Gifts for Beverly and Co

The girls at the world's fair all bought can banks.
1933 CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR CAN BANK The American Can Company made this lovely lithographed tin bank. Depicts the 1934 Chicago World's Fair, complete with plane and zeppelin in the air. Top says, "American Can Company at A Century Of Progress". 3.75 inches tall

1933 World's Fair Skyrider Uniform

Lenora was quite terriofied by the Skyride at The World's Fair in Beverly Gray at the World's Fair. Here is what the uniform looked like on those that worked on this ride

Beverly Gray on a Treasure Hunt by Clair Blank, review part 1 chapter 1 to 5

As my reviews are becoming longer I have decided to divide them up so I can add them initially through iPad without too much hassle. As a result thus is Beverly Gray on a treasure hunt part 1 where I discuss the first 5 chapters.

I have always loved the artwork on the cover of this book. It states in the front of the book that the artwork is inspired by page 130 with the caption "The cannibals had reached her friends before she could warn them!"
Not exactly how I would of pictured the scene but nether less a beautiful picture.

The script reads:
Suddenly she heard shouts and screams. No need to tell her what it was. The cannibals had reached her friends before she could warn them! Swiftly she sped through the altar room to the door they had first discovered. From there she could watch the scene on the beach without herself being seen. Afterward she did not know what kept her from instantly dashing out to impetuously join in the fray. She could have been of no use, but she longed to help her friends in their feeble defense. (p130)

Now I know in college Beverly was a good runner, and good at sports. Beverly is also sensible. And although Clair Blank isn't big on describing what people are wearing other than on the odd occasion .... Come on, an A-line dress that you would have to shuffle in and high heels whilst having been trekking the jungle after her herself having escaped the cannibals, having been in underground tunnels before that with her flashlight and notebook. I just don't buy that this is how Beverly would be dressed. Or that she wouldn't at least looked alarmed at seeing her friends captured. Still nice dress, good colour, lol.

In the start of this story we learn that Miss Ernwood, their chaperone and Roger's Aunt is going to stay in Shanghai with her British friends until the gang return from their treasure hunt.

Clair Blank as Author is so good at leading you from one chapter to the next wanting more with hints of what's to come. At the end of chapter two Clair Blank writes of Miss Ernwood staying in Shanghai:
Perhaps if she had known all that was to happen to her nephew and his friends, and even to her, before they were all reunited again, she would not have watched their departure so cheerfully. ( p 10)

Stragely though there is a contradiction as Beverly and Shirley are on board The Susabella talking about China:
"I'll never forget it," Beverly said.
"Id like to come again sometime," Shirley sighed.
"Thats just what I was thinking" Beverly smiled. (p12-13)

Hello, did I miss something, are a beverly and Shirley forgetting so quickly that they have to go back and get Miss Ernwood when they have barely just said see you later to her?

Although at the end of Beverly Gray in the Orient Larry boards the Susabella and states he is joining them as they travel to search for the treasure this story has Larry joining them in Japan after they haven't seen him for a week.

Anthony Anton and Shanghai Pete with parrot John still board the yacht in Shanghai though.

In Japan they follow the great Tokaido Rd to see the switchback railway, the zoo, and art school in Ueno Park. From there they visit the Imperial Palace and the Temple of Asakusa, they then travel to Yokohama to see Mt Fuji at close range by the Susabella.
Lenora teases Terry and to pay her back he grabs her and kisses her in front of the others and she runs off embarrassed.

When Larry joins the group he tries to convince the girls to stay in Yokohama and not join them on the hunt claiming the weather can be hard to handle. This is the first time in the series where I have felt that the women were given a poor liitle you things speech. Pity as I don't remember any such speech before which for the era is a vit surprising. Worse still it came from Larry, Beverly's future partner. Of course the girls refused to be left behind.

In Yokohama they went to see Nikko. The palace of the splendor of the orient.
Whilst in Yokohama they also experience an earthquake tremor.

There is an interesting note on travel.
"They might become famous, they might secure great possessions, yet fame could fade and any possession might be lost, but the memories they gained through their travel could never be taken away."

Character Stats From Beverly Gray in the Orient

Larry Owens: described as unruly crop of hair, tan face, reckless blue eyes, engaging grin.

Sir Reginald Forsythe: jolly, Stalwart, sunn tanned, officer of the British army, tall, muscular, twinkling black eyes, roguish grin.

Beverly Gray: described as having curls in her hair. Her most prized possession is her wrist watch that she got for rescuing Shirley from the fire in Freshman. Which is inscribed on the back. Beverly would look at her success as Connie's confidence in her (pg 77) Beverly upon seeing her published first book.
"The quotation 'I know happiness for I have done good work' came to mind and she agreed heartily with it."(p79)
Beverly bought a jade bracelet in Canton.

Lenora Whitehill: evasive about the state of her heart in matters of love. Lenora bought jade earrings in Canton. Stated as liking a man in uniform and liking Terry more than she will admit to herself.

Anthony Anton: explorer, writer, writes periodicals and for archaeologic magazines.

Terry Cartwright: believes in the proverb " One seeing is better than a thousand people telling you of it" (pg103 the Orient)

Lois Mason: distained jewels and bought a brass horse in Canton for good luck.

Shirley Parker: bought a jade necklace in Canton.

Kathleen Ryan: is described as almost as irrepressible and fun loving as Lenora (pg 114)

Beverly Gray in the Orient review

This book follows on immediately from Beverly Gray on a World Cruise where the gang aboard The Susabella went to Europe. The ending of the last book promised more on Lenora's bad luck scarab, Jim's half treasure map and more of The evil Count.
It isn't long before Beverly bumps literally into secret service agent Larry Owens in India at the Mahabodhi or Place of Great Intelligence in the sunken courtyard of the sacred Bo Tree. A nine storied pyramidal temple.

Next Count Alexis de Frachiny makes his return to the story and we learn that Beverly's ring she received from Omar El Hamel in Beverly Gray's Career has some significance to the locals in India. It makes you wonder for a moment during these scenes if the Count is really thick. He has searched Beverly's things before and never found the map and in Egypt Jim Stanton told him straight out that he had the map, so why not bother Jim instead?

Beverly next runs into Larry when they both break into the grounds of the Taj Mahal at night separately and bump into each other. Both are just there to sit in the grounds of the romantic place. Wow what poor security. Well at least they get caught in the morning when trying to leave. Again Omar's ring he gave Beverly comes to the rescue but the ending to the chapter is well written and forecasts gloom:
"For the second time in 24 hours Beverly's ring proved to be a valuable aid." ...
"Yet unknown to her, the hardest trial was yet to come, a trial which would prove the infallibility of Omar's gift." (p 44)

In India the group travel from Agra to Delhi by car except for Larry who has to go to Bombay.
A sign of the times, the men go hunting for tigers and Elephants in India whilst the women stay home. Shirley goes to the races whilst Lois, Lenora and Beverly go on a cattle barge on the river. When the boat capsizes Beverly is feared drowned. Her wrist watch turns up with a native. Beverly is saved from a tiger attack by writer / Explorer Anthony Anton.

In India the group then set out for Peshawar, the valley of Kashmir and the Khyber Pass.
They loved Srinagar for it's natural beauty. They bought oriental rugs and Kashmir shawls.
The last day they went to Shalimar. Then the Khyber pass from India to Afganistan. They stopped there and turned around to go back to Bombay to where The Susabella was.
On board the yacht they headed south to sail around the point of India and up the eastern shoreline.

Lenora states " We still have to see Ceylon, Calcutta and Benares."
They stop in the Madras to see the Seven Pagodas and to the once great city of Bali. From there they continue to Calcutta but are disappointed in it so quickly hop a train to Benares while The Susabella undergoes repairs.

The group visit The Monkey Temple in Durga. The Count returns and so does Omar from Beverly Grays Career (small world)
After all the concern their map has caused the group finally decide to look at it in detail. It has 2 x's and on the back 4 words. Fiji, inland, Temple and Pillar. They decide the other half of the map may have more words.

I can understand how Beverly Gray books would be popular for their time. Although author Clair Blank never travelled to or visited exotic locations the.details she adds would surely interest young readers who imagined what the world was like.
The group then decide to travel to China. Shirley says she wants to buy a jade necklace in Canton.

The next stop is Singapore for the day then on to Hong Kong. On the way to Hong Kong, Beverly is again giving poor Jim mixed messages.
"He couldn't give you diamonds or fancy yachts," Jim continued, his cheek against her hair, " but he'll always be around when you want him."
"Diamonds aren't everything and I never did want to own a yacht," she said very low."If the young man----"
"Goodnight everybody!"Lenora's voice broke between them and a chorus answered her. ( pg 109. )
What was Beverly going to say?

They spend the day in Hong Kong going to the peak to look over the city. Then they went into the city along Wyndham Hill Road before returning to their yacht in the harbor to go to Canton.
The Count again appears in Canton and Bevetly has to admit to the others rhat she told The Count everywhere they intended to go when she was friendly with him in London and Paris. Again how did she not know he was stalking g her if he failed to mention at the time he was also foxing to all the same places?

Back on ship the group are invaded by pirates on the Si River who kidnap Beverly and Shirley, when Jim tries to jump in to the rescue the last thing Beverly sees after a gun shot is Jim lying prostrate with three pirates standing over him.

Whilst kidnapped Beverly contemplates Shirley and her both being in love with Jim ( though the author stops short of saying Beverly is. It is here we learn that Beverly always thought that Shirley and Roger would eventually get together and that she had purposely had refused acme of Rogers invitations in order to throw Shirley and Roger together.

Before Beverly has too long to contemplate the Shirley, Jim triangle and how she feels about it Larry Owens turns up in disguise by Beverly's side.
Beverly to Shirley on being kidnapped. " We are the unluckiest two girls in the world, I believe."
"For anyone who likes excitement those are traitorous words," Shirley said. "I'll wager Lenora is wishing she were here." (p137)

After Beverly and Shirley escape from the pirates Beverly who has been jealous of Shirley and Jim's relationship (so she imagines) whilst captured has a change of heart and decides that her two best friends deserve happiness and Beverly sets the pair up to spend the day together whilst she goes off with Roger in Shanghai.

Roger and Beverly encounter The Count and Roger becomes determined to follow him, even though he was the one vocal earlier about not wanting to go after The Count and Barnaby when others in the gang wanted to. Roger and Beverly end up walking into a trap whilst Lenora spends time flirting with three navy men that Anthony Anton brings out to the Susabella with a dinner invite.

The story states that Lenora likes Terry more than she would like to admit. She also likes uniforms and knows she will get in trouble from Terry for flirting but does anyway. Terry counterbalances by flirting with the female (the Ambassadors Daughter) that comes out to the Susabella also with Anthony Anton that Shirley Parker and Jim Stanton had met that day.
The gang end up at the same restuarant where Beverly and Roger are trapped.
Larry again comes to the rescue after having tried to warn the gang all day to stay out of the old city Shanghai.

After the adventure Beverly realises that Shirley is in love with Roger not Jim.
The story ends with the gang having the other half of the map and setting sail for Fiji to find it. Larry Owens, Anthony Anton and a new character (an agent that has helped Larry) Shanghai Pete and his Parrot "John" join the yacht to increase the circle of friends even further for the next book, Beverly Gray on a treasure hunt.