Review of "The Bobbsey Twins of Lakeport"

"Let's get on with the Marden mystery!"

     In Laura Lee Hope's The Bobbsey Twins of Lakeport, a family of twins is swept up in a mystery that will set them on the course of years of sleuthing. Meet Nan and Bert Bobbsey, the twin children of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bobbsey, and their younger twin siblings, Freddie and Flossie. Together with their parents, cook, and family handyman, the Bobbsey Twins live an easy, carefree life in the small town of Lakeport. But when a supposedly haunted house scheduled for destruction begins to feed rumors of a priceless treasure hidden in its depths, the Bobbsey children become immersed in an adventure they could never have anticipated, racing the clock to solve a mystery that will change their lives.

     When it comes to the twins, everything is believable. They act their respective ages--twelve and six, if you're reading the revised editions--interact with their parents just like kids, and treat each other with a believable mix of kindness, empathy, and good-natured teasing befitting a group of siblings. Dinah and Sam, the Bobbsey clan's cook and handyman, are equally lovable characters with a great deal of warmth to them. Though they are all interesting and relatable, characters in this novel go through very little development, rendering them pretty flat. They do, however, have very distinct personalities that make for a good read with plenty of humor and a fair amount of conflict.

     Writing-style-wise, this is a juvenile book. It has no cursing and a great deal of exclamation points, which younger readers may find appealing but which could easily get on their older counterparts' nerves. However, those willing to put up with writing that sounds overexcited and a great deal of hyperbole from Freddie and Flossie will find a sound, credible plot hidden beneath.

     The Bobbsey Twins of Lakeport may not be an action-packed thriller, but it's got its fair share of tension in conflict. From ghosts to break-ins to a disappearing twin, the Nan, Bert, Flossie, and Freddie run into plenty of trouble in their attempts to recover the obsidional coins and cameo brooch old Mrs. Marden hid in her crumbling mansion. Heartbroken at the thought that the old woman may never see her treasures again, the twins promise to recover them before the house is torn to the ground. Unfortunately for them, they aren't the only ones looking, and charity is the last thing on their opponent's mind. Still, there's next to no violence; school bullying is the greatest source of displeasure for these kids, and even that is relatively minor.

     I would recommend this book to younger readers looking for a good mystery novel at the head of a series countless installments long. Though the protagonists and their companions are relatively flat and undergo next to no development, they're very fun, interesting, and sympathetic, three traits that are a good sign that their story will turn out well. It's not necessarily a tale that will attract adults, mostly because the writing style is aimed directly at kids. Laura Lee Hope's The Bobbsey Twins of Lakeport is a great story for beginning readers interested in a mystery investigated by kids just like them. It has plenty of heart and a great message, and definitely deserves four stars.