Hunting for Hidden Gold (Hardy boys mystery stories / Franklin W Dixon) [Import] [Board book]

Franklin W Dixon (Author)

Product Details

• Board book: 160 pages
• Publisher: Collins (May 1973)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0001605259
• ISBN-13: 978-0001605251
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Franklin W. Dixon is the pen name used by a variety of different authors (Leslie McFarlane, a Canadian author being the first) who wrote The Hardy Boys novels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Hardy Boys out West, March 25, 2005

By 

Lonnie E. Holder "The Review's the Thing" (Columbus, Indiana, United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hunting for Hidden Gold (The Hardy Boys, No. 5) (Hardcover)

At last the Joe and Frank Hardy and their father Fenton get away from Bayport for a mystery. I always thought Bayport must not be a very safe place with all the crime that seems to occur there. Anyway, the boys are wandering around in the fog near Bayport when they encounter an old man who was accidentally shot by hunters. The boys learn that the old man is Mike Onslow, who the boys were seeking because of his knowledge of the Lucky Lode area in Montana. Their father is chasing criminals in the area and he was hoping that Mike could provide information about where the crooks could be holed up.

Mike tells the boys about his time in that area as a gold miner. Mike and three other miners were getting ready to leave their claim when Black Pepper and his gang jumped them. One of the miners, Bart Dawson, had a plane nearby with the gold already on board. Bart slipped away and took off. When Black Pepper and his men followed Bart, the other three miners escaped from the cabin. The miners were supposed to meet up later to split the gold. However, Bart Dawson disappeared. Mike then drew the boys a map of the area.

The boys travel to Montana through Chicago. In Chicago, men posing as their father's associates kidnap them. After a harrowing escape and stupid actions on the part of the kidnappers, the boys were able to continue on their journey.

In Montana it appears their adversaries are ruthless, and their adversaries attempt numerous times to stop the Hardys from investigating their activities, including trying to kill the Hardy boys and their father. As the story proceeds, we learn that there may be someone telling the criminals about the Hardys' plans. Who can the Hardys trust? The boys also fend off assassins, a fall from a cliff, and a cave-in in their most harrowing adventure yet. All the while the boys and their father must discover the hideout of the criminals, and, as you have already guessed, where the gold from the plane is located and what happened to Bart Dawson.

The Hardy Boys face many mysteries and yet the author managed to clearly explain how the mysteries did or did not relate to each other. Each of the first five Hardy Boys mysteries were quick, enjoyable reads, and I would recommend them for children in the age range of about eight through whatever age the series holds their interest.

Though the Hardy Boys series is written in a relatively archaic fashion, as reading material for an increasingly younger audience they are excellent. The stories were once recommended for children ages 10 to 14. As children are exposed to more violence and seem to require greater levels of stimulation, the recommended age range has move to 9 to 12. I think any child capable of reading some of the challenging words in these books will enjoy them, regardless of how tame most of the action may be. Once a child has reached age 12 or so the stories may be of less interest, but given the combination of mystery and action, these books remain good safe choices for parents who want to know what their children are reading.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Once you start reading, you cant stop, November 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hunting for Hidden Gold (Hardy Boys, Book 5) (Hardcover)

Hardy Boys, Hunting for Hidden Gold is one of the best books I have read in my life. It combines mystery, adventure, and suspense all crammed in one book. The Hardy Boys series is a really great series. I usually don't like mystery books but this one is really good.Unlike some books that have boring parts. Hunting for Hidden Gold doesn't have any boring parts. That is very good. I really don't like parts where they just talk and talk about boring things that don't interest me. The Hardy Boys have been around for awhile and people still read them. Hardy Boys can be read by all ages. it is not really hard to read. In the whole Hardy Boys series there are 58 books. I am looking forward to reading more books from the series. Hunting for Hidden Gold is a sort of long book. It is about 150 pages long. That is not too long but it is not very short either. Since it is long, it gets lots of action in it. If it was any longer, it would have some boring parts in it. In conclusion, this book deserves five stars.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Mystery, August 22, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Hunting for Hidden Gold (Hardy Boys, Book 5) (Paperback)

This review concerns the 1928 edition. When Fenton Hardy is injured during a case, he asks Frank and Joe to join him in Montana to find some stolen gold. I'd more accurately give the book 4.5 stars. The mystery was great, with plenty of action and the book was well-written; however, the book is half over before Frank and Joe finally reach Montana and I found that this was too long. Also, while it was good to see Frank And Joe singlehandedly catch the criminals for a change, unlike the first four books, it seemed a little too simple. But, still, it was an enjoyable book; well worth reading.