Margaret M. Sandberg

It’s the first day of summer, and preteens Tod and Barney are going to make the most of it. Off they go into the fun-filled woods and marshes, where they find frog eggs, rabbits, tadpoles, and an Abraham Lincoln-like character with a stovepipe hat and cane. Who is this weirdo anyway? The siren at the mental hospital blasted about the same time the summer adventurers spotted the strange man. Could he be—?

Tod and Barney are two energetic boys whose antics and excursions will bring many a laugh from the juvenile reader. Chubby Barney seems to eat one meal a day—all day long. And he’s always dragging along 99-percent-useless items, just in case!

Imaginative Tod constantly comes up with new ideas for summer projects, from building tadpole ponds to feeding uncooperative rabbits to finding out who the freak in the tall black hat is. Both fellows are a little afraid (though they won’t admit it) of the mysterious man. How does he suddenly appear from nowhere and then vanish again just as quickly? Is he some kind of superhuman creature or just a crackpot, or what?

The Mystery of the Man in the Tall Black Hat makes an entertaining story for the juvenile set. Its exciting portrayal of junior happenings and a touch of mystery keep the reader hanging on until he reaches a surprise ending. The book shows daily Christianity in action and presents Christ as the one true Savior and Friend.

Who is “the man in the tall black hat”? Read on and find out for yourself!