carstairs38's Full Review: Kathryn Kenny - The Mysterious Code
This is a transitional book in the Trixie Belden series. Don't misunderstand, the book is still about thirteen year old Trixie and her family and friends. Along with her two older brothers and their friends, they've formed The Bob-Whites of the Glen, a semi-secret club. They all attend Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School in a small town in Westchester County New York.
No, what makes this book different is the fact that it was the first one written by "Kathryn Kenny." The first six books in the series were all written by series creator Julie Campbell. But after six books, Ms. Campbell was tired of the characters and ready to move on to other things. So she sold the rights to her characters and her publisher continued them with many different writers taking on the Kathryn Kenny name. While there are some noticeable differences, this is still a fun book.
The story opens in late January when the Bob-Whites are asked to stay after school to meet with their principal. Unfortunately, he has bad news for them. The school has been hit by a string of petty vandalism and robbery, so the board has decided that secret societies will have to disband. Fortunately, Trixie comes up with a plan to save their club. To prove they are worthy, they decide to put on an antique show to benefit UNICEF. Not only does this mean lots of hard work, but it means constant run-ins with thieves out to steal the valuable stuff for sale and display. Can Trixie catch them before they ruin the sale?
As a kid, I bought the premise. Maybe it's the book's age (it was originally written in 1961), but I can't imagine anyone today disbanding a club of any kind because the school told them to do so. In fact, the school board would be hit with a lawsuit so fast it would make their heads spin.
Either way, those first few chapters are just a way to set up the antique sale and robbers. I would probably really classify this book as an adventure instead of a mystery, but that's a minor complaint. There is plenty of action to keep kids glued to the page. Not only do the thieves cause plenty of problems, but three of the characters get lost in a blizzard, Trixie's youngest brother gets sick, and there's a Valentine's party to attend. Yet the book never forgets the thieves, and they provide for a truly nail biting climax.
It's in the characters where the difference in authors is truly felt. In earlier books, Trixie's desire to solve a mystery is encouraged by her friends if not her parents (they understandably don't like the danger). Here, her "detecting" is a source of conflict between Trixie and most of her friends. In the first six books, Trixie was a tomboy, and that was actually encouraged. Here, her mother bemoans that fact, leading to a dress shopping scene for the Valentine's party.
That's not to say that the characters are bad. For the most part, they are the wonderfully real people we've come to know in the earlier books. They still have strengths and weaknesses. They still tease each other. And they are still so much fun to be around. In fact, this book has several pure character moments that are some of the best of the series.
Another interesting note is that this book introduced two new things to the series. This is the first time we see the Bob-Whites go to the diner Wimpy's. This is also their first charity event. Both things would become staples of later books.
Since the book is over 40 years old, the language may be a bit dated for today's kids. However, I never had a problem reading it as a kid. I'd say most people in the target age of 8-12 year olds will have no trouble with it.
Yes, Julie Campbell's touch is missed. But a new author takes the series in a new direction sure to please young readers.
Principal Stratton wants to get rid of all clubs in Sleepyside High School, including the Bob-Whites! The only way they can save their club is to prov...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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