Julie Campbell wrote the first six books in the Trixie Beldon series in the 1950's. Like many of the writers of children's mystery novel's of her time, she recieved very little money in return for a series that would go on to sell an enormous amount of copies. It's too bad that so many writers of her time were unable to benefit financially when we can only assume that the publishing companies still benefit from their work today. For example, the women that wrote the Nancy Drew series under the pseudonym of Carolynn Keene were only paid $125.00 each for their contributions. The Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, and the many other series' that fall into this very specific category of Children's Mystery Fiction may not be considered great works of literature; however, I believe they can be admired for their ability to entertain and engage readers in a clever way. These are all good books if you like mystery and I encourage anyone who wants a touch of nostalgia to pick one up for a short read. Now that I'm an adult, I prefer to read Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle, but honestly, I enjoy Trixie Belden books just the same. Whether it's a strange murder on a train, or just a simple case of a missing dog; a great mystery is a great mystery.
5 comments:
Hi Nic,
I like mysteries too. I have never heard of the Trixie Beldon series, but I will check it out. I am taking a class in writing short fiction for children right now, and I like reading children's literature also.
Karen
Nic,
I am curious is Trixie Beldon was/is American or British. I recently read a brief reference to Enic Blyton, the British serialist of a similar sounding series (one that I enjoyed as a child). The commentator (James Attlee in his new book Isolarion) noted the racism that ran through Blyton's work and how they were controversial even at the time. Of course, I read them without awareness of this issue as a 9 year old and I was troubled to think about the kind of representation of the stranger or villain in these kinds of books.
Your commentary about the pay for the writers is sad, isn't it. A warning to aspiring writers not to give their work away!
Meg
Hi Nic,
My daughter and I read the Nancy Drew series when she was young. Somehow we did not get to Trixie Beldon. I enjoyed your blog.
Donna
To answer Meg's question, Trixie Beldon was an American character. I am not aware of any questionable references or racisms in any of the stories; however, I do know that The Hardy Boys series had to be edited for publication after the 1950's because many of the villians were refered to in a less than flattering manner.
Nic,
Your blog is looking great! Very informative!
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