Trixie Tries to Solve a Hundred-Year-Old Case in The Mystery of the Emeralds

I’ve always been intrigued by attics and thrilled at the idea of exploring one filled with long-forgotten treasures. In The Mystery of the Emeralds, 14-year-old detective Trixie Belden doesn’t need to go far to make a fascinating attic find. After stumbling upon a hidden crawl space, Trixie finds a Civil War-era canteen, along with a letter in a coat pocket. The canteen will be an excellent addition to an upcoming charity sale, but what really captures Trixie’s imagination is the letter, which mentions a hidden emerald necklace. The problem? The letter was written in 1861. What’s more, though the letter gives a clue as to where to start looking, Trixie has no idea where Rosewood Hall is. Is this mystery worth pursuing, or is it too far beyond her reach? Anyone coming into this volume as an established reader of the series would be able to tell you that Trixie is far too persistent to be deterred by a seemingly cold case.

This is the 14th book in the Trixie Belden series and the eighth written by Kathryn Kenny, a catch-all pseudonym for a number of ghost writers who continued penning adventures for Trixie and her friends after original author Julie Campbell tired of the characters. Along with Trixie, the intrepid blond tomboy with such a knack for attracting mysteries and following them to a satisfying conclusion, the main characters include the rest of the Bob-Whites of the Glen, a tight-knit club Trixie co-founded. Her co-president is Jim Frayne, the adopted brother of Trixie’s sweet-natured best friend Honey Wheeler. Other members include Trixie’s older brothers Mart and Brian and their neighbors, Di Lynch and Dan Mangan. At home or on one of their many group vacations, these friends always manage to work together to crack puzzling cases and have a lot of fun in the process.

The circumstances that set this mystery into motion are almost too coincidental. Trixie finds this letter that has been languishing in the attic for nearly a century, and as soon as her local detective work leads her to the disheartening discovery that Rosewood Hall is hundreds of miles away, Di announces that her parents just happen to be leaving imminently for a destination within easy distance of that stately manor. Then again, luck often seems to be on Trixie’s side in her investigations. If it weren’t for her initial skill in focusing on the right details to lead her in the proper direction, they never would have realized that the Lynches’ trip could have any connection with this long-concealed treasure.

Although the first five chapters take place in the Bob-Whites’ town of Sleepyside, New York, this is primarily another away-from-home adventure. I confess I’d hoped to see the Wheelers’ cheerful groom Regan in this installment, since he’s my favorite side character and we haven’t seen him since the tenth book, but it was nice to spend a bit of time with the rest of the Belden family, which includes Trixie’s supportive parents and her rambunctious little brother Bobby, before heading off for unfamiliar territory. While the previous installment, The Mystery on Cobbett’s Island – which this book references several times – allows the Bob-Whites a true vacation in many respects, Trixie and her friends know from the get-go that this will be a working trip. They have a very definite goal in mind and a limited amount of time in which to achieve it.

Hence, while the six friends – everybody but Dan, who has to bow out because of work – enjoy the sights and sounds of Washington, D. C. and Williamsburg, Virginia, this book has a more frenzied tone to it. Everyone thinks this is their most impossible case yet, and that just seems to increase Trixie’s determination, especially once she finds a few leads. The bulk of the investigation occurs at Green Trees, a home near the dilapidated Rosewood Hall occupied by Mr. Carver, an older artist restricted to a wheelchair.

While the current owner of the Rosewood property is surly, Mr. Carver couldn’t be more congenial. What’s more, he has a family connection to the correspondents, so he soon is as caught up in the search as the Bob-Whites. His stately manners and youthful exuberance make him one of my favorite minor characters yet, and his vivacious friend Miss Bates, who adores flowers and old houses but is deeply suspicious of most men, provides several laughs. The Bob-Whites themselves are well-drawn, and it’s especially nice to see Di playing a fairly major role here. While Trixie is intensely focused, she doesn’t come across as whiny as she sometimes does, and she seems more willing than usual to think the best of people in this outing. It’s also amusing to see her pleased but embarrassed reactions to several pointed compliments from Jim throughout the journey.

In addition to the intrigue of the mystery, which involves careful clue-finding, a spooky graveyard, a secret passage and a race to find the treasure before someone else who has gotten wind of it, the book includes historical tidbits of interest to those fascinated with the Civil War. I was particularly struck by the parts dealing with the Underground Railroad, and I found the reflective moment the Bob-Whites share at the Lincoln Memorial quite moving.

While this Trixie adventure is not as relaxing as the one that preceded it, The Mystery of the Emeralds is an engaging adventure from start to finish. Kinda makes me want to go rooting through my attic again…

Don and Roy Freeman Follow a Squirrel Through Washington, D. C. in One More Acorn

Author-illustrator Don Freeman is best known for Corduroy, the classic picture book about a teddy bear who lives in a department store and longs for a home. He created many memorable books in his lifetime, but one of his most cherished ideas never saw the light of day until last year.

As his son, Roy Freeman, explains in a note in the back, his father began working on One More Acorn, a story about a squirrel in Washington, D. C., during a trip to the Capitol in 1963. He spent so much time on it during that trip that he set up a meeting with his editor to talk about publishing the book, but before the meeting occurred, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and Freeman was too heartbroken to continue the project. It was only recently that Roy discovered his artwork and narration for the story, and with the help of artist Jody Wheeler, he brought his late father’s book to fruition.

One More Acorn is a beautifully illustrated tale about a gray squirrel – the father of his family – foraging for acorns to help his family get through the winter. As he darts here and there, hoping to find the nuts he buried weeks ago, fiery leaves surround him on every tree – and on the ground as well. He finds plenty of acorns, but he has his eyes on a particular prize: one extra-large nut he remembers finding long ago. Getting to it will require agility and cleverness.

Meanwhile, although the text only identifies the Washington Monument, the illustrations offer a charming tour of several of Washington, D. C.’s most prominent landmarks. Along with the interesting setting is a subtle message about the value of trees. Earl the Squirrel stumbles upon a Plant a Tree parade, and we see schoolchildren planting saplings. Then, of course, there’s the fact that he and his family live in a tree and that trees provide his food. A tree also helps him to get out of a tight spot toward the end of the book.

The story here is simple but enjoyable. There’s a soothing repetition to his interactions with his family, and it’s fun to get the squirrel’s perspective n things. For instance, when he sees the children doing their planting, he speculates that they, too, are on the lookout for acorns.

One More Acorn has a very realistic look to it, and while Earl and is family are anthropomorphized, they look and act as normal squirrels do. On one level, this is a little story about a squirrel preparing for cold weather, but it’s also a sort of love letter to the nation’s Capitol, whose atmosphere and excitement is beautifully captured here. If you got a kick out of Corduroy, you’ll want to have a look at this unique father-son collaboration.