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Thursday, June 16, 2016

#28 - Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion - Julie Campbell



#28
Title:  Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion
Author:  Julie Campbell
Genre:  Kid Fiction
Rating:  B
Published:  1963
Dates:   6/10/16 – 6/15/10

I’m re-reading the Trixie Belden series as part of the 16 in 16 challenge.  This book begins the delightful series that I grew up with beginning at age 11.  I remember running into a drugstore at that age, my mom telling me I could choose a book to read.  I got Gatehouse Mystery, third in the series, fell in love with the Bob-Whites and finally completed collecting the series after I became an adult.  What!!!  I’m still a kid at heart and continue to get lost in each re-read.  Actually, Trixie is older than I am.  The Secret of the Mansion was first published in 1948.  If Trixie was 13 at the time she would be … you do the math!

Anyway the story begins with Trixie working with her mom in the garden, bemoaning the fact that she has got to have a horse or she’ll just die.  Her Moms offers her the opportunity to earn $5 a week towards getting her own horse.  Moms goes on to tell her that their new neighbors have a girl her age.  Well, the story progresses beautifully from there with Trixie meeting Honey, Trixie learning to ride a horse, Honey and Trixie beginning an instant friendship and of course getting involved with the secret of the mansion.  They dub it the Miser’s Mansion.  I love that everything moves along so naturally, things like conversations, character building, and introduction of other necessary characters and details.  Campbell is a fun story teller.  I think part of the success of this series is the inclusion of the adult world as it affects the younger generation as it should.  I love the laid-back atmosphere of country life, fun kid things to do, yet they are taught to be responsible for their actions, which in turn builds on the work ethic.

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