The Secret of the Old Mill

July 1, 2003
Gr 3-6-Mr. Hardy, Frank, Joe and friends tackle two interconnected mysteries in this production of Franklin W. Dixon's 1927 novel. With an old mill as the main setting, members of the sleuthing Hardy family endure blows to the head, imprisonment in an old garage, a dynamite explosion, near drowning and other occupational hazards until they finally uncover enough clues to discover the identities of the men involved in a counterfeiting gang. Simultaneously, they identify who sabotaged the plant of Elekton Controls, a manufacturer of space missile parts. Even with all of this adventure, today's youngsters, inured to even more exciting and timely mayhem, may pass up this audiobook. Nevertheless, it could be used effectively by teachers, especially in remedial or resource rooms. Bill Irwin does an amazing job of using subtle changes in voice to delineate characters. The audiobook's excellent aural quality, the relative simplicity of the plot, the use of credible sound effects, and the measured pace of the reading make this a good choice for struggling readers. When purchasing the companion book to be used as a read-along with the tapes, be sure to select a recent edition since older ones differ from these tapes.-Carol Y. Barker, Wheelerville School, Caroga Lake, NY

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