Trixie Belden facts for kids

Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion, the first Trixie Belden mystery

Trixie Belden is the main character in a popular series of mystery books. These books were written between 1948 and 1986. The first six books were created by Julie Campbell Tatham. Later, other writers continued the stories under the name Kathryn Kenny. The books follow Trixie as she solves exciting mysteries.

Trixie, whose full name is Beatrix Belden, is a young teenager. She lives at Crabapple Farm, just outside the town of Sleepyside-on-Hudson. This town is in the Hudson Valley area of New York. Trixie lives with her parents and three brothers: Brian, Mart, and Bobby. In the very first book, she becomes friends with Honey Wheeler. Honey is a rich girl who has just moved into the big house next door. Soon, Trixie and Honey are solving their first mystery together!

Throughout the series, Trixie and Honey work to solve mysteries. They often figure out things that even the police can't. Along with their brothers and friends, they form a special club. It's called the Bob-Whites of the Glen. They go on many adventures and even travel to different places. Trixie also deals with everyday teenage life, like school. She sometimes finds math a bit tricky! Fans of the series love Trixie because she feels like a real teenager. She sometimes grumbles about chores and gets annoyed with her brothers. She also feels a bit unsure about how she looks. She often compares herself to her friends, Honey and Diana, who are seen as very pretty.

Meet the Main Characters

These are the most important characters in the Trixie Belden series. The ages listed are how old they were when the books began.

Trixie Belden: The Detective

• Beatrix "Trixie" Belden: Trixie is 13 years old and a co-leader of the Bob-Whites of the Glen. She is described as short and strong. She has short blonde curly hair and round blue eyes. Trixie often jumps to conclusions, but her ideas are usually right! She helps take care of her younger brother, Bobby. Even though she loves him, he can be mischievous. Trixie and Honey dream of opening their own detective business one day. Trixie is very good at understanding people quickly. Her best friends are Honey Wheeler and Di Lynch.

Honey Wheeler: Trixie's Best Friend

• Madeleine G. "Honey" Wheeler: Honey is also 13 years old. She is either the vice-president or secretary of the Bob-Whites. She is tall, slim, and pretty. She has shoulder-length golden-brown hair and large hazel eyes. Before moving to Sleepyside, Honey spent most of her life in boarding schools. She didn't know her parents very well. Being friends with Trixie and the Bob-Whites helped her become more confident. It also helped her build a better relationship with her parents and adopted brother. Honey is known for being kind and thoughtful. She is also the best swimmer in the group. She gets great grades at Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School.

Jim Frayne: The Adopted Brother

• James "Jim" Winthrop Frayne II: Jim is 15 years old and the other co-leader of the Bob-Whites. He is a big part of the first two books. The Wheelers adopt him after he runs away from a difficult home life. He has a dog named Patch, a Springer Spaniel. Jim has red hair and green eyes, just like his adoptive father, Matthew Wheeler. He is an amazing horse rider. Jim and Trixie like each other a lot. Jim wants to use his inheritance to build a school for boys who don't have parents. This school would combine outdoor activities with regular lessons.

Brian Belden: The Oldest Brother

• Brian Belden: Brian is 16 and the oldest of the four Belden children. He is described as dark-haired and handsome. Brian is the most sensible of the Bob-Whites. He plans to become a doctor. He often helps his sister Trixie and others when they get hurt. Brian is smart and mature. He is always the voice of reason, trying to keep Trixie out of trouble. In the fifth book, Brian buys his first car, an old jalopy. He is also good at fixing cars and caring for animals.

Mart Belden: The Smart Eater

• Martin "Mart" Belden: Mart is 14 years old, just 11 months older than Trixie. He is often called Trixie's "almost-twin." Mart is famous for his big appetite and his love for big words. He likes Diana Lynch. He enjoys reading space adventure books. Even though he and Trixie argue a lot, they are very close. Mart wants to be a farmer. He also became interested in computers later in the series.

Diana Lynch: The Artistic Friend

• Diana "Di" Lynch: Di is 13 years old and considered the prettiest girl in her class. She has black hair and violet eyes. Di has two sets of younger twin siblings. Her father recently became very rich. Di doesn't like being rich, but the Bob-Whites help her get used to it. She joins the Bob-Whites in The Mysterious Visitor. Di is very artistic in later books. She can be a bit easily fooled sometimes. She is not the smartest, but she is a good sport. She often laughs at herself when she makes mistakes. Di's favorite color is purple.

Dan Mangan: The New Bob-White

• Daniel "Dan" Mangan: Dan grew up in New York City without parents. He got involved with a street gang. A court sends him to live with his uncle Regan in Sleepyside. He lives and works with Mr. Maypenny, the gamekeeper. After a tough start, Dan changes his ways. He becomes the seventh Bob-White in The Black Jacket Mystery. His exact age is not clear. He wants to become a police officer in New York City.

Supporting Characters

These characters help Trixie and her friends on their adventures.

• Helen Belden (Moms): Trixie's mother. She is kind and sensible. She loves her children and helps them be honest.
• Peter Belden (Dad): Trixie's father. He is smart, honest, and generous. He works at the Sleepyside bank. He loves his family very much.
• Robert "Bobby" Belden: The youngest Belden child. He is six years old when the series begins. Trixie often babysits Bobby for her allowance. She has to check on him and read him stories.
• Reddy: The Belden family's Irish Setter dog. He is loving but doesn't like to be trained.
• Miss Trask: She used to be Honey's math teacher. Honey liked her so much that Mr. Wheeler hired her to be Honey's governess. Now, she mostly manages the Wheeler estate. She is smart, sensible, and good at her job. The Bob-Whites love Miss Trask, and she loves them. She often travels with the kids.
• Bill Regan: The Wheelers' horse groom. He is hot-headed but kind. In the first book, he teaches Trixie how to ride horses. He is 22 in the first book. Regan is a good friend to the Bob-Whites and always helps them. He takes in his nephew, Dan Mangan, who comes to live in Sleepyside.
• Sgt. Molinson: The local police sergeant. He often comes to crime scenes. He sometimes warns Trixie not to get involved in police matters. He doesn't always like the Bob-Whites interfering in his work.
• Mr. Lytell: The owner of the local market. He is very curious about what happens in the neighborhood. He is sometimes seen as nosy.

Other Important Characters

• Spider Webster: Another local police officer. He is more friendly to the Bob-Whites than Sgt. Molinson.
• Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler: Honey's parents, and later Jim's adoptive parents. They are often away on business. Miss Trask usually looks after Honey and Jim.
• Mr. Maypenny: The gamekeeper on the Wheeler estate. He lives by himself in the middle of the game preserve.
• Mrs. Vanderpoel: A kind woman who lives nearby. She knows almost everyone in the area and a lot about local history.
• Ben Riker: Honey's fun-loving cousin. He likes to play pranks, like switching the salt and sugar.
• Uncle Andrew: Peter Belden's brother. He owns a sheep ranch in Iowa and a cabin in the Ozarks mountains. He doesn't have his own children but likes the Bob-Whites. He often invites them to stay with him.
• Nick Roberts: A fellow student who is very artistic. He is good at sketching and painting. His father runs a trophy shop in town.
• Dr. Ferris: The local doctor. He sometimes visits the Belden or Wheeler homes when someone is sick.