Customer Reviews

The Message in the Hollow Oak (Nancy Drew, Book 12)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This review concerns the original 1935 edition and the revised 1972 edition which is completely different from the original. In the original, Nancy wins a piece of land in northern Canada in a radio contest and almost immediately people are trying to buy the land from her. Could it be valuable? Determined to see the land for herself, Nancy, along with her friends Bess and George, set out for the remote wilderness of northern Canada. Along the way the three girls meet an authoress who tells them a sad story of how she was kept apart from her first love many years ago. Upon arriving at her land, Nancy finds that a ruthless group of swindlers is trying to steal her land from her. How Nancy reunites the authoress with her first love and outsmarts the group of swindlers makes for a rather interesting story. This really isn't a mystery story, it's more of an adventure; however, it is quite an exciting book. The story grabs your attention very quickly and there is plenty of action. The northern Canadian setting is used very effectively. The end of the book was very good, as it displays two of Nancy's best qualities, her courage and her willingness to sacrifice something that is hers to help someone else. Unfortunately, this edition is not the one found in new book stores; however, if you ever find it at a used book store, buy it, you won't be disappointed with it. In the revised edition, Nancy goes to the Ohio River area of Illinois to search for a hollow oak. Legend has it, that in the 1600s a French missionary hid a treasure in a hollow oak but was killed before he could reveal its location. This version isn't bad. The book kept me interested throughout but it never had me so engrossed that I couldn't put it down. I would recommend reading this book, but I enjoyed the original version so much more.

I think you should read this book. Carolyn Keene has made this book exciting with a little bit of history along with it. This is a great book!

The Message in Hollow Oak is a tale everyone should read. It is an exciting tale with an twist of history. Some of the most beloved Nancy Drew characters come alive once again to bring another mystery filled with suspense and danger.

Nancy Drew in The Message in the Hollow Oak is very interesting and was fun to read about. I thought it was very interesting to see in her point of view on how to solve her mysteries. She has a very creative mind.
I thought that Nancy was interesting because she always knows what to do when everyone else is stuck. She tends to always find a way to solve her mystery and help other people that are also part of it. Nancy and her friends may at some times get in a little mischief, but always, no matter how bad the situation, find different ways to get out of it. It also occurs to me that in this book, they never have gotten in any illegal problems, but had to phone the police a couple of times to keep Nancy safe. One thing that I also like is that she thinks of things that I would have never thought of before and it helps me just in case I might need something to solve, but not as intense.
The Message in the Hollow Oak is a great book for young and older readers. They're not scary, and not too boring. it's just the right thing. It was a great book to me and will be to you if you read it.

The Hollow Oak book was about a message along with treasure hidden in a Hollow Oak by a man named Pere'
Fracious. He was a french surveyor who traveled to indian villages and one of Nancy's new friends Bocecy and his crew of detectives were trying to find the message. However, because they didn't have enough time to find the treasure, he told Nancy about it and thought maybe she could discover it. When she gets on the case, a man maned Kit Kadle tries to stop her from getting the treasure by kidnapping two people to scare her off the case. Instead she finds the two people and finds the treasure.

I thought the book was very exciting and intriguing because it really had me glued to the book so much that I never wanted to put down. It really had my attention.

submitted by Brittany, IL

Nancy's friends assist her in solving a mystery of The Message In The Hollow Oak. Nancy's enemy Kit Kadle tries to stop her from solving the mystery and finding the Treasure. Nancy stays at a historical dig while solving the mystery. Some of the college students Nancy met at the dig are: Bob, Art, and Julie Ann. The dig was in Illinois. Nancy's aunt's friend told Nancy about the Mystery. When Nancy's friend Bob gets kid-napped by Kit Kadle, he sends Nancy a telegraph saying that he would only set Bob free if she gave him $5,000 and the Treasure. When she got the telegraph, she had the boys at the dig make a dummy sack with ripped-up paper and some rocks. In the end, Kit Kadle and Nancy come face to face for the Treasure.


I really liked reading this book; I give it four out of five stars.

Gabby N.....

How did Ms. Benson write such a wide range of books in such varying locations? Today that would be easy for an author with all of the internet access...but back in the 30's or 40's (sorry, not positive when she started writing these) it would have been so much more difficult. She must have hit the library every single day, I'm assuming. Or she traveled a lot. Does anyone know?

The book was in excellent condition and arrived promptly. It will make a wonderful gift for my niece!

I ordered it with the intention of walking down the path of childhood long since forgotten. I am as enthralled with the book now as I was thirty years ago. It is inspiring and just deliteful. Nancy Drew has endured the test of time and come out still the best at what she does.

This book is about Nancy going to Illinois and trying to solve the mystery of Pere Francois and his treasure. She stays at a dig site with Ned's cousin Julie Ann and is terrorized by a man with many identities named Kit Kadle. He will stop at nothing to find the message Pere Francois left and ultimately find the treasure. Will Nancy find it....... READ THE BOOK!