Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man

Encyclopedia Brown #4

by Donald J. Sobol

A ghost who whistles... Eight stuffed penguins... An underwater car... A famous explorer's fortune... and an ldaville boy who's literally lost his marbles! 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!

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Chapter Books, Short Stories

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Donald 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.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neo and I finished the fourth collection of Encyclopedia Brown mysteries. These stories allow the reader to see Encyclopedia and those close to him in action as they solve crimes and expose all the criminals of Idaville, USA. In this collection, Encyclopedia looks into a blackmailed coffee grinds smoker (gross, I know), a vehicle that crashed into the ocean, and even a ghost haunting an old house. These five-minute mysteries are perfect for any time of day, though Neo and I found them perfect for a before bedtime stumping. Some stories have easy answers, while others left Neo and I scratching our heads! Great reading for people of all ages, particularly those who are closet sleuths.

Neo mentioned that he really likes the stories, as they keep him thinking. I remember these stories were read to me when I was young as well, helping me become the problem solver I have become. He 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.

Did you know Neo’s has his own GR account for reviews? Check him out: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...

[Ashley Bacon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read-aloud with the kids... It was fun even though it felt dated. They liked the challenge of solving the case and with short chapters it held their attention well.

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of mini-mysteries for kids. One of the great children's characters of all time.

[Neo · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad and I finished the fourth collection of Encyclopedia Brown mysteries. These stories allow the reader to see Encyclopedia and those close to him in action as they solve crimes and expose all the criminals of Idaville, USA. In this collection, Encyclopedia looks into a blackmailed coffee grinds smoker (gross, I know), a vehicle that crashed into the ocean, and even a ghost haunting an old house. These five-minute mysteries are perfect for any time of day, though we found them perfect for a before bedtime stumping. Some stories have easy answers, while others left us both scratching our heads! Great reading for people of all ages, particularly those who are closet sleuths.

I truly really like the stories, as they keep me thinking. I thoroughly enjoys 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.

[Nathalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's fun to get the period feel of this book!

[Jason Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 rounded down to four.

It took about 35 years, but I finally got around to this, and it turns out it's not even a real book! It's a bunch of 10-page mysteries that you get to solve yourself before checking out the answer at the end of the book. I was okay with that, though, even if it did catch me off guard. It's a shame Encyclopedia Brown was murdered about 20 years ago. He'd have been enjoying a nice retirement right about now... Or maybe not. It looks like he never raised his rate of 25 cents per day plus expenses. That works fine when you're 10 years old and have no rent or mortgage, but I wonder how he managed to live on that as an adult. Some private dicks do it for the money, but Brown was apparently in it for the thrill of it. They don't make them like that anymore, and he will be missed.

These were a delight to read. Not only is there a mystery to solve which sometimes (but not always) requires you to know a bit of obscure trivia, it's kind of tongue-in-cheek and self-aware. In one case this kid asks Encyclopedia to

"Write a murder mystery - with me as the star... I've got a great idea! Let the audience try to figure out how the detective solved the crime!"

"That's a corny idea," objected Encyclopedia.

It also has references to all kinds of stuff, what would be called Easter Eggs today. E.G. a kid's marbles were stolen, and his best shooters were named Minnie and Moocher! Then there was one spectacular ironic coincidence that wasn't an Easter Egg at all unless there was some mumbo jumbo going on with the space time continuum. Encyclopedia's real first name is Leroy which makes him Leroy Brown who, as you know, was reputed to be the baddest man in the whole damn town. Two men (or a boy and a man, actually) sharing a name. One dedicated to a life of crime, one dedicated to putting the scum of humanity behind bars. It's Capone and Ness all over again, I tell ya... except they don't have the same name... Okay. Bad analogy. Moving on.

I enjoyed trying to solve the mysteries, and I got most of them. Some were easier than others, and oddly enough the ones with the trivia bits were the ones I got (such as knowing that a squirrel never backs down a tree but runs down head first). Most of the others require logic, and couple of those tripped me up.

Some parts of this would never make it past a publisher today since it's geared towards kids. Bugs Meany is EB's main antagonist, and he's smoking in one illustration.



I know this is a sensitive subject nowadays, so I doubt you'll find this illustration in any reprints. As for me, I don't think any kids ever started smoking because they saw Bugs Meany doing it just like I never started smoking because of Garbage Pail Kids.



I did start smoking eventually when I was 17, but I can't lay it at the feet of this kind of stuff, and childhood was more fun in the beforetimes because we got to collect and trade stupid cards like this. There was also a story in here about a kid who was smoking dried coffee grounds in a corncob pipe which I didn't even know was a thing, but it was the 60's which is when everyone found out you can actually smoke anything. Encyclopedia suggested to the kid that he change his brand, but the kid even went one better and promised to quit smoking if EB could find out who was blackmailing him about it. This was really for the best since the smoking was making him dizzy and sick all the time, not to mention turning him green.

Another thing that would go over like a lead balloon now is the fat jokes in one chapter. I'm overweight myself, and I have an overeating problem that I struggle with to varying degrees (it's been pretty tough lately), but I still found this section hilarious. I can take a joke (though it depends on both the joke and the delivery), so this didn't bother me, but I reckon it can be a trigger for others. Things have changed so much in the past couple of decades and society has either evolved into something better than it used to be, or we've lost our collective sense of humor. (My money is on the latter.) I'll share some of it here (intermittently) and you can be the judge as to whether or not it's appropriate for children, or anybody, to be reading.

Encyclopedia was shocked. He had just seen Chester Jenkins running past the detective agency.

Chester never ran - except to the school cafeteria at lunch hour. He was the biggest eater in the fifth grade.

He was also the roundest. In fact, Chester was nearly as high lying down as standing up.

Encyclopedia hurried out to the sidewalk. He looked up and down the block. There wasn't an ice cream truck in sight.

(Chester wobbles back, puffing like a marching band, and explains to Encyclopedia he's training for the pie eating contest.)

Encyclopedia was puzzled. Why roadwork? Chester was a cinch to win. Only Belly Slave, the hippopotamus at the zoo, could eat more.

(Chester explains the twins' mother changed the rules this year because she thought last year's contest was disgusting.)

Encyclopedia remembered last year. Chester had left the other boys lying on their backs covered with pie crumbs. The Thompson twins had to be carried home.

You get the idea. Not only am I okay with all of this, I would totally be giving this book to my nieces and nephew to scope out if they were younger, but they've matured beyond this reading level, and most of them don't like to read at all if they can help it.

If you don't have any hangups with the two issues I mentioned, then this is a great book for your kids. I imagine the others in the series follow a similar vein.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I am of course glad for more Encyclopedia Brown mysteries, but a couple of the solutions to these ones seemed a little silly. Also, not enough people go to jail. The best part about this book was reading it with my dear fish friend Chunk, who was very happy for some company and has shown an interest in reading time as of late. I think he enjoyed it even more than I did, so please factor that into my rating and review."

[Beyond Words · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick to read as fun brain teasers. This one, however, included some humour with it.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one book did not age well with fat-shaming of a character and smoking youths. However, it was still fun to try to solve all the mysteries.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Encyclopedia Brown is not your normal fifth grader. He's a regular Sherlock! And your kids will appreciate the genius way in which he's able to put clues together ... and how you have to turn to the back of the book for the big reveal! It's a clever format that enables you to have a chance at solving the mystery and checking your theory!

Ages: 9 - 13

Cleanliness: Golly, Gee Whiz, for Pete's sake, thank heavens and the like are used throughout. There are several town bullies and swindlers. There is usually a fist fight in each book (mostly referring to the time Sally beat up Bugs Meany, the town bully). A ghost is mentioned. There is a teen that is caught smoking and vows to give it up.

**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!

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[Timothy McNeil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sobol doesn't make any glaring errors in this edition (at least none that I spotted), but he has more than one problem with the final mystery.

The book was published in 1967. Mexico stopped printing Mex$1 notes in 1962. It is entirely unlikely that a bank would be holding one million Mex$1 notes, let alone five years after they ceased to be printed. Given that a Mex$1 note weighs approximately as much as a $1 bill, that would mean that two men stole over 2000 lbs of currency. On a pallet, that is not a huge deal. It is somewhat harder for two men to flee with out of a bank. Plausible, sure, but not entirely believable for the age range. If we accept that the robbers were sophisticated enough to pallet the money out of the bank, why is it too much to accept that they would employ bill counters (around since the 1920s) to figure out how much money they had? Moreover, why couldn't a criminal lie about counting the money again? And let's examine the quibble over Mex$1000. Given the exchange rate Sobol gives, that is a disagreement over $80 (in 1967 dollars). Real exchange rates from 1967 put it at $6.58. Let's assume Sobol is right. Is an $80 slight against a $40,000 expectation (this means pocketing $39,920) a real deal-breaker? Is this not within the realm of 'cost of doing business'? But the real problem is that Sobol gives not one single line for how the money was accounted. To expect children to estimate counting time is a bit of a reach. It feels every bit like a cheat on the author's part.

[Kevin Hogg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fun, even if it was a bit inconsistent. Some mysteries were too obvious for my liking, while others made me think a bit. Some specific thoughts:

- Marble Shooter: a decent story, and a bit of careful reading should help the reader solve the case
- Bugs Meany, Detective: the solution was fine, but I really liked the idea of Bugs opening a rival detective agency
- Underwater Car: a decent story; I knew what to look for, as I've heard similar ones in the past, so it's hard to judge it
- Whistling Ghost: it looked like it was going to be too obvious, but the solution ended up being satisfying
- Explorer's Money: it felt like the story was really focused on making sure the reader caught a specific detail--the key to the solution seemed like it was reinforced too much for my tastes
- Coffee Smoker: a strange premise for a story, but definitely original; I thought I had it but felt unsatisfied with the solution, but then I had a sudden realization of the key detail just in time
- Chinese Vase: again, it looked like the story was headed in one direction, so I was anticipating a solution early; it took a different turn, which I appreciated
- Blueberry Pie: like the Explorer's Money, I felt like the clue was stated too clearly and too often
- Murder Man: it seemed like a strange premise, but I liked the originality in how the story was presented; it was also the only one I didn't solve, so I appreciate the trickiness of the solution
- Million Pesos: this one seemed a bit simple--maybe not the best to close with, but a fun story anyway

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Encyclopedia Brown series never disappoints. It is very clever, and Encyclopedia is so likable and funny.

Per tradition, Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man has 10 short stories with cases to solve. Out of these, I think I solved 7 or 8 of them. A couple were really easy if you had been paying attention, but some were pretty tough.

I think my favorite story was The Case of the Murder Man. It was different than the rest since it was about a play written by Encyclopedia instead of a case he had to solve. The Case of Bugs Meany, Detective was also fun. I always love it when Bugs and the Tigers are at odds with Encyclopedia. And in this story they even start their own detective agency.

[Julesmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was better than #3, but not quite as good as #1 or #2. There was significantly less racism/bigotry in this one (yes, I know, they were written in the 1960's, things were different) and there were more puzzle-type mysteries rather than mysteries that required knowledge of obscure facts.

My favorite in this one was the mystery that Encyclopedia came up with to help his friend write the play. The change of approach was fun and refreshing.

[Eman710 · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a very good book because it's interesting to me how this kid about 10 years old solves all these cases with the smallest mistakes. his dad is a policeman and the kid Leroy also called encyclopedia solves half of his cases. as i have been reading these books I've actually began to figure out some cases every once in a while.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the later mysteries where the series took a dark turn and Encyclopedia has to figure out who killed Sally Kimball's baby. [Spoiler alert: In a shocking twist at the end, it turns out that Sally had an abortion.]

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a bit of longing when I read this book. Encyclopedia's father was so patient and caring with him. He helped Encyclopedia learn without hitting him or calling him stupid. I wish I had a father like Encycopedia's.

[Mattea · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was awesome it was going to be the book i read for school but it made me read the hole set

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are fantastic books. I loved them as a kid. You can solve the mysteries along with Encyclopedia Brown, all the clues are in the story. They make you think. Very recommended for young readers

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little mini-mysteries.

[Carolyn Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

The entire Encyclopedia Brown series is a gift to all kids with inquiring minds and a penchant for trivia and facts.

[Lara]

Encyclopedia Brown was one of my gateway drugs into mysteries. As a kid, I always tried to figure out the solution before I read it in the back. Not always successful, but I did try!

Rereading them as an adult was straight-up nostalgia. The formula I remember from childhood was still there (you start to notice it when you read a lot of this series, especially in a row). The first puzzle is always from the Chief, told around the dinner table, the second is at the Brown Detective Agency. There is always at least one case with Bugs Meany and the Tigers, including a corny expression or pun about how crooked they are. And Sally is the junior detective, Encyclopedia's muscle, and both the prettiest girl and the best athlete.

And I still learn a little each time I read these! Despite the formula, they are great for building critical thinking with kids. Short stories let you get right into the puzzle, and are quick for short attention spans or quick reads when you only have a few minutes. And sometimes the puzzle depends on some obscure facts, but you learn a little then too.

Encyclopedia debuted in the mid-60s. (FYI - The earlier ones like this sometimes show their age a bit more, in terms of language and stereotypes). I was reading them 25+ years ago. And I'd still recommend them to budding mystery readers.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

We have been reading some old Encyclopedia Brown books through our Corona isolation journey.

They've been fun to revisit, to see them through my daughter's eyes - to have to explain so many references and moments because culturally they are so very different to now.

Overall, they've aged fairly well. A few of the answers aren't actually 100% correct but I remember thinking that when I was young as well.

We have been enjoying reading them together, for sure.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Still Needs Attention to Details…

Managed to get four gotchas, two halves. The rest, didn’t get. Still a good challenge to beat Encyclopedia Brown. However, when it comes to Leroy Brown’s exclamations, one should get real in any dialogue, especially among kids. “Hopping hamburgers” just won’t cut it. Doubt seriously the Hardy Boys would be caught dead saying them. Still, a fun read puzzlers.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man
(Book 4)
By Donald J. Sobol

A fun little mystery book. Several mini-mysteries for you to try and solve with answers in the back. Most are, expectedly, really easy. One or two I had to go back and see what I missed.
Great books for kids. I read them a lot when I was younger. It really helps train young readers to pay attention to the details. What's being said and not said.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown goes sleuthing to solve several crimes and mysteries that take place in and around the town of Idaville. In this collection of short stories, the young detective involves himself in insurance fraud, blackmail, bank robbery, and various other cases. In the end, Encyclopedia Brown always gets his man.

[Nicole Bohr · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard to write a review when it comes to a series where most of the stories are similar. This is my fourth read of the Encyclopedia Brown series. Although each mystery is unique, the plots are similar (I.e Bugs and his Tiger gang are usually the corrupts). Nevertheless, the mysteries are delightful and sometimes I even get stumped!

Such an enjoyable short read.

[Tim Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing special here, but the cases are sound, except one.

The spoiler below is very mild. It doesn't name the case or the suspects. It just points out a general principle.
If X claims to have overheard Y say something that could not have been true, that doesn't prove X is lying. Y could be lying.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Ruthiella · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun revisit to a childhood favorite. Looking at the cover of the 1967 first edition of this title, I actually remembered the solution to that particular mystery . I think that is how I learned about that particular difference between the North and South Poles.