New HB Series - Clue Books!

[MacGyver]

That is quite a jump indeed! The price is worth it for libraries in the long run though because it will definitely help keep those books alive longer. (Though over time even library-bound books get beat up and destroyed too.)

[tomswift2002]

And with the current Adventure series, while I have seen the paperback versions at Walmart, I have not seen the hardcover editions on book shelves.

[MacGyver]

That's neat to at least see the paperback ones at Wal-Mart. I wouldn't expect to see the hardcover ones on bookstore shelves though; I think those are almost exclusively marketed and sold to libraries. The best bet is to order those directly from Simon & Schuster and/or Amazon, etc.

[SkyWarp]

Just added the latest section to the website:

http://www.hardyboyscasefiles.com/series/cluebooks.php

[MacGyver]

Nice!

[tomswift2002]

I just picked up both the paperback and hardcover versions of both books.  There is no space in the book for kids to write down their ideas, instead it is recommended that kids get a piece of paper.

[MacGyver]

Hmm.... is that perhaps to discourage kids from writing in books in general? It seems like the kind of book they would include blank pages for that purpose though.... I definitely want to see the hardback version of this book series- this just seems like a weird choice for a hardback version.

[Hardy Boys UB Fan]

Would I like this series? Or is it more for younger kids?

[tomswift2002]

The Clue Books are taking over for the Secret Files.  And already, from what I've read, the first two books sound like they might be recycling plots from the Secret Files, specifically The Missing Playbook (CB #2) vs. The Missing Mitt (SF#2), and both in the series #2 spot.  Plus both #1 books are about video games.

[MacGyver]

I think with that kind of series it's hard not to fall into similar themes pretty often.... because of the scope of the series, the mysteries have to be fairly simple and they have to make it appealing to children- so they're using the things they know interest kids. But even so- you hate to have recycled plots all the time.....

[MacGyver]

I finally ran across some of the hardback versions of the Hardy Boys Clue Book series- really interesting to see a series like this in hardback. I mean- it's nice, certainly- but I wouldn't pay $16.99 for it. (Which, if I recall correctly, is the price that was listed for the book!)
       I suppose these hardbacks are aimed at libraries because I don't see any parents paying that for them to get for their kids either.
The interactive part seems to consist of a page right before the last chapter where readers are given questions to help them try to figure out the solution to the mystery themselves before reading what happens- sort of a variation on the Encyclopedia Brown books. However, I thought I had read that there was perhaps an online component as well? Maybe I'm mistaken though. Anyway- the books seem to carry the same storylines from the Secret Files series. I saw that Chet's sister Mimi showed up in one of them, so we're still going with that same continuity.

[tomswift2002]

I just picked up #5 'Scavenger Hunt Heist'.  Both the paperback and hardcover editions.

[MacGyver]

That's cool. I've been wanting to get at least the first book in the series (in paperback) at some point- just to have at least one book of the series.

[tomswift2002]

It's to bad that with this one no one checked the calendar to see when it was being released, as they could easily have turned it into the Easter Egg Hunt Heist. 

[MacGyver]

True- that would have been nice. But the publishing dates may have changed- or someone just didn't have the foresight to go in that direction. Happy Easter! He is risen.