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Mandie #1
Mandie and the Secret Tunnel
Mandie Shaw, almost a teenager, is certain God no longer loves her as she watches her father being lowered into his grave. Mandie's move into a neighbor family's home, when her mother remarries, does not soften her grief. Her only comfort is the promise from her father's faithful Cherokee friend, Uncle Ned, to watch out for her and be a friend. Will Mandie be able to escape her new and nearly intolerable home situation? Will she find her long-lost family? Will the mysterious key unlock the door to the secret tunnel and her own family's history?
For children 8-13, mystery adventures set in the North Carolina backwoods at the turn of the century.
For children 8-13, mystery adventures set in the North Carolina backwoods at the turn of the century.
141 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1983
60 people are currently reading
2395 people want to read
About the author
Lois Gladys Leppard
119 books287 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 - 30 of 344 reviews
December 5, 2018
2018 Review
I decided to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane give this one a re-read. It was...eye-opening. But not bad. Don't go in expecting a mystery. Go in thinking adventure novel.
From a writing perspective, it screams plot inconsistencies. From an adventure book for grade and middle school girls? Oh, it rocks. An orphan heroine, strong friendships, secret tunnels, missing wills, ghosts, wealthy relatives, fabulous dresses, a Cherokee spy network, long-lost relatives…this book contains it all! When you focus on the adventure, plot consistency matters less. What does matter is an exciting story with crazy twists and scary turns. And this book contains those elements in abundance.
While this book lost some of its nostalgic glow (poor Uncle Ned - I expect better, even from 1983), overall I am pleased with it. It remains a romping adventure for young girls. It made me wince occasionally, but it also reintroduced me to some of my favorite characters and awoke a bunch of dormant memories. I consider this re-read a success.
Original Review
Every now and then you stumble upon something that changes your life. C.S. Lewis refers to it as joy. I'm not sure what to call it, but "Mandie and the Secret Tunnel" represents the beginning for me. I was seven or eight when I first read it, the summer before I'd started reading and haven't stopped since. I remember the day Mom took me up to the 'big kid' section to find chapter books, suggesting this one for me, taking it home. It was boring at first, but by the time I was ten or eleven, I had read every single book in the series and positively adored Mandie. Maybe I would have loved historical fiction without it, but surely my adoration for mysteries would never have become what it did. I've read Sherlock Holmes, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Three Investigators, Trixie Belden, etc. yet I will honestly say, the Mandie series, represented by this book, was a life changing step for me.
I decided to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane give this one a re-read. It was...eye-opening. But not bad. Don't go in expecting a mystery. Go in thinking adventure novel.
From a writing perspective, it screams plot inconsistencies. From an adventure book for grade and middle school girls? Oh, it rocks. An orphan heroine, strong friendships, secret tunnels, missing wills, ghosts, wealthy relatives, fabulous dresses, a Cherokee spy network, long-lost relatives…this book contains it all! When you focus on the adventure, plot consistency matters less. What does matter is an exciting story with crazy twists and scary turns. And this book contains those elements in abundance.
While this book lost some of its nostalgic glow (poor Uncle Ned - I expect better, even from 1983), overall I am pleased with it. It remains a romping adventure for young girls. It made me wince occasionally, but it also reintroduced me to some of my favorite characters and awoke a bunch of dormant memories. I consider this re-read a success.
Original Review
Every now and then you stumble upon something that changes your life. C.S. Lewis refers to it as joy. I'm not sure what to call it, but "Mandie and the Secret Tunnel" represents the beginning for me. I was seven or eight when I first read it, the summer before I'd started reading and haven't stopped since. I remember the day Mom took me up to the 'big kid' section to find chapter books, suggesting this one for me, taking it home. It was boring at first, but by the time I was ten or eleven, I had read every single book in the series and positively adored Mandie. Maybe I would have loved historical fiction without it, but surely my adoration for mysteries would never have become what it did. I've read Sherlock Holmes, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Three Investigators, Trixie Belden, etc. yet I will honestly say, the Mandie series, represented by this book, was a life changing step for me.
July 11, 2024
A great start to an apparently long series.
June 25, 2024
Oh dear.
I decided to revisit this childhood favorite, knowing it probably hadn't aged well. My anticipations were fulfilled, and then some. I wish I'd left it alone.
The plot and writing aren't great, no big surprises there. The portrayal of black and indigenous persons is cringy. Even some of the white characters, while falling short of offensive, are painted with a broad stereotypical brush. Again, I was ready for that.
What I hadn't prepared for was just how awful the central characters are. Mandie's sole "virtue" seems to be her beauty. There's nothing wrong with a flawed heroine, of course. But then why do all the others in the books fawn over her? It is literally as if Mandie is the sun that every other character orbits around. No one seems to have anything better to do than praise and serve her. She accepts this without question, which is especially puzzling given her humble origins.
The truest disappointment, however, was Joe Woodard. Growing up, I was team Joe, all the way. Memory assured me that he was a caring and devoted friend who genuinely loved Mandie. Now...? Oof! Joe is petty, two-faced, manipulative. He is wild with jealousy at the mere idea of Mandie coming into contact with another boy (as per the very beginning of book 2, which I also perused) while he himself freely checks out other girls (staring unabashedly at Polly, and taking in Sallie's "dark beauty"). He tells Mandie not to study too hard, because "I don't want my wife to be smarter than I am" (note: she is 12 years old here and had not agreed to marry him).
Who behaves this way? Besides, you know, abusers? The only thing more troubling to me than Joe himself was the knowledge he is presented to young girls reading these books as an *ideal*. And I, as a young girl, fell for it. The horror...
C.S. Lewis said that a book worth reading only in childhood is not worth reading even then. He was right, and this is not a book or series that I will recommend to young readers going forward.
I decided to revisit this childhood favorite, knowing it probably hadn't aged well. My anticipations were fulfilled, and then some. I wish I'd left it alone.
The plot and writing aren't great, no big surprises there. The portrayal of black and indigenous persons is cringy. Even some of the white characters, while falling short of offensive, are painted with a broad stereotypical brush. Again, I was ready for that.
What I hadn't prepared for was just how awful the central characters are. Mandie's sole "virtue" seems to be her beauty. There's nothing wrong with a flawed heroine, of course. But then why do all the others in the books fawn over her? It is literally as if Mandie is the sun that every other character orbits around. No one seems to have anything better to do than praise and serve her. She accepts this without question, which is especially puzzling given her humble origins.
The truest disappointment, however, was Joe Woodard. Growing up, I was team Joe, all the way. Memory assured me that he was a caring and devoted friend who genuinely loved Mandie. Now...? Oof! Joe is petty, two-faced, manipulative. He is wild with jealousy at the mere idea of Mandie coming into contact with another boy (as per the very beginning of book 2, which I also perused) while he himself freely checks out other girls (staring unabashedly at Polly, and taking in Sallie's "dark beauty"). He tells Mandie not to study too hard, because "I don't want my wife to be smarter than I am" (note: she is 12 years old here and had not agreed to marry him).
Who behaves this way? Besides, you know, abusers? The only thing more troubling to me than Joe himself was the knowledge he is presented to young girls reading these books as an *ideal*. And I, as a young girl, fell for it. The horror...
C.S. Lewis said that a book worth reading only in childhood is not worth reading even then. He was right, and this is not a book or series that I will recommend to young readers going forward.
June 13, 2011
Oh mandie. This book series was literally the light of my elementary to middle school years. It marked a time of innocence. I remember the serious anticipation i had as i waited each week for my book to arrive at the library. This is a great book for anyone young. It builds moral fiber. It is Christian, and sticks to Christian beliefs. However, even if one is not of the christian faith the morals are all for the greater good of society and the religious factor, though integral, could be over looked depending on the person. It is not a pushy religious book. It has mystery, and lessons, and even a little tiny romance. and i hesitate to use that word, especially since it is not evident until eons of books later. My mom loved when i read these books. It is the equivalent of snuggling up in your favorite pajamas, being on summer break, and bathing in the bliss of childhood ignorance. I LOVED these books, and still do. My kids will be reading them, i hope my grandchildren will be too.
February 20, 2021
Bleh. bleh. bleh. No, no, no.
This book is DISGUSTING. I was so into this series when I was like seven....I wish I could go back in time and tell my seven year old self, "Do not read such disgusting crap, my little self," and convince little Mimi never to read these books again.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. Never. Ever.
BLEH
This book is DISGUSTING. I was so into this series when I was like seven....I wish I could go back in time and tell my seven year old self, "Do not read such disgusting crap, my little self," and convince little Mimi never to read these books again.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. Never. Ever.
BLEH
August 9, 2023
I read most of this series when I was in elementary school and I don’t remember anything harmful in it, but I thought I’d read this one with a Parent’s Eye before letting my daughters read the series.
For the most part it’s innocuous. Silly? Yes. Unrealistic? Yes. Overdramatic? Yes. Excessively convenient? Yes. Poorly written? Yes. While it’s far from my ideal for quality children’s literature, I could overlook those things because, frankly, it is SO hard to find quality children’s books and at this point I’m just looking for “harmless.”
However, there were several less-than-harmless issues I saw when reading this as an adult.
First, my jaw dropped at the works-based salvation message. The book opens in a funeral where the preacher says: “You will be damned to hellfire and brimstone if you have lived a sinful life! You will incur the wrath of God and your soul will burn in hell forevermore. Above all, let us remember the Ten Commandments and keep them holy, live by them and walk the straight and narrow path in preparation for the hereafter. Otherwise, I admonish you, your soul will burn in hell! Your soul will be used to feed the fire of the devil! When you have sinned and come short of the glory of God, He will forsake you. He will punish you!”
Mandie is understandably upset by this message, and I hoped that the author would explain later that this is NOT the gospel. No one will be saved by keeping the Ten Commandments. God is not eager to “feed the fires of hell;” rather he loves us enough to die for our sins and rise again so that whoever believes in Him will not be forsaken, but be given eternal life!
Unfortunately, the works-salvation message is reinforced in the next chapter when Mandie asks Uncle Ned if she really has to honor her cruel step mother and he replies: “Jim Shaw say, we don’t do what Big Book say, we don’t get see Big God.” Mandie later decides that God does love her. Why? Because everything works out, she gets what she wants, and the bad events turn out to be not true, so she knows God loves her. What terrible theology. If children grow up believing this, what will they think when hard things happen or God doesn’t magically give them everything they want? Does that mean God doesn’t love them? Children need to know that “God demonstrates his love for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
I also cringed at the way non-white characters are portrayed as existing purely for Mandie’s sake. Her Cherokee Uncle Ned revolves his life around her and has nothing better to do than run all over the state doing her bidding. Liza, a black servant girl, exists just to brush Mandie’s hair and tell her how beautiful she is in her new clothes and how Joe probably wants to “Put some sugar on them lips.”
Which brings me to my last issue: even though Mandie is only twelve, the story includes a love triangle and a proposal!! Behold this cringe-inducing bit of prose: “Jealousy had sprung up between the two girls over Joe… Mandie had been subconsciously possessive of Joe from the first day he had smiled at her, and she always felt he had eyes for her only. Joe was attracted to Polly, but he did his best to remain loyal to Mandie. Poly was attracted to Joe and did nothing to disguise the fact.” This is completely unnecessary to the plot, which is evidenced by the fact that nothing further is said about Joe’s dilemma until the day he PROPOSES to Mandie. Mandie protests that he’s too young, and Joe insists “I’m old enough to know what I want,” which is for her to promise to marry him when they grow up. In order to show that this is a serious decision, the author has TWELVE YEAR OLD Mandie take a whole day to consider. When she accepts, it’s not because of careful consideration, commitment, or even love—Mandie says yes because she wants Joe to get back the house she grew up in, which is now owned by her evil step-mother. “As soon as she spotted the house, Mandie reached instinctively for Joe’s hand. ‘Joe, I’ll marry you when we get grown, if you’ll get back my father’s house for me.’ A sob caught in her throat. Joe put his arm around her. ‘I will, I promise I will, Mandie.” He roughly planted a kiss on her cheek as the wagon jolted them along the bumpy trail and Amanda slid closer and smiled.” Three cheers for teaching our little girls that they should marry men just to manipulate them into doing things for us!
In spite of these objections, I’m still trying to decide if I should let my girls read these for the sake of having conversations about these (ridiculous) issues. Honestly, these sections are short and might go over the heads of my daughters—they apparently went over my head, because I have no memory of them. If I had to choose between this book and other horrors I’ve seen on library shelves lately, I’d begrudgingly pick this book. But…WHY did the author include these things, and how did no one in the publishing house say “Um, NO?” I’ll probably read book two and see if it has more harmless mystery and less bad theology, racial stereotypes, and childhood romance. Sigh.
For the most part it’s innocuous. Silly? Yes. Unrealistic? Yes. Overdramatic? Yes. Excessively convenient? Yes. Poorly written? Yes. While it’s far from my ideal for quality children’s literature, I could overlook those things because, frankly, it is SO hard to find quality children’s books and at this point I’m just looking for “harmless.”
However, there were several less-than-harmless issues I saw when reading this as an adult.
First, my jaw dropped at the works-based salvation message. The book opens in a funeral where the preacher says: “You will be damned to hellfire and brimstone if you have lived a sinful life! You will incur the wrath of God and your soul will burn in hell forevermore. Above all, let us remember the Ten Commandments and keep them holy, live by them and walk the straight and narrow path in preparation for the hereafter. Otherwise, I admonish you, your soul will burn in hell! Your soul will be used to feed the fire of the devil! When you have sinned and come short of the glory of God, He will forsake you. He will punish you!”
Mandie is understandably upset by this message, and I hoped that the author would explain later that this is NOT the gospel. No one will be saved by keeping the Ten Commandments. God is not eager to “feed the fires of hell;” rather he loves us enough to die for our sins and rise again so that whoever believes in Him will not be forsaken, but be given eternal life!
Unfortunately, the works-salvation message is reinforced in the next chapter when Mandie asks Uncle Ned if she really has to honor her cruel step mother and he replies: “Jim Shaw say, we don’t do what Big Book say, we don’t get see Big God.” Mandie later decides that God does love her. Why? Because everything works out, she gets what she wants, and the bad events turn out to be not true, so she knows God loves her. What terrible theology. If children grow up believing this, what will they think when hard things happen or God doesn’t magically give them everything they want? Does that mean God doesn’t love them? Children need to know that “God demonstrates his love for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
I also cringed at the way non-white characters are portrayed as existing purely for Mandie’s sake. Her Cherokee Uncle Ned revolves his life around her and has nothing better to do than run all over the state doing her bidding. Liza, a black servant girl, exists just to brush Mandie’s hair and tell her how beautiful she is in her new clothes and how Joe probably wants to “Put some sugar on them lips.”
Which brings me to my last issue: even though Mandie is only twelve, the story includes a love triangle and a proposal!! Behold this cringe-inducing bit of prose: “Jealousy had sprung up between the two girls over Joe… Mandie had been subconsciously possessive of Joe from the first day he had smiled at her, and she always felt he had eyes for her only. Joe was attracted to Polly, but he did his best to remain loyal to Mandie. Poly was attracted to Joe and did nothing to disguise the fact.” This is completely unnecessary to the plot, which is evidenced by the fact that nothing further is said about Joe’s dilemma until the day he PROPOSES to Mandie. Mandie protests that he’s too young, and Joe insists “I’m old enough to know what I want,” which is for her to promise to marry him when they grow up. In order to show that this is a serious decision, the author has TWELVE YEAR OLD Mandie take a whole day to consider. When she accepts, it’s not because of careful consideration, commitment, or even love—Mandie says yes because she wants Joe to get back the house she grew up in, which is now owned by her evil step-mother. “As soon as she spotted the house, Mandie reached instinctively for Joe’s hand. ‘Joe, I’ll marry you when we get grown, if you’ll get back my father’s house for me.’ A sob caught in her throat. Joe put his arm around her. ‘I will, I promise I will, Mandie.” He roughly planted a kiss on her cheek as the wagon jolted them along the bumpy trail and Amanda slid closer and smiled.” Three cheers for teaching our little girls that they should marry men just to manipulate them into doing things for us!
In spite of these objections, I’m still trying to decide if I should let my girls read these for the sake of having conversations about these (ridiculous) issues. Honestly, these sections are short and might go over the heads of my daughters—they apparently went over my head, because I have no memory of them. If I had to choose between this book and other horrors I’ve seen on library shelves lately, I’d begrudgingly pick this book. But…WHY did the author include these things, and how did no one in the publishing house say “Um, NO?” I’ll probably read book two and see if it has more harmless mystery and less bad theology, racial stereotypes, and childhood romance. Sigh.
September 2, 2015
About this book:
“Mandie Shaw, almost a teenager, is certain God no longer loves her as she watches her father being lowered into his grave. Mandie's move into a neighbor family's home, when her mother remarries, does not soften her grief. Her only comfort is the promise from her father's faithful Cherokee friend, Uncle Ned, to watch out for her and be a friend. Will Mandie be able to escape her new and nearly intolerable home situation? Will she find her long-lost family? Will the mysterious key unlock the door to the secret tunnel and her own family's history?”
Series: Book #1 in “Mandie” series. {There also is the “Young Mandie Mystery” series, (Book #1 review Here and Book #2 review Here!) but they do not connect together well}
Spiritual Content- Psalm 23:1 at the beginning & quoted later; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Prayers; Mentions of Scriptures; Mandie doesn’t think God loves her because He took her father; a preacher talks about hell at a funeral; Uncle Ned referrers to Heaven as the “happy hunting ground”.
*Note: Mentions of ghosts
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dad-blast it’, a ‘dad-gum’, a form of ‘shut up’, a ‘stupid’; Etta Shaw slaps Mandie (no details); Mandie would get switched at the Brysons (no details).
Sexual Content- Noticing a beautiful girl; Joe is sweet on Mandie & says he’ll take care of her when they’re older (and later asks her to be his wife); Mandie kisses Joe on the cheek & he blushes; Joe kisses Mandie on the cheek; Liza says that Joe will try to “put some sugar on them lips if he catches you by yourself.”, then says the Joe would like to be her boyfriend; Mandie & Joe hold hands; Irene hangs out with a boy; John kisses Elizabeth (no details);
-Amanda “Mandie” Shaw, age 10
P.O.V. of Mandie
Set in 1900
144 pages (also available in a collection with four other Mandie books.)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
New Teens- Five Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
Oh, goodness! The Mandie series was one of my favorites when I was Mandie’s age! The little bit of romance between Mandie & Joe is so sweet but some parents might not want their younger daughters reading it.
*See my thought on this series versus the younger series, Here!
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*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.
“Mandie Shaw, almost a teenager, is certain God no longer loves her as she watches her father being lowered into his grave. Mandie's move into a neighbor family's home, when her mother remarries, does not soften her grief. Her only comfort is the promise from her father's faithful Cherokee friend, Uncle Ned, to watch out for her and be a friend. Will Mandie be able to escape her new and nearly intolerable home situation? Will she find her long-lost family? Will the mysterious key unlock the door to the secret tunnel and her own family's history?”
Series: Book #1 in “Mandie” series. {There also is the “Young Mandie Mystery” series, (Book #1 review Here and Book #2 review Here!) but they do not connect together well}
Spiritual Content- Psalm 23:1 at the beginning & quoted later; Talks about God; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Prayers; Mentions of Scriptures; Mandie doesn’t think God loves her because He took her father; a preacher talks about hell at a funeral; Uncle Ned referrers to Heaven as the “happy hunting ground”.
*Note: Mentions of ghosts
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dad-blast it’, a ‘dad-gum’, a form of ‘shut up’, a ‘stupid’; Etta Shaw slaps Mandie (no details); Mandie would get switched at the Brysons (no details).
Sexual Content- Noticing a beautiful girl; Joe is sweet on Mandie & says he’ll take care of her when they’re older (and later asks her to be his wife); Mandie kisses Joe on the cheek & he blushes; Joe kisses Mandie on the cheek; Liza says that Joe will try to “put some sugar on them lips if he catches you by yourself.”, then says the Joe would like to be her boyfriend; Mandie & Joe hold hands; Irene hangs out with a boy; John kisses Elizabeth (no details);
-Amanda “Mandie” Shaw, age 10
P.O.V. of Mandie
Set in 1900
144 pages (also available in a collection with four other Mandie books.)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
New Teens- Five Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
Oh, goodness! The Mandie series was one of my favorites when I was Mandie’s age! The little bit of romance between Mandie & Joe is so sweet but some parents might not want their younger daughters reading it.
*See my thought on this series versus the younger series, Here!
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*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.
July 19, 2023
All the cliches. 😂 But it's a cute story and I KNOW if I had read it when I was a kid, I would have been totally in love.
July 1, 2024
“Sometimes the biggest secrets are hidden in the smallest places. ” 📚☕
While this is a nostalgic series for many, somehow I’d never read any of them.
I was a little surprised how sad, sad, sad the book starts out. But I shouldn’t be. Why are kids books so depressing at the beginning?
Things are hard for brave, twelve-year-old Mandie for a while but she has good friends from the start to guide her through.
She finds herself in an intolerable situation and sneaks away to her rich Uncle’s house (where the secret tunnel is) - and the fun begins… secret missions, ghosts, fancy clothes & food, strange relatives showing up, and more special friendships.
Written about early 1900s North Carolina, the author wrote them to teach about morals and young Christian faith. I could see that in the scripture and morality thoughts and conversations.
All in all, I enjoyed this vintage story that I think would be a fun adventure book for young girls or young at heart. 😀
CONTENT Death, funeral details, no profanity, talk of romance in the future
MY RATING 🌟🌟🌟🌟
There will be an in-depth review of this book (and other reviews & recs) in a June reading wrap up on my ‘Clean Reads’ YouTube channel. 💙
While this is a nostalgic series for many, somehow I’d never read any of them.
I was a little surprised how sad, sad, sad the book starts out. But I shouldn’t be. Why are kids books so depressing at the beginning?
Things are hard for brave, twelve-year-old Mandie for a while but she has good friends from the start to guide her through.
She finds herself in an intolerable situation and sneaks away to her rich Uncle’s house (where the secret tunnel is) - and the fun begins… secret missions, ghosts, fancy clothes & food, strange relatives showing up, and more special friendships.
Written about early 1900s North Carolina, the author wrote them to teach about morals and young Christian faith. I could see that in the scripture and morality thoughts and conversations.
All in all, I enjoyed this vintage story that I think would be a fun adventure book for young girls or young at heart. 😀
CONTENT Death, funeral details, no profanity, talk of romance in the future
MY RATING 🌟🌟🌟🌟
There will be an in-depth review of this book (and other reviews & recs) in a June reading wrap up on my ‘Clean Reads’ YouTube channel. 💙
September 19, 2012
I admit it: I am reviewing these books years after reading them. However, do not even suggest that I'm no longer qualified, that too many years have passed to remember. My battered and faded copies of these books testify to how many times I read them growing up and plots and entire passages are seared in my memory forever.
Snowball always ran away, Mandie always got in trouble, Uncle Ned always rescued her, and Joe and Tommy bristled at each other. I myself prefered Joe, but Tommy's cosmopolitan airs nearly tipped the balance a time or two. I recall- fondly and as though it were yesterday- my glee when Mandie went off to Europe, my disgust at the new baby, my delight in Mandie's wardrobe of sky blue frocks, my puzzlement at all her near escapes and handy school vacations, my terror during the daring midnight adventures. Ah me, to be young and silly again...
If I had written goodreads reviews at the age of eleven, all Mandie books would've received automatic five-star ratings and gushing descriptions. As an adult, I will honestly give them all three stars, except for my special pets. And if I ever have a little girl, I will buy her the entire set. Oh, and did you know there are more than forty books in the series by now? And I'm guessing Mandie never grows up, either.
Snowball always ran away, Mandie always got in trouble, Uncle Ned always rescued her, and Joe and Tommy bristled at each other. I myself prefered Joe, but Tommy's cosmopolitan airs nearly tipped the balance a time or two. I recall- fondly and as though it were yesterday- my glee when Mandie went off to Europe, my disgust at the new baby, my delight in Mandie's wardrobe of sky blue frocks, my puzzlement at all her near escapes and handy school vacations, my terror during the daring midnight adventures. Ah me, to be young and silly again...
If I had written goodreads reviews at the age of eleven, all Mandie books would've received automatic five-star ratings and gushing descriptions. As an adult, I will honestly give them all three stars, except for my special pets. And if I ever have a little girl, I will buy her the entire set. Oh, and did you know there are more than forty books in the series by now? And I'm guessing Mandie never grows up, either.
July 27, 2024
I loved the movie growing up. The story's never lost its wonder and beauty for me, even today. I was so excited to finally read the book!
There were a few things I liked more about it, than the movie- We got to know Joe better, and Mandie was younger. But, overall I was disappointed. I expected a mystery, reminiscent of Hardy Boys or Boxcar Children, but it wasn't there. There was no real clues or solving of a mystery. The answers to the main questions came out of no where.
I'm going to try the second book, just in case this one is background story, and the mysteries start in the second. I do love Joe! And I'm curious to see if the stories build on each other, unlike the Boxcar Children mysteries. The author seemed to be setting up for that.
All said, I am disappointed. The movie outshines it in almost every way, in both character and plot, and will ever be a favorite. I'd heartily recommend it! 🌼
Do you have any thoughts?
There were a few things I liked more about it, than the movie- We got to know Joe better, and Mandie was younger. But, overall I was disappointed. I expected a mystery, reminiscent of Hardy Boys or Boxcar Children, but it wasn't there. There was no real clues or solving of a mystery. The answers to the main questions came out of no where.
I'm going to try the second book, just in case this one is background story, and the mysteries start in the second. I do love Joe! And I'm curious to see if the stories build on each other, unlike the Boxcar Children mysteries. The author seemed to be setting up for that.
All said, I am disappointed. The movie outshines it in almost every way, in both character and plot, and will ever be a favorite. I'd heartily recommend it! 🌼
Do you have any thoughts?
May 3, 2024
⭐️4.5⭐️
I really enjoyed this book. It’s sad that her dad died. And how her uncle died,but actually didn’t. I don’t know how I feel about John and Elizabeth. And I think it’s cute that Joe asked Mandy to get married.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s sad that her dad died. And how her uncle died,but actually didn’t. I don’t know how I feel about John and Elizabeth. And I think it’s cute that Joe asked Mandy to get married.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2018
4 stars
A childhood favorite, this book was such a delight to revisit.
I did not remember there being a couple of swear words on page one. Boy, was I shocked! Other than that, this book is clean. I’m not sure what the point was of using those two words.
Mandie was a staple of my childhood, and I still adore her. Uncle Ned and Joe were just as amazing as I recalled, and the mystery was good. I liked that, though I’ve read this book numerous times years ago, I still felt surprised by the twists in the storyline.
Fans of Nancy Drew will love this series.
A childhood favorite, this book was such a delight to revisit.
I did not remember there being a couple of swear words on page one. Boy, was I shocked! Other than that, this book is clean. I’m not sure what the point was of using those two words.
Mandie was a staple of my childhood, and I still adore her. Uncle Ned and Joe were just as amazing as I recalled, and the mystery was good. I liked that, though I’ve read this book numerous times years ago, I still felt surprised by the twists in the storyline.
Fans of Nancy Drew will love this series.
March 17, 2022
This was so difficult to rate. So I'm giving it that ambiguous 3-star review... (I personally am of the disposition that 3 stars are for those books that I am undecided on in some way.)
This book (and series) was one of my favourites when I was very young. I don't remember it being well-written or having good plots. Actually, I remember finding it pretty cringey. I still loved it. XD
I have not read this book (or series) in years, and I don't intend to. ;) Because I know it will ruin my childhood... I won't enjoy it.
This book (and series) was one of my favourites when I was very young. I don't remember it being well-written or having good plots. Actually, I remember finding it pretty cringey. I still loved it. XD
I have not read this book (or series) in years, and I don't intend to. ;) Because I know it will ruin my childhood... I won't enjoy it.
March 6, 2019
DD gave it 5 stars. Almsot 30 (!) years later I'm revisiting these w my 10 yo. Same ol Mandie and Joe and Polly. I had forgotten how young Mandie and Joe were and all those little butterflies between them. :) She loved it and promptly got book #2 down. I did keep thinking as I read it how nowadays readers would be all political correct and be offended about Uncle Ned and how he needed to be called an American Indian and not just Indian. I had forgotten the political tenseness during this time w the Cherokees in NC or maybe as a child I had no idea what that meant.
June 27, 2024
I'm very torn between a four and five star rating, so suffice it to say that I really enjoyed this! This was a childhood favorite series of mine, but I somehow didn't remember nearly any of the plot points, though I did remember half of the ending.
That might not make sense, but it does in my head. Such a sweet, precious read! I do want to keep rereading the series.
That might not make sense, but it does in my head. Such a sweet, precious read! I do want to keep rereading the series.
April 25, 2020
This book, which I think I last read in 2007, is a special kind of terrible. The plot twist at the end filled me with skepticism and disdain even when I was a child, and even though I have entertained myself on countless occasions by imagining what would happen if , the character who did so in this book had such a wildly insufficient reason to do so that the whole affair just made him seem incredibly selfish, short-sighted, and unconcerned with the needs and feelings of other people.
Overall series review:
When I was a kid, I devoured the existing books in this series and looked forward to each new installment, because the Mandie books delighted my appetite for historical fiction, adventures, mysteries, boarding school stories, Native American history and culture [that I now recognize as wildly appropriated and somewhat inaccurate], etc., etc. They fueled my imagination, introduced me to new period details, and entertained me greatly.
However! However! The prose in these books is amazingly awful, and the characterization leaves lots to be desired. The books are also incredibly preachy, and even before I was cultured enough to recognize the books' other flaws, the surface-level Christianity made me squirm. I especially disliked the contrast between each book's Life Lesson about God and the ways that the children would misbehave, break rules, lie, try to coerce each other into marriage, and disobey adults without facing significant consequences.
Whenever my mother would wonder if these books were really any good, I would defend them vociferously, even while acknowledging that yes, it was incredibly disturbing that Joe kept trying to bribe Mandie into agreeing to marry him, and yes, people routinely behaved in profoundly unwise and ethically twisted ways. But still, even that was educational! I learned so much from these books, because as my dad says, "No man is all bad... He can always be used as a bad example." I would never recommend this series to anyone, but if the worst trash that I read as a kid was this educational about both history and life, I can't really complain.
And, besides, I really don't regret having read these. I couldn't suffer through a page of one now, but they kept me fascinated when I was younger, and are one of several series that determined my lifelong passion for turn-of-the-century history and fiction. As terrible as these books are, they played a significant role in my development. Also, I still reference my memories of these books as guides for what not to do in my own writing. If a plot or character idea smacks of something that might have appeared in a Mandie book, it's time to leave that historical fiction trope by the wayside.
Overall series review:
When I was a kid, I devoured the existing books in this series and looked forward to each new installment, because the Mandie books delighted my appetite for historical fiction, adventures, mysteries, boarding school stories, Native American history and culture [that I now recognize as wildly appropriated and somewhat inaccurate], etc., etc. They fueled my imagination, introduced me to new period details, and entertained me greatly.
However! However! The prose in these books is amazingly awful, and the characterization leaves lots to be desired. The books are also incredibly preachy, and even before I was cultured enough to recognize the books' other flaws, the surface-level Christianity made me squirm. I especially disliked the contrast between each book's Life Lesson about God and the ways that the children would misbehave, break rules, lie, try to coerce each other into marriage, and disobey adults without facing significant consequences.
Whenever my mother would wonder if these books were really any good, I would defend them vociferously, even while acknowledging that yes, it was incredibly disturbing that Joe kept trying to bribe Mandie into agreeing to marry him, and yes, people routinely behaved in profoundly unwise and ethically twisted ways. But still, even that was educational! I learned so much from these books, because as my dad says, "No man is all bad... He can always be used as a bad example." I would never recommend this series to anyone, but if the worst trash that I read as a kid was this educational about both history and life, I can't really complain.
And, besides, I really don't regret having read these. I couldn't suffer through a page of one now, but they kept me fascinated when I was younger, and are one of several series that determined my lifelong passion for turn-of-the-century history and fiction. As terrible as these books are, they played a significant role in my development. Also, I still reference my memories of these books as guides for what not to do in my own writing. If a plot or character idea smacks of something that might have appeared in a Mandie book, it's time to leave that historical fiction trope by the wayside.
May 26, 2025
I read this series when I was a child and absolutely loved them. There was no Amazon so I remember how hard it was to get these books and could usually only find them in Christian book stores. I reread this now for a challenge and I do see why I was drawn to them as a child. Mandie has a difficult life but things all work out wonderfully for her in the end. She also has a cat so what little girl wouldn't love this story. Reading it as an adult was a different experience but it did bring me back to my childhood. A very sweet historical fiction series.
December 21, 2015
Three and a half stars.
Mandie has real problems and reacts like a real kid. Yes, women often did farm their kids out if they were widowed and remarried, right into the 1940s. Yes, said farmed-out kids were treated as basically slave labour by many of the people who took them in; they were made aware every minute that they were there on sufferance and had to "pull their weight". Yes, there were (and are) many preachers who emphasise hellfire instead of Christ's forgiveness and grace. The Christian element isn't as cardboard in this book as I have often found, and the book is better written (waaay better) than most of the "Christian fiction" I have come across. That said, I wouldn't shelve it as specifically "Christian fiction" as nothing is said of the Gospel as such. Any girl who enjoys Nancy Drew etc would enjoy this. The "mystery" element isn't terribly prominent, though.That said, the "found relations" thing was a bit odd. I should think that the "relations" would have to prove who they were before being allowed to step foot in the door, let alone just moving in. Of course this was in the day before IDs and Social Security numbers, but even more so. I couldn't imagine Mr Bond just saying, "Well, okay, come on in" instead of getting out the shotgun and saying "get off the property."
A good light read. The boy-and-girl stuff was a bit odd from today's perspective, but in the countryside in those days people did "get hitched" younger than now. My own parents married very young, my mom was 15 (that was in 1939, and no, she wasn't pregnant) and dad was 20. People were expected to grow up and act like adults a lot quicker then.
Mandie has real problems and reacts like a real kid. Yes, women often did farm their kids out if they were widowed and remarried, right into the 1940s. Yes, said farmed-out kids were treated as basically slave labour by many of the people who took them in; they were made aware every minute that they were there on sufferance and had to "pull their weight". Yes, there were (and are) many preachers who emphasise hellfire instead of Christ's forgiveness and grace. The Christian element isn't as cardboard in this book as I have often found, and the book is better written (waaay better) than most of the "Christian fiction" I have come across. That said, I wouldn't shelve it as specifically "Christian fiction" as nothing is said of the Gospel as such. Any girl who enjoys Nancy Drew etc would enjoy this. The "mystery" element isn't terribly prominent, though.That said, the "found relations" thing was a bit odd. I should think that the "relations" would have to prove who they were before being allowed to step foot in the door, let alone just moving in. Of course this was in the day before IDs and Social Security numbers, but even more so. I couldn't imagine Mr Bond just saying, "Well, okay, come on in" instead of getting out the shotgun and saying "get off the property."
A good light read. The boy-and-girl stuff was a bit odd from today's perspective, but in the countryside in those days people did "get hitched" younger than now. My own parents married very young, my mom was 15 (that was in 1939, and no, she wasn't pregnant) and dad was 20. People were expected to grow up and act like adults a lot quicker then.
October 6, 2023
I read this series as a kid, so I decided to re-read the first one as an adult to see if it might be a good series for my kids. Unfortunately, this one really, really did not stand the test of time.
For starters, it is chock full of really stereotyped depictions of characters (the Cherokee man always speaks in broken English and calls Mandie a papoose, the African American servant girl speaks in stereotyped dialect and also is always dancing out of the room in a weird minstrelly happy servant kind of way, and so on). On top of that, the theology is awful; it starts off with scary preaching on how people will go to hell if they aren’t good enough (and never corrects that works focus), and then shows Mandie gaining faith in God mainly because everything turned out right. I really disagree with how this book handles pretty much everything spiritual. Then, on top of all that, it’s very poorly written. The characters are flat and the writing style is cringey. And for the cherry on top, Mandie gets pressured into a promise of marriage, at only 12 years old. When I finished the book, my only thought was, wow, I hated that.
For starters, it is chock full of really stereotyped depictions of characters (the Cherokee man always speaks in broken English and calls Mandie a papoose, the African American servant girl speaks in stereotyped dialect and also is always dancing out of the room in a weird minstrelly happy servant kind of way, and so on). On top of that, the theology is awful; it starts off with scary preaching on how people will go to hell if they aren’t good enough (and never corrects that works focus), and then shows Mandie gaining faith in God mainly because everything turned out right. I really disagree with how this book handles pretty much everything spiritual. Then, on top of all that, it’s very poorly written. The characters are flat and the writing style is cringey. And for the cherry on top, Mandie gets pressured into a promise of marriage, at only 12 years old. When I finished the book, my only thought was, wow, I hated that.
March 25, 2024
Story enjoyment rating 6/10 Christian faith rating 2/3 and -1/3 (some faith content but some of it could be problematic. See below)
This is a Christian middle grade story. It is quite old now. It sometimes felt dated, but it could be read as a historical fiction.
I enjoyed this short story in parts. I would have liked the tunnel to have played more of a role in the story, considering it is in the title. However, the main character does go on an emotional journey, as well as a physical one.
The story contains one character who is Native American. I am not familiar with Native American culture, so I can’t comment on whether the book has good or bad representation.
There is some Christian faith content in the book. The preacher at the start of the story is very severe and seemed to teach the message that children have to behave well and be good in order to go to heaven. I think if I had a pastor like him, I would have been put off from going to church! Not enough was said about Jesus, his death and resurrection, so felt like the book promoted a belief in salvation by good works rather than faith in Jesus.
This is a Christian middle grade story. It is quite old now. It sometimes felt dated, but it could be read as a historical fiction.
I enjoyed this short story in parts. I would have liked the tunnel to have played more of a role in the story, considering it is in the title. However, the main character does go on an emotional journey, as well as a physical one.
The story contains one character who is Native American. I am not familiar with Native American culture, so I can’t comment on whether the book has good or bad representation.
There is some Christian faith content in the book. The preacher at the start of the story is very severe and seemed to teach the message that children have to behave well and be good in order to go to heaven. I think if I had a pastor like him, I would have been put off from going to church! Not enough was said about Jesus, his death and resurrection, so felt like the book promoted a belief in salvation by good works rather than faith in Jesus.
January 13, 2009
I first read this book when I was around 11 or so - Mandie's age in the story. I loved the series then, and I still find it enjoyable now. I happened to spot the books on the shelf at the library and decided to read the series again.
The book begins with the death of Mandie's father and tells of how she deals with her grief in the face of the hardships set before her. By the end of the book, she has made new friends and found a new life for herself in her uncle's house.
As a child, I loved that the series was set in North Carolina (where I lived), and that Mandie had really long hair (which I wanted). It didn't take much back then - I read so fast that it took a lot of books to keep me satisfied. I'm sure my mother was thankful for the library and my all-but-unlimited access to free books!
Now, I appreciate that this is a series of books that is enjoyable to read as well as having a Christian message.
The book begins with the death of Mandie's father and tells of how she deals with her grief in the face of the hardships set before her. By the end of the book, she has made new friends and found a new life for herself in her uncle's house.
As a child, I loved that the series was set in North Carolina (where I lived), and that Mandie had really long hair (which I wanted). It didn't take much back then - I read so fast that it took a lot of books to keep me satisfied. I'm sure my mother was thankful for the library and my all-but-unlimited access to free books!
Now, I appreciate that this is a series of books that is enjoyable to read as well as having a Christian message.
June 5, 2008
this was my favorite series growing up! Every young girl should read them - they taught me a lot about life, love and God, all while being thoroughly entertaining! Actually, they are good for boys too - my brother loved them! lol
I won't bother marking every book in the series but i have read most of them and highly reccommend them for young girls!
I won't bother marking every book in the series but i have read most of them and highly reccommend them for young girls!
July 29, 2023
My grandma had this book series in her house and I would read them whenever I would sleepover! Reading them many years later, I see a lot more how they were written for the time and aren't very pc now lol but I appreciate the story and am looking forward to reading them all and reliving the memories!
September 26, 2007
Yeah, yeah, they're "girl books"... but it's not like I read the whole series (only the first 23 books to be exact) but what else is there to do after you've read all the Bobbsey Twins and Hardy Boys?
January 19, 2022
I LOVED this series as a preteen, and then continued reading into my teenage years as the books came out. I anticipated each release, counting down the days until my sister could buy it for me in America and ship it over to Japan. (Amazon would eventually aid me greatly in my book-buying-overseas process). I would stay up late reading each one, and then reread them over and over again. She was a role model for me in faith, and I felt like I was going on all of her adventures with her. One of the reasons I love historical fiction so much is because of Mandie.
I haven't reread this book in well over a decade. I laugh now as an adult reading it as I recognize things that never used to bother me: the use of dialect, Uncle Ned's speech, Mandie's attitude at certain points, plots of convenience that move along so quickly, how she actually doesn't solve a mystery in this book, clunky writing and dialogue... but I still love it for nostalgia's sake, and for the fact that these books helped me survive my time living in rural Japan. (Don't you love how rereading books remind of you the time/place/emotional state/situation/memories of when you last read them?) If I had read this for the first time (and not like, the tenth), I would probably only objectively give it three stars, but I can't do that to Mandie -- at least not this first book. I would recommend these books to any elementary/preteen girl.
I haven't reread this book in well over a decade. I laugh now as an adult reading it as I recognize things that never used to bother me: the use of dialect, Uncle Ned's speech, Mandie's attitude at certain points, plots of convenience that move along so quickly, how she actually doesn't solve a mystery in this book, clunky writing and dialogue... but I still love it for nostalgia's sake, and for the fact that these books helped me survive my time living in rural Japan. (Don't you love how rereading books remind of you the time/place/emotional state/situation/memories of when you last read them?) If I had read this for the first time (and not like, the tenth), I would probably only objectively give it three stars, but I can't do that to Mandie -- at least not this first book. I would recommend these books to any elementary/preteen girl.
August 5, 2017
Re-read this in a day; this used to be my very favorite book when I was younger, but I think I like it even more now that I am reading it from an older perspective. The relationships (primarily between the kids) are so innocent and just plain good old-fashioned. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a quick read, a mystery, and just a hint of romance.
October 17, 2016
Oh Mandie!
I read these as a child and now Lydia at 9 has devoured them one after another. We have 18.
I love the mystery. I love the way faith and struggling with faith are presented for the tween crowd in a way that is able to be related to, not preachy and true. I like the friendships and history of place and people.
I also see that books like these are a huge reason that it is so important to show young people a diversity of voices in literature and I am so thankful that now there are so many great books with minorities as main characters because in Mandie all the Native Americans are noble, all knowing and stoic; the black people are ever cheerful servants, meaning they are all flat characters while Mandie and friends have depth. I am not offended (probably in my white privilege) but I am aware and will be picking up books to balance this.
I read these as a child and now Lydia at 9 has devoured them one after another. We have 18.
I love the mystery. I love the way faith and struggling with faith are presented for the tween crowd in a way that is able to be related to, not preachy and true. I like the friendships and history of place and people.
I also see that books like these are a huge reason that it is so important to show young people a diversity of voices in literature and I am so thankful that now there are so many great books with minorities as main characters because in Mandie all the Native Americans are noble, all knowing and stoic; the black people are ever cheerful servants, meaning they are all flat characters while Mandie and friends have depth. I am not offended (probably in my white privilege) but I am aware and will be picking up books to balance this.
March 30, 2010
This book, at the time, was the best book that a ten year old could get her hands on...or so I thought. I remember going into the library in search of a book...and stumbling across this one. I picked it up and couldn’t stop. After that I read all forty-one of Lois Gladys Leppard's Mandie Series and had two years of entertainment.
I remember how much I wanted Mandie and Joe to get together *sigh* but alas! She died before she could get to that part. Oh well, I look back on this book (and all of the books) with happy memories. I am definitely recommending this book (and all the books) to my lil sisters.
I remember how much I wanted Mandie and Joe to get together *sigh* but alas! She died before she could get to that part. Oh well, I look back on this book (and all of the books) with happy memories. I am definitely recommending this book (and all the books) to my lil sisters.
January 18, 2021
I enjoyed rereading this to my sister and getting to remember the last time I read this! Lots of times in the book, I would be like, "Oh, yeah! I remember what happens in this part!", as I read. These books are fun, enjoyable, and in some cases suspenseful. My sister also enjoyed them. This would be a great book to read aloud or even just to yourself no matter what age you are. Yes, if you are an adult, some of it might seem a little kiddish at times but I'm 99.9% sure that it'll still be enjoyable to read. At least if you like mysteries.
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