Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Two Spies

Sobol, Donald. Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Two Spies. Delacorte Press, 1994. ISBN 0-553-48297-1

Plot

Encyclopedia Brown, also known as Leroy, lives in Idaville with his parents. His father, the chief of police, often asks Leroy to help him solve police cases. Encyclopedia is so smart that he solves every case he encounters. He also sets up his own detective agency in the garage during the summer. Kids in the neighborhood come to him for help when their things go missing. In this collection he helps retrieve missing fireflies and a stolen wallet.

Critical Evaluation

There are ten mysteries in this book. Each is only about five pages long. The solution to each mystery is printed at the back of the book. This is a nice format for kids. They have a chance to stop and think about the mystery and the clues then solve it themselves before turning to the solution at the back of the book. The short length of each story makes this title great for reluctant readers.

Annotations

Encyclopedia Brown keeps Idaville safe by cracking every case that comes his way. He even helps his father, the chief of police, stop criminals.

Author

Donald J. Sobol began writing Encyclopedia Brown stories in 1963 and has been publishing them regularly ever since.

Genre

Fiction - mystery

Curriculum Ties

Language Arts

Booktalk Ideas

Read an entire mystery aloud then pair up listeners and see who can solve the mystery.

Reading Level/Interest Age

Grade 3 to 6 (age 8 to 12).

Challenge Issues and Defense

None.

Why is it here?

Encyclopedia Brown is a classic detective character kids enjoy.