The Happy Hollisters at Circus Island (HH8)

I remember reading The Happy Hollisters series when I was in elementary school.  The school library was small, and the books they had from this series did not have dust jackets on them, so at the time, I never realized they did have the colorful jackets.  As an adult, I rediscovered the series, but quickly learned that finding the books with dust jackets in really good conditions was not only a difficult task, but it was also an expensive one!  Fortunately, the Svenson family (author Jerry West was in actuality Andrew Svenson, a one-time partner of the Stratemeyer Syndicate who wrote all 33 volumes of The Happy Hollisters series) began republishing the books, first in paperback format, then again in hardback format with extra features at the back of each book!  Information about the series, the author, and how to purchase the books can be found at their website, The Happy Hollisters.  I count myself super-fortunate to have not only met, but made friends with Svenson's grandson and namesake, Andrew Svenson III, and his wife Callie, and they only re-invigorated my love of this series!

The Happy Hollisters at Circus Island is the eighth book in the series, and I pulled it out recently to re-read after all these years.  It was like reading an all-new story for the first time (we won't talk about how many decades have passed since I originally read this book!).  It was so much fun getting re-acquainted with Pete,Pam, Ricky, Holly, and little Sue, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Hollister and their pet collie, Zip.  And of course, we can't forget that troublesome bully, Joey Brill.  Reading the story definitely brought back those wonderful childhood memories of reading wholesome stories of family, adventure, and mystery full of fun characters, not-so-nice villains, and a variety of locales.  In this particular book, the family heads down to Florida, as Mr. Hollister must look into purchasing a houseboat for one of his customers and he decides to take his family along for a vacation trip.  As it turns out, the houseboat is owned by a clown who owns the Sunshine Circus on "Circus Island."

Now, before you ask, no, there is no such place as Circus Island in Florida; there is, however, a Circus Museum located in Sarasota, Florida, which provides visitors with a look back at the history of how Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey grew into some of the most well-recognized and world-famous circuses (Circus Museum).  Svenson never clearly defined where the fictional Circus Island is in Florida, but he provides only the smallest of hints when Pete asks where the island is - "In a small lagoon near the ocean, about thirty miles from the airport" his father tells him (p. 49).  Now, that removes the Sarasota museum from the picture, since that is on the Gulf side of the state, not the ocean side.  It also could not refer to Circus World theme park (owned, coincidentally, by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus), which did not open until 1974, nearly 20 years after this book was published, and was located in Haines City, Florida, not near the ocean (Circus World).  While I could not find a place comparable to what is described in the book, interestingly enough, I did find a now-defunct corporation called "Circus Island LLC" that was formed in 2021, but dissolved just a year later.  Not really sure what its purpose was, but I find it amusing that the owner chose that particular name.

The mystery, while centered around the circus in Florida, involves some missing dogs and a ring of thieves who are specifically stealing dogs who can perform tricks.  Needless to say, the mystery ties into all of the performers who are leaving Peppo's circus to join a mysterious new circus, also in Florida.  Pete, Pam, Ricky, and Holly are determined to not only find the missing dogs, but also figure out why all of the performers are leaving Peppo's circus, when they find him to be jovial and his circus a lot of fun.  While the mystery is not overly complicated (this series is aimed at younger readers, remember), it does have its share of mishaps and somewhat dangerous adventures (Ricky and Holly get lost in the woods overnight; Pete and Ricky get kidnapped by the thieves; etc.).  And in the midst of it all, the kids do get the opportunity to find out what it is like to be a circus performer, as depicted on the cover art for the book, rendered beautifully by the series artist, Helen S. Hamilton (taken straight from page 114).

I did happen to notice some very unique references throughout the story that made me wonder if perhaps Mr. Svenson was not having a bit of fun while writing the mystery.  The name of Peppo the Clown's missing dog is Nappy (p. 84) ... and isn't it a funny coincidence that the name of the cover artist for quite a few of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books, starting in 1953 (just two years prior to this book's publication).  And while the children are exploring the circus, they are taken into the tent of one of the performers, where "off in one corner stood an open brass-bound trunk" (p. 142).  Odd, since Nancy Drew solved a mystery surrounding a brass-bound trunk... And then, just a few pages later, Ricky and Holly see one of the dogs head "toward a grove of moss-covered trees" (p. 149).  How interesting, since Nancy Drew also solved a mystery involving a "moss-covered" mansion.  Definitely makes one wonder, doesn't it?

RATING:  9 stuffed toy terriers out of 10 for good, clean family fun and mystery that is truly a great all-ages read!