Julie Campbell

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.

First Blog

Hello,
I am a student at Marylhurst University in Lake Oswego, Oregon and this is my first entry for our literary blog project. While I enjoy a variety of texts that fall into the category of classic literature, I have decided to dedicate this blog to a series of books that would fall somewhat short of that level of prestige. This blog is dedicated to the children's mystery series entitled Trixie Belden. The series began in 1948 and continued to be published until 1986. Overall, there were 39 books in the series; however, only the first six books were written by the original author, Julie Campbell. And it is those first six books that have always been my favorite.
I was first introduced to the series by my mother when I was in grade school. She had read the books as a child and was passing them on to me. I still have those tattered and worn down 1st editions, along with some more recently published editions to make up for any missing volumes.
I think the reason I enjoyed these books so much as a kid is that they allowed me to escape into a world where loyalty, friendship, and adventure was the norm. In the coming weeks I will be discussing a variety of subjects including: Trixie Belden history, Julie Campbell and the inspiration behind the characters, and my personal thoughts on the world of Trixie Belden.