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Young Mandie Mysteries #5
The Secret in the Woods
Some mysteries are better left alone. That’s what Mandie’s best friend, Joe, says when strange things begin happening in the woods that surround their homes. Unexplained noises, spooky shadows, and weird voices all convince Joe that they should stay away. But Mandie won’t have any of that! She declares there’s no mystery too scary to solve. At least, there hasn’t been until now. . . .
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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About the author
Lois Gladys Leppard
120 books289 followersLois Gladys Leppard was the author of the Mandie series of children's novels. Leppard wrote her first Mandie story when she was only eleven and a half years old, but did not become a professional author until she was an adult. Leppard has also worked as a professional singer, actress, and playwright. At one time, she and her two sisters, Sybil and Louise, formed a singing group called the Larke Sisters.
There are forty Mandie books in the main series, an eight-book junior series and several other titles. Leppard said that she could write a Mandie book in two weeks, barring any interruptions.
The eponymous heroine lives in North Carolina in the early 1900s, encountering adventure and solving mysteries with help from her friends, family, and pet cat, Snowball. These young reader novels are meant to teach morals as well as be fun and captivating stories to read. Leppard stated that her books contain "nothing occult or vulgar", and Mandie is depicted as a faithful Christian. The Mandie books often deal with issues of discrimination and prejudice relating to race (particularly with regard to the local Cherokee), class, and disability.
Lois Gladys Leppard based some of the incidents in her Mandie books on her mother's experiences growing up in North Carolina. The dedication in the first book is: "For My Mother, Bessie A. Wilson Leppard, and In Memory of Her Sister, Lillie Margaret Ann Wilson Frady, Orphans of North Carolina Who Outgrew the Sufferings of Childhood".
There are forty Mandie books in the main series, an eight-book junior series and several other titles. Leppard said that she could write a Mandie book in two weeks, barring any interruptions.
The eponymous heroine lives in North Carolina in the early 1900s, encountering adventure and solving mysteries with help from her friends, family, and pet cat, Snowball. These young reader novels are meant to teach morals as well as be fun and captivating stories to read. Leppard stated that her books contain "nothing occult or vulgar", and Mandie is depicted as a faithful Christian. The Mandie books often deal with issues of discrimination and prejudice relating to race (particularly with regard to the local Cherokee), class, and disability.
Lois Gladys Leppard based some of the incidents in her Mandie books on her mother's experiences growing up in North Carolina. The dedication in the first book is: "For My Mother, Bessie A. Wilson Leppard, and In Memory of Her Sister, Lillie Margaret Ann Wilson Frady, Orphans of North Carolina Who Outgrew the Sufferings of Childhood".
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 25, 2022
About this book:
“Some mysteries are better left alone. That’s what Mandie’s best friend, Joe, says when strange things begin happening in the woods that surround their homes. Unexplained noises, spooky shadows, and weird voices all convince Joe that they should stay away. But Mandie won’t have any of that! She declares there’s no mystery too scary to solve. At least, there hasn’t been until now. . . .”
Series: This is book #5 in “Young Mandie Mysteries” series. (Book #1’s review Here!, #2 Here!, #3 Here!, #4 Here!, and the Christmas special Here!) {This series is connected to the original Mandie series, Mandie is younger in this series but this series was written later. Also is a bit confusing for those who have read the Mandie series first. See my review of Book #1 for my thoughts on this.}
Spiritual Content- Thanking God a couple times; Going to a singing event at church; Mentions of a church, church going, a singing event, & hymns.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’; Mandie and her sister Irene say they don’t tell everything about what the other is doing to their mother (such as Irene hanging out with a boy and Mandie being in the woods); A couple mentions of the possibly of an animal being trapped or injured.
Sexual Content- N/A.
-Amanda “Mandie” Shaw, age 9
P.O.V. of Mandie
Set in 1897 (?)
102 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Four Stars
New Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{The ratings are lower as the girl gets older because of the simple plot-line, but is clean for all ages.}
While this series isn’t my favorite Mandie series (because the original series is a classic in my eyes!), it has been cute to see Mandie and Joe again and their adventures.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Some mysteries are better left alone. That’s what Mandie’s best friend, Joe, says when strange things begin happening in the woods that surround their homes. Unexplained noises, spooky shadows, and weird voices all convince Joe that they should stay away. But Mandie won’t have any of that! She declares there’s no mystery too scary to solve. At least, there hasn’t been until now. . . .”
Series: This is book #5 in “Young Mandie Mysteries” series. (Book #1’s review Here!, #2 Here!, #3 Here!, #4 Here!, and the Christmas special Here!) {This series is connected to the original Mandie series, Mandie is younger in this series but this series was written later. Also is a bit confusing for those who have read the Mandie series first. See my review of Book #1 for my thoughts on this.}
Spiritual Content- Thanking God a couple times; Going to a singing event at church; Mentions of a church, church going, a singing event, & hymns.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’; Mandie and her sister Irene say they don’t tell everything about what the other is doing to their mother (such as Irene hanging out with a boy and Mandie being in the woods); A couple mentions of the possibly of an animal being trapped or injured.
Sexual Content- N/A.
-Amanda “Mandie” Shaw, age 9
P.O.V. of Mandie
Set in 1897 (?)
102 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Four Stars
New Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{The ratings are lower as the girl gets older because of the simple plot-line, but is clean for all ages.}
While this series isn’t my favorite Mandie series (because the original series is a classic in my eyes!), it has been cute to see Mandie and Joe again and their adventures.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
May 13, 2018
An okay preteen story of a 100 pages. My book wasn't entirely all there. Pages 45 to 75 missing and pages 75 to 100 repeated twice. Still was able to figure out the Secret in the Woods.
September 19, 2013
My school needs a better collection of books to use for guided reading groups...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews