The Mystery of the Hobo's Message: null

When the three cousins find some strange symbols carved in an old tree, they learn about hobo code and the importance of kindness

Elspeth Campbell Murphy is often asked about her first name. It is a Scottish form of Elizabeth, and is pronounced just like it's spelled, with the accent on the El.

Elspeth was born in Hamilton, Scotland, near Glasgow. She moved with her parents to Canada were she spent her early years. But most of Elspeth's life has been spent near Lake Michigan.

Elspeth received her Master of Arts in Teaching from Oakland University, a B.A. in English at Trinity College, Illinois; and General Bible at Moody Bible Institute. She has taught in the elementary grades; and written and edited curriculum. She now writes full- time. She is a member of the Authors Guild.

Elspeth has been a familiar name in Christian publishing for over 15 years, with more than seventy-five books to her credit and sales reaching five million worldwide. She is the author of the bestselling series David and I Talk to God and The Kids From Apple Street Church, as well as the l990 Gold Medallion winner Do You Se Me, God?

Elspeth loves to write. Most of her work has been for young children, from babies through about fifth graders. She's particularly interested in writing "first chapter books" for kids in the middle grades who are beyond picture books and easy-to-reads, but not quite ready to tackle longer novels. Mysteries were Elspeth's favorite kind of book when she was a kid herself, and they still are. She says it's fun to try to figure things out. In fact, planning and writing a book as a little like solving a mystery-getting a little bit of information here, a little bit there, and putting it all together.

Elspeth enjoys every minute she spends with the three detective-cousins, Timothy, Titus, and Sarah-Jane featured in her series THE THREE COUSINS DETECTIVE CLUB.

Elspeth and her husband, Michael, live in Illinois. From her home-office window, Elspeth can see a school on one side and a zoo on the other. She says it's fun to go to sleep at night, hearing the roar of the lions over the roar of the buses.

size : 5.2 x 7.5