The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel)

I have, off and on lately, been going back to books I loved as a kid and giving them a re-read from an adult's perspective. This is always an iffy proposition, of course. Not all of them will hold up well, and if you find you don't like them anymore, not only have you just read something you didn't enjoy, but you've also gone and tarnished a childhood memory. Fortunately, somewhat to my surprise, I've had a pretty good success rate. I might not enjoy these books quite as intensely as I did way back when, but plenty of them turn out to still be entertaining. And this book, which I remember adoring at the age of eight or so, is no exception.

It's the story of one Mrs. Carillon, who was married to a boy named Leon -- he later decided he'd show more rather be called Noel -- when they were aged five and seven, in order to secure the inheritance of a soup-factory-based family fortune. (I am sure this cannot have been legally binding, but never mind that detail.) The two did not see each other again for many years, and when a reunion was finally arranged, it was quickly ended by a boat accident. When poor Mrs. Carillon last saw the guy, he was bobbing up and down in the water, trying to tell her something she could only half-hear between all the blubs and glubs. Then, as soon as someone fished him out, he disappeared, and she spent the next twenty years searching for him (employing, it must be said, some rather dubious strategies).

Raskin really engages her readers in attempting to solve the puzzle of what happened to Leon (or Noel), teasingly hinting when she's just provided a clue, and outlining a strategy for attempting to guess the missing words of the message. I remember really throwing myself into that puzzle as a kid, and I still found the whole mystery plot unexpectedly engaging as an adult. (It probably helped that I had only very vague memories of what the solution was.) It's also just a fun story, with lots of humor ranging from the ridiculous to the sly to the utterly deadpan. Whether it'd have anywhere near the same appeal for anybody coming to it for the first time as an adult, I don't know. But I definitely recommend it for kids, and deem it well worth a revisit for those with childhood nostalgia for it. show less

I can't actually be objective. Also, it's the cover I wish I had, not the one I had. You wouldn't necessarily think it would be a classic middle grade book -- weird premise, a lot of focus on the adult characters, a puzzle whose solution maybe isn't that solvable. But it's all sorts of different ways to search, and figure out what you want, and who you are vs who you are supposed to be, and she loves every character and respects her readers so much.

The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) is an amazing book that can be equally enjoyed by adults and children alike. Adults reading the book see more layers to it than the kids, but the read is just as mysterious and enjoyable (although the idea of marriage at that young an age will be a squicky one). If you have read Ellen Raskin's Westing Game, and even if you haven't, this is a book you really need to get your hands on. I've read some of her other books, but absolutely nothing compares to these two classics. This one comes fully equipped with hysterical characters and plenty of footnotes. It's adorably quirky without trying too hard. Every thing, every hilarious incident, is narrated casually and in a way that just makes show more it all funnier. Everything is so tantalizingly cryptic, and at times, downright confusing, but it's a huge relief when everything really falls into place and you realize that every event that was narrated is somehow connected to the big picture scheme. Other than all that, it's a very readable book. The chapters are divided up into small sections and just style-wise, it's an easy but really worthwhile read. It really emphasizes the reason why we love Ellen Raskin so much--plot twists and surprises everywhere! The other really nice thing is that the mystery is not at all obvious. Nobody would ever suspect the outcome, but it's such a compelling one! It's got snark, puzzles, humor, definitely not just a kids' book. It is also really nice, at the end, to get closure from all of the characters, so I do appreciate it when authors like Raskin do things like that.

Rating: 5/5 show less

Oh, Ellen Raskin, I adore you. This book is filled with word-play, jokes, asides. Raskin speaks to kids as if they're adults. Would work wonderfully for mystery fans, bookish kids, as a follow-up to the Phantom Tollbooth.

Mrs. Carrillon is searching for her long-lost husband Leon(I mean Noel)with the help of orphan twins Tony and Tina, Augie Kunkel, and a cast of extras. Clues are scattered throughout the book (and Raskin helpfully points them out with footnotes). She also does the illustrations, which are a delight.

Ages 9-12?

Recommended by Barb Fecteau

Caroline Fish's mother and Leon Carillon's mother co-invent Carillon's Pomato Soup, but, in order that both family's names will be on the soup, Caroline and Leon must marry when they are children. Then, Leon is sent to boarding school. When the two meet as adults, a tragic boating accident separates them, and Mrs. Carillon spends the next twenty years looking for Leon - now Noel - based on a partial understanding of his last spoken message. Over time, Mrs. Carillon adopts twins, Tina and Tony, settles in New York, and reunites with childhood friend Augie Kunkel. Tina, Tony, and Augie work together to help decode Noel's final message. They finally crack it, and there's a happy ending, but not the expected one. show more

The Westing Game meets The Mixed-Up Files meets Roald Dahl. show less

Read this when I was about ten, just reread it. Raskin wrote books unlike anyone else's - the characters and the readers are all trying to solve a puzzle. The goal is to solve it before the characters. I did, but not by much.

Oh I wanted to like this more than I did. But the puzzles made little sense, with too many red herrings and other not-helpful hints, and the mystery made not much more sense. I knew all along that there was a reason Noel did not want to be found, but I have no idea how we're to figure out why he didn't, or what the puzzle was. And the HEA ending? Nah....