Albert's Halloween: The Case of the Stolen Pumpkins [Hardcover]

Leslie Tryon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998 | Series: Albert's Halloween (Book 1)

Someone has stolen eighteen pumpkins from Patsy Pig's Pleasant Valley Pumpkin Patch! Chief Detective Albert and his pals (see below) are hot on the trail of the Pumpkin Thief -- but they need your help, or there may be no jack-o'-lanterns this Halloween! Follow along as theygo from clue to clue until they finally apprehend a surprising suspect -- and learn how much they didn't see along the way!

Illustrated in the same captivating style that has made Albert and his friends beloved by so many readers, Leslie Tryon takes the Pleasant Valley gang on a new adventure as they try to unravel the spookiest Halloween mystery ever!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-Albert the duck and his animal friends share another adventure. Following a series of clues, the gang searches for 18 pumpkins that have been stolen from Patsy Pig's patch. After investigating a dead tree, the library steps, and a playground, the detectives are able to uncover only four of the missing gourds. Then they find a note that instructs them to retrace their steps and look again more carefully. Children will enjoy returning to the scenes of the crime and hunting through the detailed illustrations for the partially hidden pumpkins. The final double spread reveals the thief, Patsy Pig, who devised this clever game to amuse her friends. Filled with dark shadows, Tryon's illustrations provide the perfect setting for the story, while the characters' use of flashlights to spotlight clues, light the paths they take, and reveal objects in the night add additional flare to the mysterious ambiance. A terrific Halloween story that does not have ghosts or witches, this book will be fun to share in October; however, children will enjoy hunting for pumpkins throughout the year.
Olga R. Barnes, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, NC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5^-8. Children unfamiliar with Albert the duck and his animal buddies will start off wishing for a who's who of characters here, but they'll eventually catch on and be able to enjoy the fun. Led by Chief Inspector Albert, Miss Maple, Sam Slade, and Shamrock Homes embark on a quest to find 18 missing pumpkins, with clues taking them from the pumpkin patch to the library, to the dead tree, to the playground. Certain words in the clues are colored red and appear in puzzle-shaped pieces, which are later pulled together to guide children to pumpkins that Tryon has hidden in her illustrations. Suitably dressed in detective-style attire, the animals make a fetching group as they search dark landscapes by flashlight till the mystery is solved. Children will have a great time doing their own detecting on Halloween or anytime. A mystery story plus hidden pictures equals a double dose of entertainment. Stephanie Zvirin

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum; 1st edition (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689811365
• ISBN-13: 978-0689811364
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,531,636 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun!, November 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Albert's Halloween: The Case of the Stolen Pumpkins (Hardcover)

My 5 year old and I had a great time reading this book. He caught on to the mystery "puzzle" clues, and then had fun discovering the hidden pumpkins and notes. A very entertaining book with wonderful illustrations!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Halloween Reading Fun, October 27, 2011

By 

Kind Bean "can't read enough" (New England, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Albert's Halloween: The Case of the Stolen Pumpkins (Paperback)

We just borrowed this book from the library, and my girls (4 and 3)and I loved it. We had a lot of fun finding all of the missing pumpkins! The book follows Chief Inspector Albert and his detectives as they look for stolen pumpkins, clues, and ultimately the pumpkin thief. The illustrations are charming with just enough spookiness for Halloween fun. I highly recommend this book and hope it will be re-released again soon!

5.0 out of 5 stars fun detective story and picture search, October 14, 2010

By 

Oona Martin (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Albert's Halloween: The Case of the Stolen Pumpkins (Paperback)

We bring this book out every Halloween, and my boys love it. There are pumpkins and clues hidden on each page.