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 Stats from on a world cruise

Beverly has blue eyes.
Kathleen is working as an interior decorator.
Connie is studying to be a designer.
Paul kisses Lois when he sees her in Paris.
We learn that Shirley was an ardent horsewoman before her college days. At prepatory school her only interest was riding.

Beverly Gray on a World Cruise review

This is the 7th book in the series and had a wonderful lead into this in Beverly Gray at the world's fair.
The story begins by describing the Susabella with her white sides and green decks. With wicker chairs and a divan on deck who wouldn't want to be a part of the cruise.
Beverly doesn't seem as wrapped up in being a reporter as one would imagine for a rookie. She tells Jim that when she finds a market for her novels she will resign.

Beverly asks Charlie Blaine for a holiday so she can go on a cruise with her friends. Mind you Beverly has only just gotten back not too long ago from a months absence in Chicago. Yes she went to the Worlds Fair for work but stayed longer with her friends then would of been needed.
Charlie makes no promises but says that of she sends in stories he will pay for them if the choose to publish them.
Those to go on the cruise were Jim Stanton, Paul Benson, Roger Garrett, Lenora Whitehill, Beverly Gray and Shirley Parker. Rogers aunt Miss Ernwood is also on the cruise as chaperon. Crew on the yacht consisted of a captain, chef, steward and two sailors.

Connie and Kathleen stay at home in the apartment. The gangs first plan is to cruise to England to pick up Roger's friend Sir Terry Cartwright.
On board the yacht there are the usual mishaps you can expect from a Beverly Grsy story. Roger, Lenora and Beverly decide to go swimming in the ocean. Beverly decides to continue swimming after the others have stopped and whilst a distance from the yacht a shark appears. Jim Stanton cones to the rescue. That night Jim and Beverly snuggle up on the divan and kiss but Beverly tells him she might feel differently tonorrow. A few days later Jim falls overboard during a storm and isn't found. The Susabella after failing to find Him continues on to England. Beverly is distraught and Shirley tells Lenora "I believe she has been in love with Jim all the time - and didn't know it." ( p70)
everyone is trying to decide if they should go home or not after Jim's accident. As they get to shore in England Jim is waiting for them dressed in old sailor clothes.
Terry Cartwright takes "an immediate liking to Lenora" ( p74)
This story has Beverly do a complete turn around from the previous few books where Lenora egged Beverly on into adventure. From the moment Beverly's novel returned again rejected and she played hookey from work before resigning to travel the world. When following the boys to an unsafe part of town where Jim has to go to meet up with Slim who has the other half of a treasure map Beverly is passionate for adventure. Slim is murdered and Jim is warned of Black Barney who is looking for the map. The turn around Beverly said was a new desire to live life for today after the disappointment of working hard and researching for no reward.
Her behavior change did not go unnoticed. Jim seemed concerned but it came across like he probably liked her leaving her job as to him he thought she might settle down with him.
Shirley was concerned.
"A month ago Beverly would never have thought of that," Shirley said to Jim, watching her friend dive below the surface. " Now it seems the more dangerous a thing is the more she loves it." ( p48)
Beverly Beverly's treatment of her friends and of Jim are quiet poor at times whilst Beverly is struggling to come to terms with her newly acquired attitude to life. Poor Jim, Beverly had originally used the excuse she had no idea how Jim felt about her, qustionable considering everyone else seemed to know including her parents but it can happen. In this story though Beverly spends one evening on the boat kissing Him in the moonlight on board the yacht and then a few days later she says no to going to High Tea with him and the rest of the gang at The Ambassador whilst in England but then turns up there with a stranger (the Count) having tea and dancing with him infront of Jim.
Beverly's naivety continues in this story, I suppose it works as a devise to add more scenes to the drama but for a girl that is suppose to be a reporter it makes her look quiet silly.
Can you say the name Stalker? It seems that Beverly cannot. She bumps into Count Alexis de Frachiny in a bookstore in England and feels she has seen him before but can't remember where. She runs into him in Paris when she and Lenora are lost and can't remember the name of their hotel. He not only runs into them on the street but also happens to know the name of their hotel because he saw them there when checking in because he was staying there too. Okay so perhaps this could be the world's biggest coincidence but when Beverly goes to visit the gypsy
Anselo her rescuer from "Beverly Gray, Junior" and Anselo plays for violin for Beverly in his apartment. When Beverly and Anselo sit down for a cup of tea Anselo and then Beverly notice The Count longing in a doorway across the road watching Anaelo's apartment. When she questioned herself as to if he was following her, what were her thought? Creepy stalker? No!
She rebuked herself.
"The Count had not followed her! Why should he? Certainly there was no reason for him to spy on her!" (p139)
From Paris the group traveled to Berne where they saw famous fountains, the Bear, the " man who eats children" , and the sharpshooter; the old bear gardens; the five hundred year old cathedral before catching a train to Grindelwald to go to the three mile bob sleigh run.
Beverly goes skating on her own and runs literally into guess who? Does she say "Hey quit stalking me," does she run from the creepy man? No Beverly spends the morning with him not giving a thought to the fact that he has now turned up in a small village in Switzerland after running into her in Paris and England. No wonder this girl has a knack of being
kidnapped, locked up, and captured, poor Beverly is clueless!!!
Beverly starts to run low of funds and decides she has to return home. As her friends leave she receives a telegram addressed to Lois that says Beverly has sold her book. After a dangerous encounter with the count finally Beverly wakes up to what we knew all along that the count is a bad guy. Yeah!!!
Beverly now has to travel to Cairo, Egypt to try to catch up with her friends and I'm a tarting yo think I need to do that European trip like Beverly did.
In Egypt Beverly stays at The Shepeards hotel.
I don't remember Egypt at all from my first reading of this book a few years ago. In fact a don't remember a lot od this book so I am looking forward to whatelae I discover in future rereadings of the series.
Lenora did state early in the book rhat Jim had it all wrong and should just go grab Beverly.
Towards the end of the book when Lenora complains that Beverly gets all the adventure Terry grabs her to take her out looking for adventure. Lenora responds to the girls as
"Terry is becoming a caveman and I love it." (p 237)
Lenora soon gets her excitement when she gets Terry to buy her a scarab. To which after a near accident they read the curse on the back of it. "Destruction to those who take from Egypt the thunks which are Egypt's. (p 241)
Beverly is also on another writing frenzy
" I have to let my ideas out or my head would burst."(p 244)
Shirley senses that Beverly is unsatisfied with her life and tries to quiz her over Jim or Roger but Beverly says she is content but Shirley believes that Beverly is not satisfied with her life despite the book selling and her world travels.
Christmas eve is spent in Jerusalem visiting the small church where once the manager had stood.
The book ends on Christmas eve singing Christmas carols in Bethlehem and we are reminded of the next book in the orient and wonders if the Count will return or the scarab will bring destruction and that Jim still holds the treasure map.

Beverly Gray Artwork

i wish there were Beverly Gray items you could purchase, and a better collection of artwork of her. I decided today to buy some art paper to have a go at an artwork on Beverly for my wall. I am going to look at all the artwork created on her for some inspiration.

Alpha Delta Stats from world's fair

The picture has to be of Beverly wiith either Lenora, Virginia or Connie.

The girls buy cans from the American can company that are really banks with buildings at the world's fair on them. (Beverly, Virginia, Lenora and Connie)
Beverly: August 5th is Beverly's birthday. Star sign Leo. Beverly is told by a palm reader she loves Jim but she is very changeable in her heart and a little hard to please. Beverly was asked to get married by Jim numerous times.
Lenora: is told by a palm reader she will marry twice.
Virginia: has a young niece called Judy, is living with her Aunt and uncle in Chicago whilst studying medicine.

Other facts: Jim Stanton knew Roger Garrett at college. Jim plays the piano.

Beverly Gray at the World's Fair

This is it. Book number 6 and the only book in the series I have not read yet.
I have been enjoying starting the series at book 1 in preparation for this books arrival and will be happy to read on in order after this is finished in order to piece things together as they happened. The first time around I read the series in whatever order I could get them off eBay with a good condition dust jacket, this time I am reading to link the entire story together.
I decided to read one chapter as is was real late when I finished reading Beverly Grays Career and ended up reading 5 chapters. This is pretty much how this book read. Never a chapter alone as perhaps intended but like with any great compelling book in large digestible chunks, each time looking and thinking " I only have so many chapters left." it brought back memories as how I felt each time a Beverly Gray book arrived the first time I read the series. Even for me a inn tube person I considered getting a camera out to capture the arrival of this rare prize. It is great to find a series you can get really excited about. For me that excitement has come from Beverly Gray and Trixie Belden mainly now and The Secret Seven and Famous Five growing up.
Reading the series in order has also put the characters in better order for me. I can understand now why ypuu would have 12 Alpha Deltas, as it allows Beverly to travel but still be with friends in adventures and mysteries. I do wish that Clair Blank as an author spent more time describing her characters. Most I would not have the faintest idea as to their facial features, hair color etc. Some Alpha Deltas I barely know anything about, where I grew up on Enid Blyton books where the characters seemed to be defined in a lot greater detail.


The story starts with Lois leaving on a ship for Paris to study art for a year. Ralf Mathews, Larry Owens and Paul Benson, all suitors in Beverly Gray's Career are all present.
Connie has arrived and we learn her name is really Constance Elwood and Connie is for short. Connie and Kathleen Ryan move in with Lenora and Beverly just after Lois leaves.

Lenora, Connie and Beverly leave for Chicago and Beverly runs into Shirley ( not a long time till they saw Shirley again as was stated would be the case in Career ) Kathleen Ryan stays in New York and Jim Stanton turns up. Kathleen raves about how good looking Jim is and I can't remember anyone carrying on about Larry being as good looking. Would of been good to have seen a movie and have them side by side to see who they picked for the actors to play Larry and Jim.

Beverly and Virginia become involved in a murder at the world's fair. When Lenora becomes a part of the investigating team, Lenora shows a spunk and prowess that Beverly seems to drift in and out of. Lenora states she loves detectecting and again I think here is a girl who doesn't know what she wants to do for a career but she knows exactly what she loves doing. I then start to thinking is detective work that different to reporting? Why doesn't Beverly show more passion for pursuing the bad guys like Lenora does? Would a good reporter really hold off on a scoop story to get a fuller story later? Lenora spends a long time convincing Beverly that they should break into someones room to investigate. Lenora has a sense of urgency and gunho whilst Beverly is more contemplative.

The ending to the story was superb and again a great lead into the next adventure. The main mystery finished some time earlier and poor Beverly was attacked by a tiger and suffered yet another marriage proposal from poor Jiim. You think he would get fed up of being shot down. We also learn of Shirley's fate. If the world fair hadn't of dated this book then the new invention showcased at the world fair of television definitely did. Funny to see Lenora scared of a cable car too considering they are so tame by today's standards.

Reading the books in order has done a lot to fill in gaps of who's who and learn more about the Alpha Deltas.

Beverly Gray's Career

Picture: Beverly, Lenora and Lois loooking at the crystal with Omar El Hamel.







Beverly is not content at home in Renville. She has been home 3 months and has not been inspired to write anything of worth.
Shirley and Lenora turn up the same day. Lenora has inherited a lot of money.
Rosalie we learn very quickly is engaged and set to marry in spring, Shirley was correct about Anne and Rosalie it seems. After 4 books I still don't think I know enough about Rosalie to fill two sentences. For the frost 4 books she seemed to just say things in conversation, she never had a truly identifiable personality. She was simply referred to as quiet.
Lenora decides to go to New York and asks Beverly and Lois to join her. Lenora's motto for New York is " watch our smoke, and learn"
Beverly, Lois and Lenora share a one bedroom apartment. They have a large lounge room, kitchenettes, bathroom and bedroom. They get one double bed and one studio couch that opens to a full size bed.

I love the contemplation by Beverly in the early chapters as she often spends the evenings looking out the apartment windows. Looking at the skyscrapers in New York ( p59-60)
" Didn't the desire to better oneself, the love of friends, didn't these things count for something? Did one always loose idealism in the scramble for existence in the working world?" (p60)
" If she could and would refuse to see the sordid, unpleasant side of everyday living she could be just as happy as she had been at Vernon."(p61)

" There was something somewhere in the world that she wanted- needed. There was a great lack in her life."(p61)
Does Beverly find that something? I don't think so in " Career" Does she find it in the series and what is it? I'll have to ask myself as I re- read the series.

Hope Rodgers is a new character that is introduced that lives upstairs. During the story she opens a shop with Lenora to sell the latest fashions.
The girls play Bridge for entertainment.
Larry Owens turns up and we learn that although we gave not seen him since the night he proposed to Beverly in Junior, they have both sent a few letters but neither was a studious correspondent so the letters laxed. Funny how we know that Jim and Beverly also have written letters throughout the series but the pair manage to keep up their correspondence. It is even mentioned that Jim has asked Beverly again to marry him in one of his letters.

Again in Career we are entertained by Lenora's prowess as a would be detective, she really did miss her calling. A shop owner is too pedestrian for Lenora.
" Lenora was of the opinion that the detective didn't know much of this murder - or of anything. For one thing she didn't like the angle at which he wore his derby. And why did he have to wear a derby?" ( p115)

Beverly does a good charitable deed one Christmas eve helping two poor boys with a good meal and Christmas gifts.
Beverly starts to get short stories published and thinks of writing a play or novel.

Roger Garrett is introduced as a new suitor for Beverly after meeting him at Shirley's new years party she went to with Larry. Lois gets a new date called Paul Benson for the party and Lenora dates Ralph Mathew. Lucky for Larry his competition Roger is called away on business so Larry is able to step in to take Beverly out to see Shirley's play.

Lois is the first girl slotted for international travel as she wins an art competition with a years study in Paris. Shirley is also set to travel ( to Chicago) as a part of a play she has a minor role in.

"Why wish the past back again?" murmured Beverly. "The present is exciting and the future - well, we can make the future exciting if we want to." ( p214-215)

As the girls return to Vernon a new mystery starts with only 3 chapters to go. We also hear of the plans for the second generation of Alpha Deltas. Virginia is going to medical school, (Chicago) Ada to the conservatory of music, (Chicago) Connie school of design, (New York) Kathleen studying to be an interior decorator (New York), Evelyn to business school to be a secretary. ( Philadelphia) and Phyllis to do commercial art. (Philadelphia)

It is mentioned in the last chapter that the girls would not see Shirley again for some time and with Lois going to Paris for a year, Connie and Kathleen are slotted into the story with a move to New York after graduation.
And of course the next book in the series is the ever illusive Beverly Gray at the World's fair.

Beverly Gray Stats, book 2 Sophomore

Sorority: Beverly and her friends form a sorority, Beverly is voted president of the Alpha Deltas.
Beverly joins the college paper " The Comet " as a Reporter.
Hair: Dark, curly.

Sophomore, book 2

Now up to reading book 2 again Sophomore. More stsats to come on both Beverly and other main characters.

Beverly Gray Freshman

Reading this series again I enjoyed the fun of the start of Vernon college. The sports emphasis for the girls, the prank played on The Freshman. The initial 4 stories at Vernon are probably not my favourites compared to when Beverly starts on her chosen career and travelling the world. Still it's interesting that Beverly had stated since High School that she didn't want to marry, instead she wanted a career and to travel the world. I get the feeling by series end though that she would have reevaluated that and would have married Larry.
On Friday I went to a Positive Psychology course and it's interesting that they put up a formula for life. Everyone wrote out hour for hour their ideal day and then they wrote what they did yesterday and were to compare the two to see how much you did that was truly important to you and matched your higher purpose. ( I failed dismally by the way) Beverly on the other hand would pass this test. Even though she isn't doing what she sees as being her life purpose in Freshman the book does state in regards to Shirley possibly ruining her life by running away that she was a coward because she wouldn't wait to be trained properly for her place in the world.

Throughout the series Beverly never lost sight of her goal, to forge a career and travel the world as well. During this first book in the series Beverly decided that career was as a writer, probably a foreign correspondent for some newspaper.

I wondered what was happening when Beverly returned home for the Christmas holidays, here we were being introduced to a large number of Beverly's friends that were never going to be of great importance to the series except for Jim Stanton. The distraction did provide more background to Beverly 's character however and did offer the first major adventure of the story when Beverly is held captive.

Though Beverly Gray is known for her mysteries this first book doesn't contain a mystery, ( unless you count a mystery for others as to where Beverly was when she was held captive.) it is more a series of college adventures, pranks, parties, study, plays, sports, friendships etc as well as some more unusual adventures like a fire and Beverly being held captive.

Lois Mason Stats, Beverly Gray books 1 to 4

At Vernon college Lois is first introduced as Anne White's roommate in book 1 Freshman.
For the first few weeks Lois is mean to Anne but this is then explained away as her being homesick.
Lois becomes secretary of the Alfa Deltas in Sophomore.
During the last two chapters of Sophomore Lois starts to counter comments by Lenora and this banter continues at the start of Junior. This is what I remember between Lois and Lenora and it is really the first thing in the series that starts to define the chacter of Lois, until this point I would of labelled her with the non descript personality we are given for Rosalie Arnold.
In Senior we learn she is a good basketball player. she plays a forward.
She is an actress but not serious in pursuing it as a career like Shirley is.
She dresses. As Peter Psn at the favorite fictional character dance.
It is not until the last few pages of Senior that we learn that Lois is a talented artist that wants to sketch.
Lois has a kid sister and she is going to babysit over the holidays after college finishes.

Lenora Whitehill Stats, Beverly Gray Books 1 to 4

Lenora is not introduced until chapter 5 of Book 1 Freshman, as a freshman that suffered from the same Freshman prank that Beverly, Anne, Lois and Shirley did.
Lenora has cute little sayings, in Sophomore it's " the nuts" for when something is good.
Lenora plays the piano.
Towards the end of book 2 Sophomore at the movies Lenora starts her rapid fire witted, chatter with Lois which would often become described in stories. This is played up the most in the last chapter of Sophomore as Lois counters everything that Lenora says.
In Senior you start to see the full potential of Lenora's character as Beverly spends most her time with Lenora or Connie.
At the fictional ball Lenora goes as Sherlock Holmes. In fact for what is to become a mystery series Lenora in Senior is more the detective than Beverly (she would of made a great detective or police officer) she has to talk Beverly into following a suspect. Lenora in this book refers to herself a few times as Sherlock Holmes. She even questions Beverly as to " where is your sense of adventure?"

Beverly Gray Stats from Book One Freshman

I thought I would take the time while rereading the series to collect stats on Beverly Gray for my website down the track. So here are stats from book 1.
Beverly Gray Stats.
Age: 19 years old at the start of the story and entering college.
Her best friend at the start of the story is Anne White, who's mother had been good friends with Beverly's mum when she was young also.
Mother: Helen Chadwick, went to Vernon College and wanted Beverly to follow in her footsteps. Beverly doesn't tell other students she is Helen's daughter but Helen is referred to as a patron saint by some students.
Father: John Gray
Lives: grew up at Rest Haven, Renville. At college she lives in Chadwick Hall.
Pets: a wire- haired fox terrier there called Terry.
Beverly's first roommate at Vernon college is Shirley Parker.
Quirks: signs a letter to her parents " love and lollipops"
Sports: Beverly I'd a good tennis player and asked to try for the college team as a Freshman. Beverly plays Basketball and was the best player in High School.
Eyes: blue
Hair: brown
Build: slim
High School: Beverly was a member of a social group of friends called " The Lucky Circle" the group consisted of Beverly, Anne, Jim Stanton, Tommy Chandler (a neighbor) Barbara West, Gordon Brewster, Joan Roberts, and Boyd Marshall.
Aspirations; in High School Beverly had said she woukd never marry instead she would travel the world and have a career.
Moto: from Tennyson, " For man is man and master of his fate."