What do you think?
Annegret Benninger #2
Blue mystery
Translated from the German by Richard and Clara Winston. Illustrated by Enrico Arno.
A mystery story set in a German town: Who had stolen the priceless blue gloxinia? How had it been taken from the experimental greenhouse? Many people coveted the plant, perhaps enough to resort to stealing, but only an employee of the nursery would have had access to it. The evidence pointed strongly to the young red-haired apprentice, Fridolin. Aloof and sullen, he did little to defend himself. But ten-year-old Annegret, daughter of the nursery owner, was not convinced of his guilt.
A mystery story set in a German town: Who had stolen the priceless blue gloxinia? How had it been taken from the experimental greenhouse? Many people coveted the plant, perhaps enough to resort to stealing, but only an employee of the nursery would have had access to it. The evidence pointed strongly to the young red-haired apprentice, Fridolin. Aloof and sullen, he did little to defend himself. But ten-year-old Annegret, daughter of the nursery owner, was not convinced of his guilt.
190 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1951
About the author
Margot Benary-Isbert
19 books40 followersGerman-born children’s author known for her "depictions of humane, realistic characters."
Benary-Isbert attended the College St. Carolus and the University of Frankfurt. She worked as a secretary at the Museum of Ethnology and Anthropology in Frankfurt, Germany from 1910-1917, when she married Wilhelm Benary. They settled in Erfurt, in East Germany.
When the Russians took over Germany, she fled to the apartment of a friend in West Germany. In 1948 she wrote Die Arche Noah (The Ark). In 1953 it received a first prize at the New York Herald Tribune's Spring Book Festival. Post-war Germany became a common theme in most of her works.
In 1952 she moved to the United States, where she was naturalized in 1957 and worked as a writer until her death. She received the Jane Addams Children's Book Award from the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom in 1957 for "Annegret und Cara".
Most of Benary-Isbert's books were originally written and published in German; some were later translated into English and published again.
Benary-Isbert attended the College St. Carolus and the University of Frankfurt. She worked as a secretary at the Museum of Ethnology and Anthropology in Frankfurt, Germany from 1910-1917, when she married Wilhelm Benary. They settled in Erfurt, in East Germany.
When the Russians took over Germany, she fled to the apartment of a friend in West Germany. In 1948 she wrote Die Arche Noah (The Ark). In 1953 it received a first prize at the New York Herald Tribune's Spring Book Festival. Post-war Germany became a common theme in most of her works.
In 1952 she moved to the United States, where she was naturalized in 1957 and worked as a writer until her death. She received the Jane Addams Children's Book Award from the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom in 1957 for "Annegret und Cara".
Most of Benary-Isbert's books were originally written and published in German; some were later translated into English and published again.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 7, 2026
Wow!
I really enjoyed the other two books I read by Benary-Isbert, but wasn’t expecting the same depth of drama and character development in a mystery. Nice job!
Great characters, a couple good/hard conflicts for our heroine to struggle through, a fun glimpse into the botanical world, a good mystery, and a secret island that I’m kind of jealous of!
This would be a particularly good choice for a family read aloud as it would keep children and parents entertained, and it has opportunities for good discussions.
Set in Germany at the start of Summer and ends on St Martin’s Day in November.
Ages: 10+
Content Considerations: “Good Lord” is said. A man smokes a pipe. A child makes a promise not to tattle/expose someone and is saddened that she must keep a secret from her father. A daughter’s trust in her father’s justice is shaken - it is restored in the end. A daughter, in a moment of stress says “You grownups, you always think you know better about everything, but you make mistakes too.” Children are accidentally poured an alcoholic beverage and hastily/eagerly drink it before the situation can be rectified - they like it. Adults make a toast and drink; a couple are given a bottle to help them patch their friendship.
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I really enjoyed the other two books I read by Benary-Isbert, but wasn’t expecting the same depth of drama and character development in a mystery. Nice job!
Great characters, a couple good/hard conflicts for our heroine to struggle through, a fun glimpse into the botanical world, a good mystery, and a secret island that I’m kind of jealous of!
This would be a particularly good choice for a family read aloud as it would keep children and parents entertained, and it has opportunities for good discussions.
Set in Germany at the start of Summer and ends on St Martin’s Day in November.
Ages: 10+
Content Considerations: “Good Lord” is said. A man smokes a pipe. A child makes a promise not to tattle/expose someone and is saddened that she must keep a secret from her father. A daughter’s trust in her father’s justice is shaken - it is restored in the end. A daughter, in a moment of stress says “You grownups, you always think you know better about everything, but you make mistakes too.” Children are accidentally poured an alcoholic beverage and hastily/eagerly drink it before the situation can be rectified - they like it. Adults make a toast and drink; a couple are given a bottle to help them patch their friendship.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide Content Considerations, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
If you’re considering a book or looking for a new title to read, check out my highly categorized shelves, read my reviews and Friend or Follow me to spiff up your feed with clean, wholesome, living books.
I have an Instagram account that’s pretty bookishly unique too!
June 30, 2025
A great middle-grade novel about the daughter of a botanist/nurseryman, the striking blue gloxinia he grew, and the protagonist's experience of Thüringen. Benary-Isbert, on the dedication page, says this book is "A Gift of Memory." I read it as a cherishing of the world of her childhood, pre-WWI Germany. Enrico Arno's illustrations are simply marvelous (look at that cover!) and there is lots of fun detail about life, celebrations, and even a bit about the cutthroat business of botanical cultivation.
November 26, 2019
Another fabulous book by Margot Benary-Isbert!!! I did find out after the fact that this book comes after The Shooting Star but it was fine reading it before the other. While the themes and undercurrents in this book weren’t as deep as in some of her post war books her depth of characters and insight into human actions and motives was just as good.
As a Charlotte Mason style educator I found the sheer number of connections and relationships I could make with the text to be simply delightful. From nature study to cultivated crops (the father is a botanist and raises flowers), to Mozart and rondos, to astronomy and constellations, it’s obvious that Margot was a very well rounded person.
I look forward to getting this (and the book before it!) again from the library because I think all my children, but particularly my 10 year old daughter, would love it.
As a Charlotte Mason style educator I found the sheer number of connections and relationships I could make with the text to be simply delightful. From nature study to cultivated crops (the father is a botanist and raises flowers), to Mozart and rondos, to astronomy and constellations, it’s obvious that Margot was a very well rounded person.
I look forward to getting this (and the book before it!) again from the library because I think all my children, but particularly my 10 year old daughter, would love it.
June 10, 2018
Published in 1957 but obviously set much earlier. I snuggled down into this cosy book with a long sigh of contentment. Annegret is a lonely misfit at school, and her parents finally agree that if she had a dog she'd be happier. To everyone's surprise, the pedigreed Peke puppy somehow morphs into a Great Dane by the time Mutti gets home with it! Of course, without the oversized Clara, the book would not have had the beautiful, stylised illustrations; somehow, I doubt that the story would have been at all the same.
At first I was mildly disappointed, as there didn't seem to be any real "mystery" involved; later though, one appears as the Mystery itself goes missing! Of course the adults have already made up their minds what happened, based on extremely scanty evidence that Annegret and Clara cannot accept.The resolution was rather coincidental, but the "mystery" isn't really the point. The point is a gentle, enjoyable read that's more about the importance of honesty, sincerity and kindness than anything else.
At first I was mildly disappointed, as there didn't seem to be any real "mystery" involved; later though, one appears as the Mystery itself goes missing! Of course the adults have already made up their minds what happened, based on extremely scanty evidence that Annegret and Clara cannot accept.The resolution was rather coincidental, but the "mystery" isn't really the point. The point is a gentle, enjoyable read that's more about the importance of honesty, sincerity and kindness than anything else.
February 17, 2024
This was my second read of this one, to see if I enjoyed it more than I did the first time. I should have loved it--it's about a little girl growing up in a lovely old house in an old German city. Her father is a plant breeder, so there's lots of greenhouses and lots of descriptions of plants and house and childhood so I should have loved it. But unfortunately, the mystery at the center of the plot involves a boy falsely suspected of stealing a valuable plant, and I didn't like to read any of that time of uncomfortable uncertainty while things were being sorted out. However, if you are more mystery tolerant than I, and like the things listed above, and also like Great Dane puppies (not a bonus for me), you may well enjoy it more than me.
February 27, 2008
This is one of my absolute favorite books of all time. It is a wonderful novel for children and young adults, a fantastic choice for reading aloud, and even a charming piece of escapist fiction for adults. Around the very simple mystery that carries the plot, Benary-Isbert weaves a story about friendship, trust, honor, and family ties.
The stylized illustrations are few and far between, but they are beautiful and fit perfectly with the mood of the book: a sense of creativity and a love for growing and living things. This book is a sequel to "A Shooting Star" and is followed by "A Time to Love," but it stands alone just fine.
The stylized illustrations are few and far between, but they are beautiful and fit perfectly with the mood of the book: a sense of creativity and a love for growing and living things. This book is a sequel to "A Shooting Star" and is followed by "A Time to Love," but it stands alone just fine.
July 5, 2014
An old favorite. I've reread it multiple times. I simply love Margot Benary-Isbert!
December 31, 2023
Margot Benary-Isbert gorgeous, description-filled prose are too moving to be lost to obscurity:
“At this season every house was steeped with the smells of seven spices that went into the baking of the gingerbread and spice cakes: cinnamon and cardamom, ginger and cloves, lemon and vanilla, and new ground nutmeg”.
Or, “Through the half-open window, a bright star peeked. At this time of year it stood there every night, whenever the sky was clear. It was Betelgeuse, the bright star in the shoulder of the hunter Orion, whose silvery belt gleamed between the branches of the chestnut tree”.
In ‘Blue Mystery’ Annegret is on the brink of gaining a Great Dane puppy who she names Cara. She lives with her parents in their home, lovingly referred to as “The House of the Toad”, due to the kind and protective “frog” spirits which legend says dwell there. We learn about the family business of creating new varieties of flowers through years of careful selection; the most noteworthy being a blue gloxinia, that her father had been working on for over ten years. We meet Annegret’s cousin Hans, her (newly formed) best friend Uschi, and Fridolin, the gardening apprentice, who, please note: gets mocked a bit, “Anne of Green Gables style”, for his red-hair.
When word gets out that Father has created a new species of flower, bids and offers for a specimen flood their lives. However, the plants are not yet ready for distribution. Then, one day, one of the blue gloxinias goes missing, and the blame falls on the young apprentice, Fridolin. All evidence points to his guilt, but Annegret has doubts, and follows her instincts to a very happy conclusion.
Rich description of homelife, food, florals, clothing and culture, mixed with a touch of fantasy, built on a foundation of botanical science, Greek mythology and mystery, with references to ‘Robinson Crusoe’, ‘Arabian Nights’ and Sherlock Holmes, this book is lovely.
A Note: although there is mention of Christmas, its featured holiday is actually St. Martins Day, celebrated on November 11, with very Christmas-like foods and homemade paper lanterns and traditions that seem to combine Halloween, Christmas and New Years Eve in one!
Illustrated by Enrico Arno, who had fled Nazi Germany due to his Jewish descent, spent some time in Italy, and eventually settled in Long Island to become an acclaimed book designer and album cover artist. His work is magical! About one full-page illustration per chapter.
This is my second book by Margot Benary-Isbert, the first being 'The Shooting Star' which I also loved. It is the prequel to this book, but you can absolutely read them out of order.
“At this season every house was steeped with the smells of seven spices that went into the baking of the gingerbread and spice cakes: cinnamon and cardamom, ginger and cloves, lemon and vanilla, and new ground nutmeg”.
Or, “Through the half-open window, a bright star peeked. At this time of year it stood there every night, whenever the sky was clear. It was Betelgeuse, the bright star in the shoulder of the hunter Orion, whose silvery belt gleamed between the branches of the chestnut tree”.
In ‘Blue Mystery’ Annegret is on the brink of gaining a Great Dane puppy who she names Cara. She lives with her parents in their home, lovingly referred to as “The House of the Toad”, due to the kind and protective “frog” spirits which legend says dwell there. We learn about the family business of creating new varieties of flowers through years of careful selection; the most noteworthy being a blue gloxinia, that her father had been working on for over ten years. We meet Annegret’s cousin Hans, her (newly formed) best friend Uschi, and Fridolin, the gardening apprentice, who, please note: gets mocked a bit, “Anne of Green Gables style”, for his red-hair.
When word gets out that Father has created a new species of flower, bids and offers for a specimen flood their lives. However, the plants are not yet ready for distribution. Then, one day, one of the blue gloxinias goes missing, and the blame falls on the young apprentice, Fridolin. All evidence points to his guilt, but Annegret has doubts, and follows her instincts to a very happy conclusion.
Rich description of homelife, food, florals, clothing and culture, mixed with a touch of fantasy, built on a foundation of botanical science, Greek mythology and mystery, with references to ‘Robinson Crusoe’, ‘Arabian Nights’ and Sherlock Holmes, this book is lovely.
A Note: although there is mention of Christmas, its featured holiday is actually St. Martins Day, celebrated on November 11, with very Christmas-like foods and homemade paper lanterns and traditions that seem to combine Halloween, Christmas and New Years Eve in one!
Illustrated by Enrico Arno, who had fled Nazi Germany due to his Jewish descent, spent some time in Italy, and eventually settled in Long Island to become an acclaimed book designer and album cover artist. His work is magical! About one full-page illustration per chapter.
This is my second book by Margot Benary-Isbert, the first being 'The Shooting Star' which I also loved. It is the prequel to this book, but you can absolutely read them out of order.
July 7, 2024
Here is masterful children's writing: a story of precious friendships, an unexpected theft, suspicion and courage--a story about small things and ordinary people invested with disproportionate value... and why, exactly? Simply because they've become objects of affection.
Margot Benary-Isbert has a rare talent for 'getting inside' the experience of childhood, inside its bright imaginings and deep shadows. She knows exactly what makes the secure foundation of a child's life and what threatens it--knows how to disturb the balance and then restore it.
It's a true marvel that Benary-Isbert managed such wholesome, heartfelt writing in Germany in the aftermath of WWII. May her books all be brought back into print--and soon!
Margot Benary-Isbert has a rare talent for 'getting inside' the experience of childhood, inside its bright imaginings and deep shadows. She knows exactly what makes the secure foundation of a child's life and what threatens it--knows how to disturb the balance and then restore it.
It's a true marvel that Benary-Isbert managed such wholesome, heartfelt writing in Germany in the aftermath of WWII. May her books all be brought back into print--and soon!
June 6, 2018
Delightful children's story with a wonderful ending
February 27, 2013
Great juvenile mystery!!! Old fashioned, whimsical and quirky!
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July 5, 2014This book would be good..
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews