The Happy Hollisters facts for kids
The Happy Hollisters is a series of exciting books about a family who loves to solve mysteries! These books were published by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and written by Andrew E. Svenson (1910–1975) under the pen name Jerry West. The fun pictures in the books were drawn by Helen S. Hamilton (1921–2014).
Contents
Meet the Hollister Family!
The Happy Hollisters books tell the adventures of a young American family who live in a town called Shoreham, near Pine Lake. They are always finding and solving new mysteries!
The Hollister family is quite big! There are five children, their parents, a family of cats, a dog, and even a burro.
- Pete is the oldest child at 12 years old.
- Pam (or Pamela) is 10 years old and loves adventure.
- Ricky is a lively 7-year-old with red hair.
- Holly is a 6-year-old who loves to play like a tomboy.
- Sue is the youngest, at 4 years old.
Their dad, Mr. John Hollister, owns a store called The Trading Post. He sells many different things there, like tools, sports gear, and toys. Mrs. Elaine Hollister, their mom, is always ready to help her children with clues and tips to solve their cases.
Sometimes, two boys named Joey Brill and Will Wilson cause a bit of trouble for the Hollisters. They aren't bad guys, but their actions can make solving mysteries a bit harder or more annoying for the family. Usually, they don't mean to cause problems; they just don't always think things through.
Adventures in Every Book
There are many books in The Happy Hollisters series, with over 30 different mystery adventures! Each book takes the family to a new place or a new puzzle to solve. For example, some titles include The Happy Hollisters on a River Trip or The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Totem Faces.
Real-Life Inspiration for the Books
What makes this series extra special is that many of the characters and stories were inspired by real life! Andrew Svenson, the author, based the Hollister family on his own family who lived in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
- Pete in the books is like Svenson's real son, Andrew Jr.
- Pam is like his daughter, Laura.
- Ricky is based on his son, Eric.
- Holly is like his daughter, Jane.
- Sue is a mix of his two youngest daughters, Eileen and Ingrid.
Even the family pets in the books were inspired by real animals! The cat, "White Nose," was based on the Svenson family's real cat, Mickey. The collie dog, "Zip," was inspired by a real Border Collie named Lassie.
Joey Brill, one of the Hollisters' rivals, was also based on a real person, though his real name is now forgotten. Jane (Svenson) Kossmann, one of the author's daughters, shared that her dad even put her social studies teacher, Mrs. Farber, into the series! Some of the mystery stories in the books came from adventures her dad heard about from her Girl Scout Camp and her brother's Boy Scout Camp.
Books Around the World
The Happy Hollisters books have been enjoyed by children in many different countries!
- Twelve of the books were translated into Swedish.
- The entire series was translated into Spanish and sold in Spain and many Latin American countries. In Spanish, the series is called "Los Hollister."
- The whole series was also translated into Norwegian, where it was known as Lykkebarna.
- At least 11 of their adventures were published in German as Die fröhlichen Falkenbergs.
- Eighteen of their adventures were also published in France under the name "Les Joyeux Jolivet."
See also
In Spanish: Los Hollister para niños
