarking on them with my dad.
I would love to see one of the villains just laugh in his face and say he's proved nothing during EB's holier-than-thou speech on why he, and he alone, solved the case.
That being said, man this is fun re-reading these and snarking on them with my dad.
July 25, 2023
Another read aloud with my summer class. There are some fun mysteries and solutions here. I never realized as a child, however, how often solving the crime depends on the criminal having some amount of basic decency and shame. Encyclopedia confronts them with a mild illogical point in their story, and they always immediately confess to a misdemeanor crime that could put them in jail! I wish the world really worked like that.
October 9, 2019
Encyclopedia Brown and Sally Kimball can't even get a day off when they enter the Idaville Trout Fishing Tournament for Children. Evil knows no bounds in the community as they end up having to solve "The Case of the Albatross" on their free time, resulting in no 25¢ private investigator fee for the Brown Detective Agency.
Read
April 13, 2021I’m not going to actually give this a rating because it’s too difficult to rate. I enjoyed this due to nostalgia but it was incredibly dated and I still couldn’t solve a single case. Maybe I’m just salty because Encyclopedia remains smarter than me.
2021 Reading Challenge - ATY - A book with six or more words in the title
2021 Reading Challenge - ATY - A book with six or more words in the title
January 18, 2024
A good collection. Not the most memorable or engaging of the series, but fine and enjoyable.
Blond Wig - This one seemed pretty simple, but Sobol often seemed to give the readers a straightforward case to begin.
Battle Cries - The solution seemed a bit too forced. I would have preferred if the clue could be presented more subtly.
Stolen Tools - A good compromise. A solution that's not too obvious but takes a bit of thinking.
Angry Girl - I remembered this one from my childhood, so it's hard to rate the solution. It's interesting, although perhaps a bit implausible.
Albatross - A good story. I like the ones with small details like this. I didn't get it, but it still came together well.
Prize Pig - I didn't catch it at first, but the location of the clue was fairly evident. I knew where to look back to, and it came together with a little bit of thinking. Overall, a pretty well-written story.
Hard-Luck Boy - I guess this one is okay. I'm still not convinced that it's conclusive proof against the guilty party.
Giant Watermelon - I thought about this one for a while. I didn't get it, but it's the type of story where the solution can be a bit frustrating.
Fighter Kite - I got this one. I found the premise a bit funny--solving the case of unsafe kite etiquette. He's quite a versatile detective.
Mysterious Handprints - The solution felt a bit obscure. I mean, it makes sense, but I don't see that solution coming to mind for children.
Overall, a few solid stories, a few decent ones, and a couple that were okay. Nothing wrong with this book, but nothing that stands out as particularly memorable.
Blond Wig - This one seemed pretty simple, but Sobol often seemed to give the readers a straightforward case to begin.
Battle Cries - The solution seemed a bit too forced. I would have preferred if the clue could be presented more subtly.
Stolen Tools - A good compromise. A solution that's not too obvious but takes a bit of thinking.
Angry Girl - I remembered this one from my childhood, so it's hard to rate the solution. It's interesting, although perhaps a bit implausible.
Albatross - A good story. I like the ones with small details like this. I didn't get it, but it still came together well.
Prize Pig - I didn't catch it at first, but the location of the clue was fairly evident. I knew where to look back to, and it came together with a little bit of thinking. Overall, a pretty well-written story.
Hard-Luck Boy - I guess this one is okay. I'm still not convinced that it's conclusive proof against the guilty party.
Giant Watermelon - I thought about this one for a while. I didn't get it, but it's the type of story where the solution can be a bit frustrating.
Fighter Kite - I got this one. I found the premise a bit funny--solving the case of unsafe kite etiquette. He's quite a versatile detective.
Mysterious Handprints - The solution felt a bit obscure. I mean, it makes sense, but I don't see that solution coming to mind for children.
Overall, a few solid stories, a few decent ones, and a couple that were okay. Nothing wrong with this book, but nothing that stands out as particularly memorable.
April 30, 2020
My dad and I enjoy reading these sets of Encyclopedia Brown mysteries, having read sixteen collections (about 160 cases!). We quickly read this group of stories, filled with some unique mysteries we can process in a few minutes, connecting with one another as we guess the all but obvious solutions. The kid detective still works his magic in Idaville, USA, keeping the town crime-free and collecting his coins from those who can pay. Encyclopedia helps solve a case related to a boat race for his father, proves Bugs Meany is a liar as he seeks cause more trouble, and finds himself deep in a case about watermelons. These wonderful five-minute mysteries seek to entertain and exercise the brain of both child and adult, but require some keen sleuthing. We use these stories as a before bedtime activity and we are getting much better at piecing the clues together in a timely manner. Young sleuths in the making may want to sharpen their skills with the massive collection of stories.
I really like the stories that keep me thinking. I remember having these stories read to me when I was young as well, helping me want to pass along the tradition. I thoroughly enjoy listening to the stories and making an effort to uncover the clues that will help solve the cases. These are perfect stories for parent-child reading, but would be great for a good reader when they have time or are on a road trip. A note to parents: the stories are dated (even as they author writes in the 1980s) and some of the word choices might not be as correct as you would like your young reader to use on a daily basis.
I really like the stories that keep me thinking. I remember having these stories read to me when I was young as well, helping me want to pass along the tradition. I thoroughly enjoy listening to the stories and making an effort to uncover the clues that will help solve the cases. These are perfect stories for parent-child reading, but would be great for a good reader when they have time or are on a road trip. A note to parents: the stories are dated (even as they author writes in the 1980s) and some of the word choices might not be as correct as you would like your young reader to use on a daily basis.
December 5, 2017
Well, this took no time at all, but I got it as part of a choose-your-own-bagful at a library sale, so I don't mind. I've always liked Encyclopedia Brown more than Nancy Drew or any of the other young detectives I used to read--I think I stumbled across Sobol's Two-Minute Mysteries at just the right age to devour them, be suitably impressed, and never quite get over my impression of him as a genius. This anthology of short mini-mysteries captures that brief, detail-centric style while offering a surprisingly evocative image of rural America. I'm impressed he wrote it in the '80s when the lifestyle feels much earlier. A 19-year-old smoking a cigar, pig and boat races, a fishing contest--I do love the town Sobol created for his 10-year-old sleuth. I also appreciate that the girls who show up are the physically strongest and most intimidating characters, with Sally fulfilling a better-than-Dr.-Watson intellectual role. (And, in contrast, young Tyrone becomes the hopeless romantic, a nice play on gender stereotypes.) The pig story was my favorite, but all I enjoyed reading all of them, even if the solutions always contain some common sense knowledge I've never actually paid attention to.
August 10, 2018
I remembered loving the Encyclopedia Brown series when I was a young teen, so when my mother-in-law found my husband's old copy, I wanted to read them with my 12-year-old son. He was interested, but they weren't as mysterious as I remember. Even 25 years later, though, I didn't figure out every one of them, probably less than half. ;) But my son figured out several.
April 3, 2019
I like all of the Encyclopedia Brown books. They challenge your thinking, i love to read those types of books.
There are ten mystery stories in this book. You read them and when you finish the answers are in the back. These books have the same people through the entire series, which makes it interesting to recognize who the bad guys are.
There are ten mystery stories in this book. You read them and when you finish the answers are in the back. These books have the same people through the entire series, which makes it interesting to recognize who the bad guys are.
July 2, 2020
Some of these were difficult, and some of them focused more than they should on more circumstantial evidence. Still a great series, of course... and yes, I still want more like this, either book or game or app (besides Gollywhopper and Mindtrap).
July 27, 2017
I am ashamed to admit that I did not uncover the answer to any of the stories. Interesting answers, but I cannot rate highly because of my own incompetence in this specific book.
July 24, 2019
Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown puts on his detecting hat as he solves ten mysteries in and around the town of Idaville. Pig races, fishing contests, stolen fruit, and bookends are just a few of the cases he solves using the clues given.
November 7, 2022
I hate to admit this as an adult but this is such a fun quick read. As someone who loves puzzles, Encyclopedia Brown books are quick for anyone trying to catch up on their reading challenge or just trying to keep their brain sharp.
September 21, 2017
I enjoyed this, mostly because the dialogue (especially from Sally) was so snappy and funny. I just wish the mysteries were longer so we could get to know everyone better.
February 5, 2018
Good
Real good book I would recommend it for young and older boys and tomboys and anyone who enjoys adventure stories
Real good book I would recommend it for young and older boys and tomboys and anyone who enjoys adventure stories
July 31, 2024
Another good one.
April 7, 2025
Another enjoyable book. There were slightly more important facts I didn’t know (hair and nail care), so I couldn’t solve all the cases.
November 5, 2023
I didn't really get the blond wig case, even after reading the solution.
December 11, 2023
Having enjoyed the Encyclopedia Brown series as a child, I decided to revisit the books to see if they still stumped me. By in large, they did, but I started to recognize how these books were very much a mixed bag. Most followed the same pattern in terms of the stories in involved, and this book was no different. The case where Encyclopedia Brown helps solve a crime over dinner that has his father (the chief of police) stumped. A case involving a local kid who pays a quarter to solve a crime (usually involving Bugs Meany, a local juvenile delinquent). A case involving Bugs trying to frame Brown and his partner Sally (I’m not sure how the local police still are talking his police reports seriously or why he hasn’t faced any consequences for filing a false police report by now). But this book, as was common with the series, has some more nonsensical “gotcha” clues. The case of the Angry Girl was one of those, where Brown solved the “case” based on a very huge assumption that nobody ready probably would have figured out. But with that being said, this was one of Donald Sobol’s better entries into the series. The case of the Albatross and the Case of the Battle Cries were classic Encyclopedia Brown, with a great hidden clue that most kids could have caught…if they were paying attention.
July 12, 2015
I found this book at the library book sale and just had to read it. What a pleasant blast from the past! I remember reading the Encyclopedia Brown books back around 3rd or 4th grade and loving them. After reading this one, I still love them. I was surprised at how something written for grade schoolers holds up so well. I was also surprised at not being able to solve the "mysteries" without turning to the solutions. Then I was like "duh, that's so obvious!" LOL Anyway, if you like childhood mysteries, be sure to check out Encyclopedia Brown.
August 6, 2019
RATING: 4.5 STARS
I loved this mystery series as a kid, but have not read them since so this review is based on my memories. My love of mystery started pretty early and Encyclopedia Brown was among my first series. Each book has several mysteries that you can solve along with Encyclopedia, complete with clues. I could not get enough of these books, and didn't realize that this series started in 1963.
These are easy to read chapter books for young kids.
***This is a series Review***
I loved this mystery series as a kid, but have not read them since so this review is based on my memories. My love of mystery started pretty early and Encyclopedia Brown was among my first series. Each book has several mysteries that you can solve along with Encyclopedia, complete with clues. I could not get enough of these books, and didn't realize that this series started in 1963.
These are easy to read chapter books for young kids.
***This is a series Review***
February 11, 2015
It was ok, though I thought the explanation for The Case of the Stolen Tools was a bit crazy. I don't see how a police officer would accept the explanation of a telescope that is pointing at the moon to solve the mystery.
March 11, 2019
I recall these being a lot of fun as a kid. I am considering using them in the classroom but I am not sure I make a good sleuth. I find the mysterious hard to figure out as they rely on making a lot of assumptions.
Read
September 11, 2007Sobal, Donald J.
October 18, 2008
Even twenty years later, I still get stumped.
September 21, 2010
cool book
June 16, 2020
It was a good mysterious book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews