# Andrew E. Svenson > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Andrew_E._Svenson > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Andrew_E._Svenson.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_E._Svenson > Source revision: 1352550634 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American novelist (1910–1975) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Andrew E. Svenson" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) **Andrew Edward Svenson**[1] (May 8, 1910 – August 21, 1975) was an American [children's author](/source/Children's_literature), [publisher](/source/Publisher), and [partner](/source/Partnership) in the [Stratemeyer Syndicate](/source/Stratemeyer_Syndicate). Under a variety of [pseudonyms](/source/Pen_name), many shared with other authors, he wrote and cowrote more than 70 books for children, including in the *[Hardy Boys](/source/Hardy_Boys)*, *[Bobbsey Twins](/source/Bobbsey_Twins)*, *[Tom Swift](/source/Tom_Swift)*, and *[Honey Bunch](/source/Honey_Bunch)* series. He wrote the series *[The Happy Hollisters](/source/The_Happy_Hollisters)* using the pseudonym **Jerry West** and *The Tolliver Family* as **Alan Stone**.[2] ## Early life Svenson was born on May 8, 1910, in [Belleville, New Jersey](/source/Belleville%2C_New_Jersey) to parents Sven Andrew Svenson and Laura (Soleau) Svenson. He was the oldest of three children. His younger brother Arthur grew up to become a professor of business management at New York University, and his younger sister Marjorie became a Registered Nurse. The family moved to [Newark, New Jersey](/source/Newark%2C_New_Jersey), where Svenson attended [Barringer High School](/source/Barringer_High_School). He competed as a sprinter in high school, and later in college. ## College Svenson began to study engineering at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now [Carnegie Mellon University](/source/Carnegie_Mellon_University)), before transferring to the [University of Pittsburgh](/source/University_of_Pittsburgh) where he focused on his writing, and graduated in 1932. ## Marriage Svenson met his wife while attending college. Marian Stewart was the adopted daughter of wealthy parents; the young couple eloped in 1932. ## Early career Svenson began his career as a copy boy at the *[Newark Evening News](/source/Newark_Evening_News)*, where he stayed until 1948. He later became a writer and was given his column about pet care and health. During World War II, he was promoted to the War Desk and was the overnight editor for its Sunday Edition. At the News, Svenson became a very close friend of writer Howard R. Garis, author of the [Uncle Wiggily](/source/Uncle_Wiggily) children's book series. ## Stratemeyer Syndicate Garis introduced Svenson to [Stratemeyer Syndicate](/source/Stratemeyer_Syndicate) partner [Harriet Adams](/source/Harriet_Adams) in 1947. Svenson began at the Syndicate as a ghostwriter in 1948. By his death in 1975, he had become a full partner in the Syndicate and had shaped the course of multiple children's book series during three challenging decades. Svenson began by writing Hardy Boys volumes #’s 28, 29, and 30, based on outlines by [Harriet Adams](/source/Harriet_Adams). His first Hardy Boys book was “The Sign of the Crooked Arrow," published in 1949. He quickly advanced to work on other series, and on all aspects of production — providing plot outlines, writing complete manuscripts, editing, and rewriting works produced by other Syndicate authors. By 1961, Svenson had become such a key component to the ongoing success of the Syndicate, that he was made a full partner. In addition to The Hardy Boys, Svenson wrote 20 volumes of The Bobbsey Twins, as well as volumes for Honey Bunch and Norman.[3] Svenson originated and wrote three children's book series, The Happy Hollisters, The Tolliver Family, and Brett King.[4] The Tolliver Family was the first series about African-American children. The Happy Hollisters series was based on Svenson's own family. After his death, the Stratemeyer Syndicate assigned the rights to The Happy Hollisters to his widow, Marian Svenson. Following her death the series was owned by The Hollister Family Properties Trust.[5] ### Hardy Boys Svenson's best-known contribution to children's literature is the Hardy Boys series. The series was originally started by Harriet Adams’ father in 1927 and was written by several ghostwriters until 1948. The early books written in the 1920s and 1930s reflected the social era in which they were created; by today's standards, they have many racial stereotypes. The books also portrayed police officers in a less than flattering light, and the brothers themselves were somewhat rebellious against authority. The Hardy Boys began to evolve in the late 1940s. Adams chose Svenson for this series based on his family life, and his contributions to the community; she wanted an author who could create more modern, wholesome Hardy Boys. Previously rebellious, the Hardy Boys would be adventurous yet respectful, resourceful, and accomplished. The Hardy Boys evolved again, beginning in 1959. Many readers had complained about racial stereotypes in the older volumes, and under pressure from the publishing company, Harriet Adams agreed to a massive re-writing project to update the series. Svenson oversaw the project, eventually re-writing some of his early books. The new books were shorter, free of negative racial stereotypes, and included more action and exotic locations. Svenson continued his mission to engage and teach children with his stories. He continued to write Hardy Boys books until his death in 1975. ## Death A resident of [West Caldwell, New Jersey](/source/West_Caldwell%2C_New_Jersey), Svenson died of [cancer](/source/Cancer) at [Saint Barnabas Medical Center](/source/Saint_Barnabas_Medical_Center) ([Livingston, New Jersey](/source/Livingston%2C_New_Jersey)) in 1975. He was 65 years old.[6] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Svenson, Marian S. (October 30, 2020) [August 1975]. ["Biography of Andrew Edward Svenson"](https://thehappyhollisters.com/biography-of-andrew-edward-svenson/). *The Happy Hollisters*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Andrew E. Svenson aka Jerry West (1910-1975)"](http://thehappyhollisters.com/the-author). The Happy Hollisters. Retrieved February 6, 2019. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Bobbsey Twins" Author is Dead, *The Holyoke Daily Transcript and the Holyoke Telegram*, August 25, 1975, page 12](https://www.newspapers.com/image/839482257/?terms=%22Bobbsey%20Twins%22&match=1) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Andrew E. Svenson Papers at University of Southern Mississippi](https://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/degrum/public_html/html/research/findaids/DG0959f.html) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Happy Hollister website](https://thehappyhollisters.com/the-author/) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Freeman, William M. ["Andrew E. Svenson, 65, a Writer of 'Bobbseys' and 'Hardys,' Dies"](https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/23/archives/andrew-e-suenson-65-a-writer-of-bobbseys-and-hardys-dies.html), *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*, August 23, 1975. Accessed February 6, 2022. "Andrew E. Svenson, a bestselling prolific writer whose name was largely unknown to the public, died of cancer at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J., on Thursday evening. He was 65 years old and lived in West Caldwell, N.J." ## Sources - [http://www.TheHappyHollisters.com](http://www.TheHappyHollisters.com) - [https://web.archive.org/web/20191104074639/http://www.keeline.com/Hardy_Boys.pdf](https://web.archive.org/web/20191104074639/http://www.keeline.com/Hardy_Boys.pdf), - “Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and The Women Who Created Her” by Melanie Rehak. - Interview with Jane (Svenson) Kossmann, June 24, 2009. - [http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/degrum/public_html/html/research/findaids/DG0959f.html](http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/degrum/public_html/html/research/findaids/DG0959f.html) (Andrew Svenson papers at the University of Southern Mississippi - [https://web.archive.org/web/20090118022928/http://happy-hollisters.com/memoriesofandrew.html](https://web.archive.org/web/20090118022928/http://happy-hollisters.com/memoriesofandrew.html) (Happy Hollisters.com) - [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/andrew-e-svenson/](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/andrew-e-svenson/) - [https://web.archive.org/web/20091025064209/http://www.win.net/bayport/canon.html](https://web.archive.org/web/20091025064209/http://www.win.net/bayport/canon.html) - [https://web.archive.org/web/20150413025234/http://stratemeyer.org/BobbseyWriters.html](https://web.archive.org/web/20150413025234/http://stratemeyer.org/BobbseyWriters.html) - [bbc.co.uk](https://www.h2g2.com/edited_entry/A1038791) ## External links - [Children's literature portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Children%27s_literature) - [Andrew E Svenson Papers](https://web.archive.org/web/20150521073347/http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/degrum/public_html/html/research/findaids/DG0959b.html) at the [de Grummond Children's Literature Collection](/source/De_Grummond_Children's_Literature_Collection), University of Southern Mississippi – manuscript materials relating to books published under the names Franklin W. Dixon, Jerry West, Alan Stone, and Victor Appleton III - [Jerry West](https://lccn.loc.gov/no2003096889) at the [Library of Congress](/source/Library_of_Congress) (previous page of browse report under 'West, Jerry' without '1910–1975') - WorldCat title search: [Hollisters](http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti%3A+hollisters&qt=results_page); [Tollivers](http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti%3A+tollivers&qt=results_page); [Bret King](http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti%3A+bret+king&qt=results_page) v t e The Hardy Boys Stratemeyer Syndicate Franklin W. Dixon Edward Stratemeyer Writers Leslie McFarlane Andrew E. Svenson Harriet Adams Neal Barrett Jr. Susan Wittig Albert Steven Grant George Edward Stanley James D. Lawrence See also Nancy Drew Tom Swift The Dana Girls Books Original The Tower Treasure (1927) The House on the Cliff (1927) The Secret of the Old Mill (1927) The Missing Chums (1928) Hunting for Hidden Gold (1928) The Shore Road Mystery (1928) The Secret of the Caves (1929) The Mystery of Cabin Island (1929) The Great Airport Mystery (1930) What Happened at Midnight (1931) While the Clock Ticked (1932) Footprints Under the Window (1933) The Mark on the Door (1934) The Hidden Harbor Mystery (1935) The Sinister Signpost (1936) A Figure in Hiding (1937) The Secret Warning (1938) The Twisted Claw (1939) The Disappearing Floor (1940) The Mystery of the Flying Express (1941) The Clue of the Broken Blade (1942) The Flickering Torch Mystery (1943) The Melted Coins (1944) The Short-Wave Mystery (1945) The Secret Panel (1946) The Phantom Freighter (1947) The Secret of Skull Mountain (1948) The Sign of the Crooked Arrow (1949) The Secret of the Lost Tunnel (1950) The Wailing Siren Mystery (1951) The Secret of Wildcat Swamp (1952) The Crisscross Shadow (1953) The Yellow Feather Mystery (1954) The Hooded Hawk Mystery (1954) The Clue in the Embers (1956) The Secret of Pirates' Hill (1956) The Ghost at Skeleton Rock (1957) The Mystery at Devil's Paw (1959) The Mystery of the Chinese Junk (1960) Mystery of the Desert Giant (1961) The Clue of the Screeching Owl (1962) The Viking Symbol Mystery (1963) The Mystery of the Aztec Warrior (1964) The Haunted Fort (1965) The Mystery of the Spiral Bridge (1966) The Secret Agent on Flight 101 (1967) Mystery of the Whale Tattoo (1968) The Arctic Patrol Mystery (1969) The Bombay Boomerang (1970) Danger on Vampire Trail (1971) The Masked Monkey (1972) The Shattered Helmet (1973) The Clue of the Hissing Serpent (1974) The Mysterious Caravan (1975) The Witchmaster's Key (1976) The Jungle Pyramid (1977) The Firebird Rocket (1978) The Sting of the Scorpion (1979) Night of the Werewolf (1979) Mystery of the Samurai Sword (1979) The Pentagon Spy (1980) The Apeman's Secret (1980) The Mummy Case (1980) Mystery of Smugglers Cove (1980) The Stone Idol (1981) The Vanishing Thieves (1981) The Outlaw's Silver (1981) The Submarine Caper/Deadly Chase (1981, retitled in 1987) The Four-Headed Dragon (1981) The Infinity Clue (1981) Track of the Zombie (1982) The Voodoo Plot (1982) The Billion Dollar Ransom (1982) Tic-Tac-Terror (1982) Trapped at Sea (1982) Game Plan for Disaster (1982) The Crimson Flame (1983) The Skyfire Puzzle (1985) Fear on Wheels (1991) Crime in the Kennel (1995) Cross-Country Crime (1995) The Search for the Snow Leopard (1996) Eye on Crime (1998) The Caribbean Cruise Caper (1999) The Hunt for the Four Brothers (1999) A Will to Survive (1999) Daredevils (1999) A Game Called Chaos (2000) Training for Trouble (2000) The End of the Trail (2000) Skin & Bones (2000) Crime in the Cards (2001) Past and Present Danger (2001) The Castle Conundrum (2001) Warehouse Rumble (2004) Casefiles Dead on Target (1987) Cult of Crime (1987) Running on Empty (1990) The Last Laugh (1990) River Rats (1997) Other series and titles The Hardy Boys Detective Handbook (1959) The Clues Brothers (1997-2000) Hardy Boys: Undercover Brothers (2005-12) The Hardy Boys Secret Files (2010-15) The Hardy Boys Adventures (2013-present) The Hardy Boys Clue Book (2016-present) Crossovers Be a Detective Mystery Stories (1984-85, with Nancy Drew) Nancy Drew & Hardy Boys Supermystery (1988-98, with Nancy Drew) Hardy Boys and Tom Swift Ultra Thriller (1992-93, with Tom Swift) Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Mystery Series (2007-12, with Nancy Drew) Other media Television The Hardy Boys (The Mickey Mouse Club) Hardy Boys (animated) The Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew Mysteries The Hardy Boys (1995) The Hardy Boys (2020) Video games Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon The Creature of Kapu Cave Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys: Super Mystery (cancelled) The Tower Treasure Treasure on the Tracks Authority control databases VIAF GND 2 3 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Andrew E. Svenson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_E._Svenson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_E._Svenson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.