Ginny Gordon and the Lending Library

    This was the first Ginny Gordon book I had ever read. I was ecstatic when I found it at a book store because at the time I believed I had already read all of Whitman's series for girls. After reading it I bought the rest of the series online and read them in order. But this is my first time reading Lending Library in order. Interesting how the title simply says "and the Lending Library" instead of Mystery of the Lending Library.

- As the book starts we find out its still October. It's been less than 2 months and Ginny is solving her 4th mystery and the Hustlers are onto their 3rd business venture. Things really move fast in Harristown.

- I don't really understand the point of the lending library. It's like a normal library except you have to pay to borrow books. The only other benefit is that books get delivered to the customers which is supposed to be helpful to shut-ins. But how many shut-ins could one town have and if they couldn't get themselves to the library for any health reasons you think the library employees would be nice to deliver a book to them once in awhile. I just don't understand renting a book when you can get it from the library for free.

- The illustrations are slightly better in this book than the last. The strange close ups of characters faces is gone however the rest is the same including Ginny's big medallion necklace and matching belt buckle. Also check out how old John looks in this illustration and he's supposed to be 15!

- The book Ginny is trying to hunt down was sold to The Hermit who lent it to Joe Dakor who lent it to Doctor Bascom who lent it to Mrs. Blaketon. Honestly, how rude. Why would they all think it's okay to lend something that doesn't belong to them to someone else.

- The Hermit calls Babs a "brazen hussie" which I find absolutely hilarious.

- Babs causes a lot of problems at the Lending Library; she takes out books without marking down what she's taking, she locks the keys to the display window in the display window, and she leaves the shop unlocked and unguarded. They complain about her messing things up so much that I felt like they might as well kick her out of the Hustlers. I personally adore Babs because I admire her appetite but this is a business and she doesn't take it seriously so bye bye Babs.

- "Ginny quickly grabbed the book and put it behind her back. "Both or none. That's our agreement according to your terms Mr. Barker. And I will now make some terms of my own. If you do not behave like a gentleman, I shall not permit you to come inside this Stall again.  I'm not accustom to having strange men come here and order me about. You have no right to come in here and demand anything. We don't want your kind of business in our Book Stall. And, furthermore, I don't have to sell you the books, you know."" 

    My notes simply contain this paragraph and the words "you tell him Ginny".

- The problem of finding Mrs. Arnold a companion is absolutely ridiculous. It's very obvious Mrs. Dakor is going to be her companion but we have to wait until 2/3rds of the book and endless baiting for Ginny to realize Mrs. Dakor is the solution.

- Ginny is actually not very smart but to make her appear smart, everyone around her is extremely dumb, to the point that I feel Lucy might even be a little mentally disabled. That's not a joke either, that's truly how her character reads sometime. John is smarter than Ginny, he has to be so he can rescue her in the end but deducing the situation she is in without her telling him. But to cover up his intelligence Campbell has his character keep his thoughts and suspicions to himself.

- Ginny decides to spring a trap to catch the villain but decides against telling John because "John would only make fun of her" and so she, a 14 year old girl, confronts the big, male, professional criminal, all alone. C'mon Ginny this is your 4th time doing this in 2 months, you know it ain't gonna end well!

- And another book goes by where we don't find out Whiz's real name.

Overall this book is pretty good. The one thing I really like about Ginny Gordon books is how much Harristown is used. I love when Ginny and the gang are constantly on the move going from one person's house to another. That was the problem with the last book, most of it took place in the old barn.

- Ok I have one more note to make. As I'm getting this post put together I'm realizing that this book has way too many pictures! I remember thinking that when I was reading it but I didn't realize just how many it had until I had to scan them all. It has 31 illustrations and a lot of them are unnecessary. For example the first 4 illustrations (shown below) all show the same scene; members of the Hustlers on Ginny's porch talking. There really didn't need to be so many. I'm curious about why there were so many more than other books.