16 May, 2001: The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I mean Noel)
Ellen Raskin is probably most familiar to the world through her (rightfully acclaimed) young adult mystery (and meta-mystery), The Westing Game, but I'm a fan of all of her work. The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I mean Noel) is an earlier and less polished work; the characters aren't ever fully realized, the mystery, such as it is, is disarmingly easy for anyone past the age of studying S.A.T. words, and the topical references -- hippie protestors, anyone? -- haven't aged well at all. But it's still a charming bit of whimsy, accentuated by Ms. Raskin's doofy, modish illustrations (which have aged delightfully, thank you); it recounts the adventures of Mrs. Caroline "Little Dumpling" Carillon, famous soup heir, and her adopted twins, Tina and Tony, as they attempt to locate Mrs. Carillon's long-lost husband, Leon. Or Noel. Or both. This was a fun way to spend an evening, but I'd steer Raskin newcomers to The Westing Game or the wonderful The Tattooed Potato and Other Mysteries first.