The Secret Hide-Out facts for kids
The Secret Hide-Out is an exciting children's book. It was written and illustrated by John Peterson. He is also famous for creating The Littles series. This book first came out in 1965 as a hardback from Four Winds Press. Later, it became a very popular paperback for Scholastic Press and its book clubs throughout the 1970s.
Contents
What is The Secret Hide-Out About?
This book is an adventure story for young readers. It follows two brothers, Matt and Sam Burns. They find an old book that belonged to the Viking Club. This club was a secret group of boys from many years ago.
The Viking Club's Secret
Sam wants to rush and find the Viking Club's old meeting spot, the Secret Hide-Out. But Matt thinks differently. He wants to read the club's rules first. He believes they should try to pass the club's tests. This way, they would be "worthy" to find the Hide-Out. They want to see if the Hide-Out is still there.
New Friends and Old Secrets
Another local boy named Beany joins Matt and Sam on their quest. As they search, something exciting happens. An original member of the Viking Club learns about their plan. He gets ready to meet them!
Inside the Viking Club
The book doesn't show the entire original Viking Club log. But it gives many fun details. It includes illustrations that show how a club like this would welcome new members. It also shows how they would act and what their style was like.
Making Your Own Club Gear
At the back of the book, there's a special section. It gives full instructions for making club gear. You can learn to make masks, whistles, shields, and even dull-pointed spears. These items are easy to make. You can use things you find around your house. The hardest thing to find might be a bushel-basket lid!
The Story Behind the Story
The Viking Club in the book was inspired by a real club. It was based on author John Peterson's own son Matt's Viking Club. This book likely encouraged many readers to start their own secret clubs.
The Sequel: Enemies of the Secret Hide-Out
A second book, Enemies of the Secret Hide-Out, came out in 1966. It was also very popular with Scholastic for a long time. In this story, two new boys try to join the club. One boy cheats and is not allowed to join. So, he starts his own rival club. He then threatens to find and reveal the location of the Secret Hide-Out!
