The Secret Letters

The Secret Letters
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins, Sept. 2022
368 pages
Grades 4-7
Mystery
Mysteries of Trash and Treasure series #1

Two narrators tell the story of the discovery of a shoebox filled with missing letters and the mystery that follows. Colin must work all summer for his single mother, who is a home organizer and helps folks clean out their homes. It is hard work, but made better once he discovers a treasure under a floorboard in an attic: a shoebox filled with letters written in the 1970's from a boy named Toby to a girl named Rosemary, whose relationship seems to have ended in a huge fight. Where are Toby's letters from Rosemary? And whatever happened to their friendship? Meanwhile, Nevaeh must also work all summer for her Dad, the "Junk King". He also cleans out houses, though is more geared towards reselling items than providing organizational services. Colin's mother and Nevaeh's father are professional rivals and seem to have a shared past. Why do they hate each other so much? Eventually Colin and Nevaeh meet and a platonic friendship blooms. Colin shares the letters with his new friend and the two work together to find Toby's share of the letters and, eventually, to track town both Toby and Rosemary. Meanwhile, as the truth behind the letters emerges, so does the story behind their parent's past, what life was like for folks back in the 1970's, as well as both of their own personal family stories.

Haddix usually seems to write fantastical tales involving clones or time travel. This story is a departure, yet still contains an amazing plot, for which we have come to rely on her. The mystery is solid and is really in two parts, the story behind the letters and the connection between the young people's parents. Both are satisfactorily solved and explained. The kids must follow clues, do some digging and even offer free babysitting to get to the answers and their efforts are rewarded. Through the letters Haddix highlights several struggles from the seventies that we still are encountering today, specifically equal rights for women, discrepancies between economic classes and how hard it is for eleven-year-old boys and girls to be friends. As a fans of the TV show Hoarders I am fearful of my stuff taking over my life and this aspect of American society is relevant and fresh in a middle grade novel. Both main characters are unique and likable with struggles of their own. The alternating chapters are written distinctly and the relationship with their families and each other is believable. Readers will appreciate the satisfactory ending of the book and that all the loose ends are tied-up. This is a story that will be enjoyed by a wide range of young people and we will all eagerly await the next installment in the series.