Introduction to the Mystery
There’s a mystery behind a book returned to a New Jersey school library — 43 years overdue.
The mysterious package was delivered to Stillman Elementary School in Tenafly during the last full week of April. Inside, it held the school library’s copy of the book "Jumanji" that had been checked out in May 1982.
Aside from the long-overdue book was a money order for $40. No note, no return address.
Uncovering the Clues
"Opening the book and thinking, who’s sending this and what could it be?" said school librarian Jill Brave. "This was its own natural lesson that fell into our laps of another way of researching…It made me feel good that someone took the time to do this."
Instead of quietly putting the vintage book back on the shelf, Stillman’s librarian decided to get her students involved.
The students’ research was to connect the dots to figure out who returned the book The money order came from Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania. The package itself was mailed from the Drums, Pennsylvania, post office nearby.
"The suspense to know who checked it out, whenever I’m bored I always have something to think about," said 9-year-old Sanjana Sen.
The Book’s History
The book had been checked out more than four decades ago by a second-grader named Jessica, with a note from then-librarian Mrs. Wilbur to return it within five days. By the time the book finally made its way back to the school library, it was 15,700 days late.
"Now that they’re older they probably feel more guilty because it’s been 43 whole years," said Sanjana.
The students even did research into Mrs. Wilbur.
"We got to Google and we got to see a lot of cool things about her," said 7-year-old Gal Ayzenberg.
The Investigation Continues
The detective work has fueled a lot of conversations at the K-5 school — as well as at least one website, coded by a 10-year old.
"It can search for ZIP codes and address, and it can also find people," said Miles Grinshtein, the young coder behind the site. "Everyone is curious about the whole thing and you want to solve it."
The students also questioned if "Jessica" would prefer to remain anonymous.
"It’s kind of rude to try to find them when they don’t want to get found," said Sanjana. "We still want to say thank you so maybe if they see this right now, they will just reveal themselves."
Conclusion
Whether or not students find the former student who sent the book, they said they have enjoyed piecing together the clues and using their imaginations to solve a problem. The return of the book has not only solved a mystery but has also taught the students valuable lessons about responsibility, curiosity, and the importance of solving problems.
FAQs
Q: How long was the book overdue?
A: The book was overdue for 43 years.
Q: Who checked out the book originally?
A: A second-grader named Jessica checked out the book in May 1982.
Q: How much was the fine for the overdue book?
A: A money order for $40 was included with the returned book.
Q: What did the students do to try to find the person who returned the book?
A: The students did research, created a website, and used their imaginations to try to solve the mystery.
Q: What did the students learn from this experience?
A: The students learned about responsibility, curiosity, and the importance of solving problems.
