Donald J. Sobol (1924–2012)

Author of Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective

141+ Works 37,382 Members 173 Reviews 4 Favorited

About the Author

Donald J. Sobol was born in the Bronx, New York on October 4, 1924. During World War II, he served in the Army as a sergeant in a combat engineer battalion in the Pacific. He received a B.A. degree from Oberlin College. He worked as a copy boy and then a reporter at The New York Sun and The Long show more Island Daily Press. In 1959, he began writing a syndicated fiction column called Two-Minute Mysteries. He is the creator of the Encyclopedia Brown series. His first book, Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective, was published in 1963. During his lifetime, he wrote more than 80 books. In 1976, he won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for the Encyclopedia Brown series. He died from gastric lymphoma on July 11, 2012 at the age of 87. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

Includes the names: Donald Sobol, Donald Sobol, Donald J. Sobol

Series

Encyclopedia Brown

Two-Minute Mysteries

Works by Donald J. Sobol

Popular Recent

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective (1963) 4,301 copies, 35 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch (1965) 2,091 copies, 5 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Finds the Clues (1966) 1,984 copies, 7 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Solves Them All (1968) 1,751 copies, 4 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Gets His Man (1967) 1,702 copies, 7 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Sets the Pace (1982) 1,691 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Midnight Visitor (1977) 1,502 copies, 5 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Carries On (1980) 1,422 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Takes the Cake! (1983) 1,264 copies, 9 reviews

Two-Minute Mysteries (1967) 1,165 copies, 4 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case (2007) 1,108 copies, 6 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace (1969) 1,108 copies, 4 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Shows the Way (1972) 1,075 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Saves the Day (1970) 1,073 copies, 4 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Tracks Them Down (1971) 1,009 copies, 3 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Lends a Hand (1974) — Author — 999 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Mysterious Handprints (1985) 927 copies, 6 reviews

The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk (1961) 904 copies, 5 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Disgusting Sneakers (1990) 851 copies, 4 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Dead Eagles (1975) 846 copies, 3 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Takes the Case (1973) 815 copies, 3 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown, Super Sleuth (2009) 730 copies, 3 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Treasure Hunt (1988) 658 copies, 4 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret UFOs (2010) 571 copies, 1 review

Encyclopedia Brown's Book Of Strange But True Crimes (1991) 500 copies, 2 reviews

More Two-Minute Mysteries (1971) 481 copies, 5 reviews

Still More Two-Minute Mysteries (1975) 393 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salamander (1999) 376 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Two Spies (1994) 359 copies, 4 reviews

Two-Minute Mysteries Collection (2004) 345 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Soccer Scheme (2012) 325 copies, 3 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of Pablo's Nose (1997) 320 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Sleeping Dog (1998) 305 copies

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Carnival Crime (2011) 256 copies, 3 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and his Best Cases Ever (2013) 215 copies, 1 review

Secret Agents Four (1967) 206 copies

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Jumping Frogs (2003) 196 copies, 3 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Box Set (1980) 167 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown's Book of Wacky Cars (1987) 114 copies

Encyclopedia Brown's Third Record Book of Weird and Wonderful Facts (1985) 101 copies

Angie's First Case (1981) 101 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown's Book of Wacky Spies (1984) 96 copies

Encyclopedia Brown's Record Book of Weird and Wonderful Facts (1979) 79 copies, 1 review

Encyclopedia Brown's Book of Wacky Sports (1984) 77 copies

Encyclopedia Brown's Book of Wacky Animals (1985) 73 copies

Encyclopedia Brown's Second Record Book of Weird and Wonderful Facts (1981) 68 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Collection (2004) 60 copies

Encyclopedia Brown's Wacky Crimes (1982) 58 copies

The Amazing Power of Ashur Fine (1986) 54 copies, 2 reviews

Encyclopedia Brown Mystery Collection (2007) 53 copies

Encyclopedia Brown's Book of the Wacky Outdoors (1987) 52 copies

Two Flags Flying (1960) 45 copies

The First Book of Medieval Man (1959) 37 copies, 1 review

Great Sea Stories (1975) 31 copies

The Best of Encyclopedia Brown (1984) 25 copies

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective / The Case of the Secret Pitch (2003) 23 copies, 1 review

Encyclopedia Brown Breaks the Case (1982) 17 copies

The First Book of the Barbarian Invaders, A.D. 375-511 (1962) 15 copies, 1 review

Greta the Strong (1970) 15 copies

An American Revolutionary War Reader (1964) 13 copies

Encyclopedia Brown Double Mystery #1: Featured mysteries from Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective (2012) 12 copies

Lock, Stock, and Barrel (1965) 11 copies

The Amazons of Greek Mythology (1972) 10 copies

My Name is Amelia (1994) 10 copies

Lost Dispatch (1958) 10 copies

Best Animal Stories of Science Fiction and Fantasy (1979) — Editor — 8 copies

Milton, the Model A (1971) 8 copies

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective #1, 4-6, 9-14,15.5, 18-28 6 copies

Encyclopedia Brown's 3rd Record Book of Weird & Wonderful Facts (1985) 5 copies

Mini Mysteries For Amateur Detectives (5 Books, Mind Boggling Mysteries) (1973) 5 copies

A Civil War Sampler (1961) 4 copies

Encyclopedia Brown Series: Volume 1 - 12 (12 Book Set) (1801) 4 copies

Encyclopedia Brown Double Mystery #2: Featured mysteries from Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective (2012) 3 copies

Encyclopedia Brown's Book of Comic Strips, No 2 (1985) 3 copies

Encyclopaedia Brown : Boy detective ; Solves them all ; Saves the day : three books in one (1982) 3 copies

Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective TX839 3 copies

The Double Quest 3 copies

Disaster (1979) 3 copies

Encyclopedia Brown [4 Novels] (Enclyclopedia Brown Finds the Clues/Carries On/The Case of the Dead Eagles/The Exploding… (1975) 3 copies

Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective 1: Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch/Encyclopedia Brown Finds the… (1991) 3 copies

Y La Jugada Secreta (Enciclopedia Brown) (1977) 2 copies

Superfritz löst jeden Fall - ...und du hilfst mir - bk1424 (1974) 2 copies

Encyclopedia Brown Double Mystery #5: Featured mysteries from Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective (2012) 2 copies

Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective: Novel-Ties Study Guide (1995) 2 copies

Ein Sherlock Holmes fällt nicht vom Himmel (1978) 2 copies

Encyclopedia Brown Boxed Set ~ 50 Cases Solved by the World's Greatest Boy Sleuth (1978) 2 copies

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Soccer Scheme (Encyclopedia Brown) 1 copy

Enciclopédia Brown, Jovem Detective 1 copy

O Enciclopédia Brown e o caso das águias mortas 1 copy

Encylopedia Brown: the midnight visitor 1 copy

Super Sleuth Encyclopedia Brown 1 copy

A Enciclopédia Brown Aceita o Caso 1 copy

The First Book of Barbarian Invaders 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salmander 1 copy

WRIGHT BROS AT KITTY HAWK, THE 1 copy

GREAT SEA STORIES 1 copy

encyclopedia brown and the case of the secret pitch 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Mystery Collection by Donald J Sobol (2007-05-03) 1 copy

Meet The World's Greatest Boy Sleuth - 9 Encyclopedia Brown Shows the Way 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown: and the Case fo the Myserious handprints 1 copy

Weekly Reader Books presents Encyclopedia Brown and the case of the midnight visitor (America's Sherlock Holmes in… 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Strikes Again TX829 1 copy

The first book of medieval Britain 1 copy

#1: Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Everyone's Favorite Boy Detective and His Best Case Ever 1 copy

#1 Encyclopedia Boy Boy Detective 1 copy

ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN'S BOOK OF STRANGE BUT TRUE STORIES 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown & The Case of Pablo's Nose 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective No. 1. 1 copy

The Barbarian Invaders 1 copy

Snillet och fallet med fåglarna och 16 andra fall (1984) 1 copy

The first book of the barbarian invaders : A.D.375-511 1 copy, 1 review

Encyclopedia Brown Double Mystery #3: Featured mysteries from Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective (2012) 1 copy

Snillet och fallet med spejaren (1980) 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Tracks Them Down / Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Disgusting Sneakers 1 copy

The Wide Window 1 copy

SALAPOLIISI VÄLKKY RATKAISEE (1972) 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Books: Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch; Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective;… (2002) 1 copy

Wie is de dader? 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Double Mystery #4: Featured mysteries from Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective 1 copy

The First Book of Mediaeval Britain (1970) 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective 2: Encyclopedia Brown Saves the Day/Encyclopedia Brown Tracks Them Down/Encyclopedia… (1991) 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown ~ a Bantam Skylark Set ~ Books 1,2,4,6 (1970) 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown: First Four Books 1 copy

Snillet och fallet med den döda örnen och 16 andra fall (1984) 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown 3 in 1 (1982) 1 copy

Mostra o Caminho 1 copy

דני ידעני הנער הבלש 1 copy

דני ידעני מציל את המצב 1 copy

דני ידעני מפגין תושיה 1 copy

דני ידעני מגלה עקבות 1 copy

The strongest man in the world: stories 1 copy

AYUDA A LA JUSTICIA (1978) 1 copy, 1 review

דני ידעני נלחם בפשע 1 copy

דני ידעני לוכד גנבים 1 copy

דני ידעני עוזר למשטרה 1 copy

דני ידעני מפענח תעלומות 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Set 4 (Case of the Slippery Salamander, Case of the Secret Pitch, Case of Pablo's Nose, Boy… (2002) 1 copy

Jovem Detective 1 copy

Mantèm a Paz 1 copy

Encyclopedia Brown Boy Detective Services 25c 1 copy

Work Explorer

Associated Works

The Penguin Book of Classic Children's Characters (1997) — Contributor — 96 copies

Cricket Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 1, September 1976 — Contributor — 2 copies

Tagged

biography (100) book (62) boys (69) chapter book (607) Chapter Book Series (231) children (327) children's (685) children's books (111) children's fiction (214) children's literature (142) Country:China (55) detective (544) Detective and mystery stories (81) Encyclopedia Brown (1,135) Encyclopedia Brown Series (188) fiction (1,653) Grade 2 (60) Grade 3 (61) Grade 4 (63) grade 5 (89) juv (53) juvenile (181) juvenile fiction (121) kids (152) Level P (140) library (54) mysteries (183) mystery (2,904) mystery/suspense (55) non-fiction (58) owned (57) P (134) paperback (61) puzzles (71) read (176) series (632) short stories (290) solve it yourself (59) to-read (120) young adult (97)

Common Knowledge

Canonical name: Sobol, Donald J.
Birthdate: 1924-10-04
Date of death: 2012-07-11
Gender: male
Nationality: USA
Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
Place of death: Miami, Florida, USA
Cause of death: gastric lymphoma
Education: Oberlin College (BA|1948)
New School for Social Research
Occupations: children's book author
Relationships: Sobol, Rose (wife)
Organizations: Authors Guild
Authors League of America
Army Corps of Engineers (WWII)
New York Sun
Daily News
Awards and honors: Special Edgar Award (1975)
Edgar Allan Poe Award (1975)

Members

Reviews

Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Dead Eagles by Donald J. Sobol

I'm so glad that these have been made available as ebooks. This one is noteworthy because some of the jokey word-play begs to be read aloud to others. And because I came up with answers that worked, but weren't the 'real' ones. pfft

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Cheryl_in_CC_NV | 2 other reviews | Oct 18, 2024 |

Encyclopedia Brown Takes the Case (Encyclopedia… by Donald J. Sobol

I really like these, even the ones that I don't solve or that 'fudge' a bit. If you do too, I recommend the game "Mindtrap" or [b:The Gollywhopper Games|2540640|The Gollywhopper Games|Jody Feldman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348206044l/2540640._SY75_.jpg|2548169] or other books by [a:Jody Feldman|1124407|Jody Feldman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1309396717p2/1124407.jpg]. Some would also recommend the Mr. Lemoncello books, but I didn't much care for the first or keep reading them.

Do you have any other recommendations for brainteasers and puzzles for youth and teens?… (more)

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Cheryl_in_CC_NV | 2 other reviews | Oct 18, 2024 |

Encyclopedia Brown Takes the Cake (Encyclopedia… by Donald J. Sobol

Lots of these recipes are right up my alley - straightforward, common ingredients, wholesome (lots of veggie recipes for a kids' book!). The cases are harder than most EB books though. LFL discovery.

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Cheryl_in_CC_NV | 8 other reviews | Oct 18, 2024 |

Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace by Donald J. Sobol

One of the better in the series, as many are solvable with some pondering, and those that require knowledge aren't about the most obscure trivia. openlibrary.org

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Cheryl_in_CC_NV | 3 other reviews | Oct 18, 2024 |

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