In Search of the Bobbsey Twins

I have been looking for the Bobbsey Twins books for about ten years now. I used to have more than 20 of these when I was a child. I remember going to Manila on vacation when I was in Grade 5, and searching through an Alemar's book shop (do these stores still exist?). My dad bought me one of each available Bobbsey title (plus one of each Nancy Drew title) in that store.

Since we were purchasing a lot, they gave us a discount and sold each book to us for only P35! (Mind you, this was 22 years ago.)


I loved reading the Bobbsey Twins. It was the first real thick book I had ever read, introduced to me by my sister, Gingging. I got swept up in each mystery the twins got themselvesinto. My favorite titles were The Mystery at Snow Lodge, The Secret at the Seashore, Adventure in the Country, and The Big River Mystery. My love for the written word, and what English grammar & vocabulary I have now, came from reading these detective series. I even learned my first Japanese words from The Bobbsey Twins and the Goldfish Mystery!


Unfortunately, when I was in college, my sister convinced me (I'm not sure if that's it; it was more oftricked me into thinking) that I didn't need the books anymore and that I should lend all my Bobbsey and Nancy Drew books to the MCS school library, with the premise that I could get them back whenever I wanted. Duh. You can't get your books back once you've given them away! And you can't get them back because more often than not, libraries lose books to borrowers who don't return them. So, I don't know if they're still there, but the last time I checked, I couldn't find any. Besides, I'm guessing that if I found some, they would all be dirty and worn.


Now that I have two kids, I want them to be able to get caught up in the same adventures I got myself into when I was small, be it in the comfort of my own room. Moreover, I want them to develop a love for reading because it doesn't only help your brain, it gets you out of street trouble, too.


I'm not so torn up about losing my Nancy Drew volumes because you can still find these at National Bookstore, but I was really upset with my Bobbsey Twins because Grosset & Dunlap isn't even printing these anymore (you can find them in thrift stores and may order them in some bookstores -- but you really have to do some searching).


So you can imagine my utmost delight when Gingging (yeah, the same sister who made me lose all my books...don't worry, she can't read this blog in China. hehehe) found some Bobbsey titles in Fully Booked at Bonifacio High Street. Although they don't have the original cover stock in nylon cloth just like mine were, it doesn't matter. I was so excited about it that when I went to Manila last October, I just had to buy all of them (only 12 titles are sold as a collector's edition @ P240 per book) and lug them on the airplane despite knowing that Fully Booked was eventually going to open a branch in Cebu (well, there's no knowing if they'd sell it here also, right?)


At first, my Miguel wouldn't read a single one. He'd browse through and complain, "There's too many chapters, Mommy. I'm gonna get tired reading." But after telling him which ones were my favorites and why, (and a little bribery that if he would read five titles, I'd remodel his room...), he finally caved and started to read the first book -- The Bobbsey Twins of Lakeport. Now he has become addicted to it, that it's hard to convince him to stop! He's currently reading the 10th book, and he reads first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and he even brings them to school so he can read during free periods. He keeps bugging me about painting his room now, and since I'm so busy, I have yet to fulfill this promise (bad Mommy! *spank!*)


Anyways, I've vowed NEVER AGAIN will I ever get rid of these precious books. They will forever be alongside my collection of the Chronicles of Narnia, my LOTR series, my Left Behind (and Left Behind Kids) series, and the rest of the titles on my shelf. All these will be for my son, eventually my daughter; for my grandchildren, and (as long as the pages endure) for my great grandchildren.


And for those of you who might find some Bobbsey titles in used bookstores or in your own home libraries, I'll gladly receive donations -- but only and only if you don't want them.