This series of books is great for students who are into mysteries and suspense, because each books includes a mystery that is intended to be solved by the reader. The Lexile level is 620L. I would use this in a in a 3rd grade classroom and let each student choose which mystery of Encyclopedia Brown's they would like to read. I would then hand out a graphic organizer that each child will use to complete the chart for which mystery they are reading. Before finishing the book, they must try to come up with their own solutions, and THEN check themselves by looking at Encyclopedia Brown's solution in the back of the book. They are to list the protagonist, the antagonist, the crime or mystery that has been reported, and clues that will help them solve it. 

Can't say enough good things about this series.  Written for kids but still a great read for adults on a nostalgia kick. 

I was going to add all the Encyclopedia Brown books to this one review, but BL's book search sucks (entered an ASIN from a BL book page and yet BL's search couldn't find it!  Magic!)

Anyway, in a fit of nostalgia, I'm re-reading my way through this series.  I've always loved Encyclopedia Brown, and I remember back 30 or 35 years ago I was  always running to the library to see if they had any new ones.  They're fast, they're entertaining and very well-written.  It's so easy to devour one in a half-hour and yet you're just as satisfied as if you read a full length novel. 

So, this review will sum up the series for me:  great for kids, and even better for adults.

I only guessed 4 out of 10. I am humbled

But then, Encyclopedia Brown usually proved too clever for me. Even as a child I would more often than not thumb to the back of the book to read the solution. More often than not its staring everybody in Idaville in the face and Encyclopedia is the only person blessed with both the book smarts and the common sense to see it.

This was the only book in the original run of the series I didn't have growing up, so it was fun to test my wits. I thought with my further education in the last 15 years I would have improved.

I especially have to hand it to the junior detective for an amazing deductive leap in "The Case of the Wagon Master". I was fascinated to find out that a frontier fort in 1872 would have followed the 1923 Flag Code.

Hmmm....Make that 5 out of 10, and if Encyclopedia doesn't have a quarter I'll take a check for 25¢.

Encyclopedia Brown

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