The Mandie books are a

children's A child () is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking countries, the legal definition of ''child ...

historical mystery The historical mystery or historical whodunit is a subgenre of two literary genres, historical fiction and mystery fiction. These works are set in a time period considered historical from the author's perspective, and the central plot involves th ...

series written by Lois Gladys Leppard. There are forty novels in the main series and eight in the junior series, along with several special books. The story starts around the year 1900 when Mandie finds a mystery to solve with her friends like Joe Woodard and Celia Hamilton. The setting is mostly in

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

in the early 20th century, although Mandie and her friends travel to Charleston,

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

throughout the series. The series was successful; by 2001, more than six million ''Mandie'' books had been sold. Leppard said that she could write a ''Mandie'' book in two weeks, barring any interruptions. A direct-to-video film based on the first book, ''Mandie and the Secret Tunnel'', was produced in 2009, starring Lexi Johnson and Dean Jones.

Background

Mandie was born on June 6, 1888 and grew up in a log cabin in

Swain County, North Carolina Swain County is a County (United States), county located on the far western border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 14,117. Its county seat is Bryson City, North Carolina, ...

, with her beloved father Jim Shaw, her stepmother Etta, and her stepsister Irene. She knew nothing about her family background until her father died. Mandie was soon sent away to live with the Brysons to take care of their baby son. Then her father's old friend, Ned Sweetwater, a

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

, came to take her away from the family who treated her cruelly and escorted her to the home of her uncle, John Shaw, who Mandie had never seen. In ''Mandie and the Secret Tunnel'', Mandie is reunited with her birth mother, Elizabeth, in

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...

. She learns the truth about her history that her paternal grandmother was Cherokee. Mandie is proud of her Cherokee heritage, and Mandie soon meets many new friends among the Cherokee people. However several times throughout the series she meets people who tease her because she is part Native American. Many of the books in the series are spent in

Cherokee, North Carolina Cherokee () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Swain and Jackson counties in Western North Carolina, United States, within the Qualla Boundary land trust. Cherokee is located in the Oconaluftee River Valley around the intersection of U.S. ...

, where she stays with her uncle and always manages to find a mystery to solve. In ''Mandie and the Cherokee Treasure'', she finds a cave with gold that belonged to a Cherokee warrior. She gives the gold to the Cherokees to help them build a new hospital. In ''Mandie and the Forbidden Attic'', Mandie attends Miss Heathwood's Boarding School for Girls in

Asheville Asheville ( ) is a city in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the county seat of Buncombe County. It is the most populous city in Western North Carolina a ...

, North Carolina where she is taught how to act like a lady of high society. In the last published novel, ''New Horizons'' (2006), Mandie and her friends attend college at

College of Charleston The College of Charleston (CofC or Charleston) is a public university in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, it is the oldest university in South Carolina, the 13th-oldest institution of higher lea ...

Ladies' College in Charleston,

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

, where Mandie majors in

business administration Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. Overview The administration of a business includes the performance o ...

and minor in

English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from the English-speaking world. The English language has developed over more than 1,400 years. The earliest forms of English, a set of Anglo-Frisian languages, Anglo-Frisian d ...

and

visual art The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, image, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and texti ...

. ''New Horizons'' is called the "Book One" of the Mandie: Her College Days series, but was the only one to be published before the author's death.

Themes

The ''Mandie'' books are

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

as well as

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' *Mystery, a seahorse that SpongeBob SquarePants adopts in the episode " My Pre ...

in theme. Mandie prays when troubled, and attempts to demonstrate Christian virtues of tolerance and compassion. Mandie is proud to be part

, and she has a diverse group of friends, including a girl with

intellectual disability Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability (in the United Kingdom), and formerly mental retardation (in the United States), Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010).Archive is a generalized neurodevelopmental ...

. Some critics have noted that the Cherokee and

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

characters are at times depicted sentimentally and as speaking in a stereotypical dialect. For instance, Uncle Ned's speech is filled with terms like "

happy hunting ground The happy hunting ground is a concept of the afterlife associated with the Native Americans in the United States. The phrase most likely originated with the British settlers' interpretation of the Indian description. History The phrase first a ...

s", "

squaw The English word squaw is an ethnic and sexual slur, historically used for Indigenous North American women. Contemporary use of the term, especially by non-Natives, is considered derogatory, misogynist, and racist.King, C. Richard,De/Scribi ...

", and "

papoose Papoose (from the Narragansett ''papoos'', meaning "child") is an American English word whose present meaning is "a Native American child" (regardless of tribe) or, even more generally, any child, usually used as a term of endearment, often in ...

Author

Author Lois Gladys Leppard was a Federal Civil Service employee in various countries around the world. She made her home in

until she died on October 5, 2008. Stories of her own mother's childhood are the basis for many of the incidents incorporated in this series.

Mandie series

# ''Mandie and the Secret Tunnel'' (1983) # ''Mandie and the Cherokee Legend'' (1983) # ''Mandie and the Ghost Bandits'' (1984) # ''Mandie and the Forbidden Attic'' (1985) # ''Mandie and the Trunk's Secret'' (1985) # ''Mandie and the Medicine Man'' (1986) # ''Mandie and the Charleston Phantom'' (1986) # ''Mandie and the Abandoned Mine'' (1987) # ''Mandie and the Hidden Treasure'' (1987) # ''Mandie and the Mysterious Bells'' (1988) # ''Mandie and the Holiday Surprise'' (1988) # ''Mandie and the Washington Nightmare'' (1989) # ''Mandie and the Midnight Journey'' (1989) # ''Mandie and the Shipboard Mystery'' (1990) # ''Mandie and the Foreign Spies'' (1990) # ''Mandie and the Silent Catacombs'' (1990) # ''Mandie and the Singing Chalet'' (1991) # ''Mandie and the Jumping Juniper'' (1991) # ''Mandie and the Mysterious Fisherman'' (1992) # ''Mandie and the Windmill's Message'' (1992) # ''Mandie and the Fiery Rescue'' (1993) # ''Mandie and the Angel's Secret'' (1993) # ''Mandie and the Dangerous Imposters'' (1994) # ''Mandie and the Invisible Troublemaker'' (1994) # ''Mandie and Her Missing Kin'' (1995) # ''Mandie and the Schoolhouse's Secret'' (1996) # ''Mandie and the Courtroom Battle'' (1996) # ''Mandie and Jonathan's Predicament'' (1997) # ''Mandie and the Unwanted Gift'' (1997) # ''Mandie and the Long Goodbye'' (1998) # ''Mandie and the Buried Stranger'' (1999) # ''Mandie and the Seaside Rendezvous'' (1999) # ''Mandie and the Dark Alley'' (2000) # ''Mandie and the Tornado!'' (2001) # ''Mandie and the Quilt Mystery'' (2002) # ''Mandie and the New York Secret'' (2003) # ''Mandie and the Night Thief'' (2003) # ''Mandie and the Hidden Past'' (2003) # ''Mandie and the Missing Schoolmarm'' (2004) # ''Mandie and the Graduation Mystery'' (2004)

Other titles

;Young Mandie series Set before the Mandie series, starting in 1898 when Mandie is 9. # ''Who's Mandie?'' (1999) # ''The New Girl'' (1999) # ''The Mystery at Miss Abigail's'' (1999) # ''Merry Christmas from Mandie'' (2000) # ''The Talking Snowman'' (2001) # ''The Secret in the Woods'' (2001) # ''The Missing Book'' (2002) # ''The Haunted Shop'' (2002) Mandie: Her College Days
Set after the Mandie series, around 1904. Now 16, Mandie and Celia attend Charleston Ladies' College. For older children or

young adults In medicine and the social sciences, a young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence, sometimes with some overlap. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages ...

. * ''New Horizons'' (2006) Special ''Mandie'' books * ''Mandie's Cookbook'' (1991) * ''Mandie and Joe's Christmas Surprise'' (1995) * ''Mandie: My Datebook'' (1997) * ''Mandie: My Diary'' (1997) * ''Mandie and Mollie & the Angel's Visit'' (1998) ''Mandie'' movies # ''Mandie and the Secret Tunnel'' (2009) with Lexi Johnson as Mandie Shaw # ''Mandie and the Cherokee Treasure'' (2010) with Lexi Johnson as Mandie Shaw # ''Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas'' (2011) with Kelly Washington as Mandie Shaw

Characters

* Amanda Elizabeth Shaw: Referred to as Mandie by her peers, Mandie enjoys solving mysteries, no matter how mysterious or dangerous the situation may be. She has long blond hair (usually braided), and blue eyes. Mandie is a Christian, who stands up for her beliefs and values. Her favorite verse is "What time I am afraid I will put my trust in Thee." She is quite emotional and gets frustrated when she can't solve a mystery. Mandie longs to grow up throughout the series. When sent to a young ladies school to learn social graces, she finds it ridiculous and remains her own lively self. The death of her biological father affects her deeply, leading her to her Uncle John's resulting in the truth as to her biological mother with whom she is reunited. She becomes very attached to her mother who married her Uncle John. * Joe Woodard: Joe is Mandie's best friend and only friend who knew her father Jim Shaw before he died. He has unruly brown hair, brown eyes, and long legs according to Mandie. Because Joe stays in Swain County when Mandie moves away, he promises to care for her father's grave. Joe has a crush on Mandie, and towards the end of the series he tells Mandie he loves her. He intends on marrying Mandie when he gets her father's property back from Mandie's stepmother, Etta. That is the main reason he intends to be a lawyer when he grows up. Joe also helps Mandie on solving mysteries, but says that she does most of the work. * Polly Cornwallis: Mandie's wealthy next door neighbor and the first best friend whom she makes after arriving at her Uncle John's house. She is about the same age as Mandie and helps her solve mysteries. Polly is very timid and does not like to breach edict. Mandie and Joe keep Polly moving when it is possible, but she is very stubborn. Her avid interest in Joe Woodard leaves a constant strain on her friendship with Mandie. Later on in the series, she goes to the same school as Mandie, and tries to help her fit in with the other girls at Miss Heathwood's boarding school. * Celia Hamilton: Celia is one of Mandie's best friends throughout the Mandie series. Mandie meets Celia in book #4 ''Mandie and the Forbidden Attic''. Celia goes to the same school as Mandie (Miss Heathwood's School) and she helps Mandie solve mysteries. They met when Mandie heard her crying in her room one night. Celia had lost her father shortly before coming to school. They immediately bonded and asked to share a room together since Celia was alone in a private room and Mandie was stuck in a full room. Celia has thick auburn hair, fair skin and green eyes and is much quieter than Mandie. She has a crush on Robert, who she met at a school tea. * Etta Shaw: Etta married Mandie's father, Jim Shaw, but is not truly her mother. She has a daughter named Irene Shaw, and she seems to love her a lot more than Mandie. * Jim Shaw: Mandie's father. Jim dies before the beginning of the first book, which begins with his funeral. He is said to have had red hair and blue eyes, and to be very fun loving and always looked out for Mandie. * Uncle John: John Shaw, Jim's older brother and Mandie's uncle and stepfather. He married Elizabeth, Mandie's real mother, after Jim died. It is said that Uncle John resembles Jim, Mandie's father greatly. He is very wealthy. He has a weakness for blue eyes, like the ones Mandie and her mother have. * Uncle Ned: Ned Sweetwater was Jim's best friend. Ned is a Cherokee Native American. He promised Mandie's father that he would keep Mandie safe. Uncle Ned follows Mandie around and helps get her out of trouble her many adventures. Ned is Mandie's honorary uncle. Uncle Ned affectionately calls Mandie his Papoose. * Mary Elizabeth Taft: Mandie's rich grandmother, who separated her parents, and seems to have changed drastically from a fussy old lady to a kind, thoughtful grandmother from the first book to the rest of the series. * Tommy Patton: Mandie's friend who attends Mr. Chadwick's School for boys in Asheville. He lives in Charleston, but makes no secret of his affections for Mandie, and always asks her to accompany him to social events between their schools. Joe is very jealous of Tommy. * Jonathan Lindall Guyer III: Mandie and Celia's friend, whom they meet when he runs away from home and stows away on the boat taking them to Europe. He ends up touring Europe with them, and loves adventures almost as much as Mandie does. He shows some signs of affection towards Mandie, and appears to be jealous of her friend Joe Woodard. He also loves to tease her. * Snowball: Mandie's white cat who she's fond of. He follows Mandie everywhere and has helped her out of many situations. * Dimar Walkingstick: Mandie's Native American friend who she meets when she discovers Cherokee Gold. He is shown to have a crush on Mandie. * Tsa'ni Pindar: Mandie's troublesome Cherokee cousin. He shows some affection for Sallie. * Sallie Sweetwater: Another one of Mandie's Indian friends. Sallie is Uncle Ned's granddaughter. She is shown to have a crush on Dimar. * Elizabeth Taft Shaw: Mandie's biological mother, who married her uncle. She is over-protective of Mandie because she doesn't want to lose her again, and has blonde hair and blue eyes. * Miss Heathwood: The stern but fair headmistress and teacher of Mandie and Celia's boarding school. * Miss Hope: The headmistress assistant who is very sweet to Mandie and Celia. She marries Mr. Chadwick (in book 39) who is the headmaster at Mr. Chadwick's school for boys.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official Mandie Web Site

Mandie movie series

The Mandie books at Fantastic Fiction
1980s children's books 1990s children's books 2000s children's books American children's novels American young adult novels Children's historical novels Children's mystery novels Christian children's books Fiction set in 1900 Fiction set in 1901 Fiction set in 1902 Fiction set in 1903 Fiction set in 1904 Juvenile series Novels set in North Carolina Series of children's books