Mystery at Redtop Hill
/Mystery at Redtop Hill by Marjory Schwalje (1965) One of the best kids’ books covers I’ve seen—published by Whitman, from Racine—great book cover art from this time period. If you open it up flat, it’s a whole landscape with orange sky and rolling green hills, and three kids spying on a distant car. Even the font is good. Better yet, when you open it, the endpapers have a two-page map of Redtop Hill. I love that. The cover illustration is by Charles Geer, who is one of the best—his illustrations of the Mad Scientists’ Club books are crucial—especially the cover of the first one. The illustrations here are beautiful, and there are a lot—almost every other page—some black and white, and some color, even two-page spreads. It takes place during summer break at the seasonal cabins of a couple of families from the city, at a country outpost near Cooperstown, NY, and Otsego Lake. Of course, a lot of pictures mean less text, and indeed this is “A Whitman Tween Age Book”—don’t know if I’d like being called that, at any age, but I guess it’s geared a little younger than some similar chapter mysteries. I’d never heard of Marjory Schwalje, not a ton of stuff out there by her, but this is well written and fun. It’s not a real elaborate mystery, of course, but there are real consequences, and the kids save the day with their persistence. It includes what might be the worst chase scene in chase scene history, but I chose to believe it’s a parody of chase scenes. The best parts are some funny details pertaining to the eccentric old-timer, Major Clyde—the kind of interesting adult who enriches the kids’ lives immeasurably.
2.8.26