Nancy Drew

Brief History of Nancy Drew

The Nancy Drew series was created by Edward Stratemeyer during the Great Depression. Perhaps girls of the day needed an escape for the turmoil of everyday life; perhaps they needed hope for a brighter tomorrow. For whatever reason, Nancy Drew thrived.

The Nancy Drew books were ghostwritten, all under the name of Carolyn Keene. In 1930, Mildred A. Wirt Benson wrote the first book of the series, The Secret of the Old Clock. Benson also penned the next 22 books. She was largely responsible for giving Nancy her keen intelligence, spunky determination, and undying independence. In a time when most women were destined for a live of housework and raising children, Nancy's nontraditional lifestyle was welcome.

Over the next 70 years, Nancy saw many makeovers, many different publishing companies, and many different writers. Through it all, though, there has been an effort to maintain the wholesome, intelligent air of the earliest books.

Nancy Drew Today

The original Nancy Drew books are still widely available today. There have also been several new series released, some geared towards a younger audience.

Notebook Series

Geared towards children ages 6-9, the Notebook series features Nancy and her two best friends, George Faye and Bess Marvin, in grade school. The three young sleuths solve everyday mysteries, such as lost cameras, slumber party mischief, and summer camp trickery. Books in this series are available at very low prices from Amazon.com, and include:

• The Slumber Party Secret
• The Lost Locket
• The Ice Cream Scoop
• Trouble at Camp Treehouse
• Bad Day for Ballet]

(All New) Girl Detective

This series is written in the same vein as the original stories, but made a bit more modern for a new-millenium crowd. Nancy, Bess, and George have updated fashion, cars, and ways of speaking. Although Nancy and her friends are teenagers in this series, the books are intended for preteens, and deal with topics like kidnapped animals and stolen flowers. Some books in the series include:

• Pit of Vipers
• En Garde
• The Scarlet Macaw
• Secret of the Spa

On Campus

The On Campus series is a result of trying to make Nancy and her friends "more real." The girls are freshmen in college, and dealing with modern issues, such as boyfriend troubles, drugs, and alcohol. Although Nancy stays true to her wholesome roots, the tone of this series is nothing like the others. Reviews have been mixed, with many readers loving the modern stories and others feeling the books have lost their luster. Books in the series are written for a teen audience, and include:

• New Lives, New Loves
• On Her Own
• Love and Betrayal
• Secret Rules
• Tell Me the Truth