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The Happy Hollisters #31
The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Mexican Idol
When Uncle Russ Hollister arrives from California and announces that he plans to search for a lost temple deep in the jungles of Yucatan, the Hollister family plunges into a new series of adventures. Uncle Russ, a commercial artist and cartoonist, has been given a map showing the temple's location and intends to use the trip as an opportunity to gather material for his cartoon strip. But others are also attempting to find the temple. On Russ's flight to Shoreham a snake has been set loose and in the confusion his briefcase, containing a picture of the temple, is stolen. The Hollisters decide to join Aunt Marge and their cousins, Teddy and Jean, in Mexico and soon after their arrival they, too, become involved in the deepening mystery. Among them, the Hollisters manage to locate the temple of the laughing idol and in the process to break up a gang of thieves who have been looting Mexican temples and monuments. An exciting mystery set against an interesting and colorful Mexican background, this is a story that will be welcomed by all the many Hollister fans.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1967
35 people are currently reading
98 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.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 14, 2021
The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Mexican Idol (Happy Hollisters, #31)
Kids get to go on a trip with Uncle Ross and his family to Mexico. His friend discovered a Mayan treasure and he's got the map.
Lots of danger and being lost in this tale. Kids are wrapped up into all kinds of trouble.
Love reading about the Mayans as I've watched many shows on TV about them, so cool that the kids go there.
Kids get to go on a trip with Uncle Ross and his family to Mexico. His friend discovered a Mayan treasure and he's got the map.
Lots of danger and being lost in this tale. Kids are wrapped up into all kinds of trouble.
Love reading about the Mayans as I've watched many shows on TV about them, so cool that the kids go there.
September 4, 2020
Some people have their comfort food I have my comfort books and they are vintage children series, i.e. Bobbsey Twins and Happy Hollisters. This one was an interesting read. It also portrays Mexico and its inhabitants much more sensitively than most of the time. It provides a lot of good information and a good story.
January 2, 2020
This was a fantastic one in the series. I stumbled upon several of these in an antique store today and bought 6, nearly completing my collection.
August 17, 2020
The Happy Hollister's
I read the books when I first to read, about age 5. I loved them!
Now,54 years later, I still like them, just not as much, however I
Would recommend the series to any, and all, persons between. The ages of 5 and 11!
I read the books when I first to read, about age 5. I loved them!
Now,54 years later, I still like them, just not as much, however I
Would recommend the series to any, and all, persons between. The ages of 5 and 11!
March 7, 2025
The temple they're looking for is to Ku'Kul'Kan and all I can think about is Wakanda Forever.
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.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews