The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden #1) [Hardcover]

Julie Campbell (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Trixie Belden

Trixie’s summer is going to be sooo boring with her two older brothers away at camp. But then a millionaire’s daughter moves into the next-door mansion, an old miser hides a fortune in his decrepit house, and a runaway kid starts hiding out in Sleepyside!

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Trixie?s summer is going to be sooo boring with her two older brothers away at camp. But then a millionaire?s daughter moves into the next-door mansion, an old miser hides a fortune in his decrepit house, and a runaway kid starts hiding out in Sleepyside!

About the Author

JULIE CAMPBELL, in the 1940s, was running her own literary agency when Western Publishing put out a call for talented authors to write mystery series for kids. Julie proposed the Trixie Belden series and wrote the first six titles herself. She also started the Ginnie Gordon series and wrote several Cherry Ames books. Julie Campbell died in 1999. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; First Thus edition (June 24, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 037582412X
• ISBN-13: 978-0375824128
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,808 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a shame to let such a good series go out of print., April 15, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion (Hardcover)

This book is a wonderful introduction to a great series of books for young girls. I read the first six when I was 10 years old, and I fell in love with Trixie and her friends. Those stories were written by Julie Campbell in the 1950's and republished in the 1960's. Kathryn Kenny took over with book seven in the late '60's. Readers will notice a change in Trixie's personality and in the focus of the stories. Kenny introduces more of the history of the Hudson River Valley, and includes more facts and less of the banter and teasing that made me so fond of the original books. However, the books which Kenny continued writing into the '70's and the '80's, which I bought for my daughter, are entertaining, if not quite as much fun as the original six. The Red Trailer Mystery, the sequal to the Secret of the Mansion, is also a must to read for anyone who wants to get the full story of how Jim came to be Honey's adopted brother, The Gatehouse Mystery explains the formation of the Bob White club, The Mysterious Visitor chronicles the advent of Diana Lynch into the group. Book five, The Mystery Off Glen Road is a personal favorite of mine, an absolutely hilarious book telling of Trixie's attempts to become a 'lady', not to impress Jim, but for such convoluted reasons that she has her entire family in an uproar. I hope that like the Nancy Drew mysteries, some publisher who knows a good thing when he sees it, will update the Trixie Belden books and republish them for the next generation. I would hate to see this series that has brought so much pleasure and happiness to so many girls be lost forever.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where It All Began, June 30, 2003

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden #1) (Hardcover)

Thirteen year old Trixie Belden is convinced that this summer will be long and boring. With her older brothers at camp, she'll only have her parents and younger brother for companionship.

But then a family with a girl her age move into the house next door. Even better, Honey's family has horses. When they go over to explore the mansion of Old Man Frayne, they discover his great nephew Jim. Jim has just run away from a cruel step-father. With Mr. Frayne sick in the hospital, they start looking for the treasure rumored to be hidden in the old house somewhere. Can they find it? Will Jim's step father catch up with him?

This is the first book in the Trixie Belden series. I discovered the series when I was in jr. high, and 16 years later, I still love it. The characters are real, with strengths and weaknesses. Heck, Trixie even gets mad at her friends and family upon occasion. I was drawn to these books because of the friendships displayed, and I used to dream about being part of the group.

This book introduces only three of the series main characters. Trixie and Honey are not themselves at first, but by the end of the book, they are already acting more like themselves. Their characters show the best of what can happen when you pick up on a friend's strengths. Trixie goes from selfish and whiney to thinking about others and being grateful for what she has. Being around tomboyish Trixie helps Honey get over her fears and start to do more things she's always wanted to do but been too afraid to try. While I find the characters a little annoying at first, they are very true to their ages and the changes are believable.

The storyline in this book never lets up either, with lots of stuff going on to keep anyone entertained. When I read this book the first time, I knew (or thought I knew) the outcome, but there was so much going on I was entertained the entire way through. The best part is the cliffhanger ending. You'll definitely want to have the second book ready to go.

Originally written in 1948, this new edition retains the original text and inside illustrations. While some of the references show their age, I didn't pick up on them as a kid (in the 80's), and I'm sure today's kids will be so entranced by the story that they won't notice some of the out dated words.

This series is filled with wonderfully real characters and fun stories. Don't miss this chance to make a new lifelong friend.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I read them every year..., December 3, 1999

By 

Susan Buentello (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion (Hardcover)

The Trixie Belden series, of which this book is the beginning, is something that I haul out every year and reread. I'm 48 years old--that's a lot of rereading, considering I read them the first time when I was 10! I still have my beat-up Whitman hardbacks of the first 6, with Mary Stevens' wonderful illustrations, and I guard them jealously! My daughter, who is grown now, read them with enjoyment, but the big surprise is that my son loved them even more than she did. Everyone who says that their daughters enjoy these books should introduce their sons to them--the male characters, Mart, Brian, and Jim, are great role-models and my son identified with them a great deal. My children and I all remember and quote parts of these books to each other from time to time. I learned a lot of vocabulary from them, and I think I developed my sense of humor directly from these books as well. I echo everyone here who has lamented the fact that they are out of print. Reissue them!