Okay, yes, I know, it's not summer anymore. But I promise that I did read these last two books over the summer. I just never wrote about them. One of my reading goals was to go back and revisit a few of my favorite Nancy Drew books. F.AVE students love the classic sleuth books, and I had not read one since I was around their age. So, I decided to begin at the beginning...
Firstly, let me say that I read both Nancy Drew mysteries on my vacation to Portland, Oregon, which, while completely accidental, was the perfect place to read these books. I read both while lying on a very retro couch in an 1880s SE Portland house, listening to an old record player. How very retro and possibly hipster of me.
Back to the book! In Secret of the Old Clock, Nancy's first mystery, you get to meet her, her charming father, and her loving housekeeper. I was surprised not to see Bess & George, her friends. They didn't show up until later books. But you immediately get a sense of why Nancy Drew is such a beloved strong female character. She embarks on a search for a lost will in an effort to help two older ladies raise their adopted child. Nancy was always about helping those less fortunate than her. And, of course, she pits herself against two former classmates, who were basically the wicked stepsisters from Disney's Cinderella. In doing so, she ends up taking on two robbers (who incidentally reminded me of the 101 Dalmations robbers...more Disney connections). Nancy is brave, compassionate, smart, and independent. No wonder I loved her!
The writing is simple and straightforward. And while it definitely had a slightly dated feel to it, the book didn't suffer because of that. Instead, I found myself loving the simplicity of the bad guys being bad and the good guys being good. In the spirit of a Scooby Doo cartoon, the villains confess in the end, and everyone gets what they deserve, both good and bad. How very satisfying!
Back to the book! In Secret of the Old Clock, Nancy's first mystery, you get to meet her, her charming father, and her loving housekeeper. I was surprised not to see Bess & George, her friends. They didn't show up until later books. But you immediately get a sense of why Nancy Drew is such a beloved strong female character. She embarks on a search for a lost will in an effort to help two older ladies raise their adopted child. Nancy was always about helping those less fortunate than her. And, of course, she pits herself against two former classmates, who were basically the wicked stepsisters from Disney's Cinderella. In doing so, she ends up taking on two robbers (who incidentally reminded me of the 101 Dalmations robbers...more Disney connections). Nancy is brave, compassionate, smart, and independent. No wonder I loved her!
The writing is simple and straightforward. And while it definitely had a slightly dated feel to it, the book didn't suffer because of that. Instead, I found myself loving the simplicity of the bad guys being bad and the good guys being good. In the spirit of a Scooby Doo cartoon, the villains confess in the end, and everyone gets what they deserve, both good and bad. How very satisfying!
The second book I read was The Clue in the Diary. Bess & George showed up (yeah!), and I had forgotten that this was the book that introduced Nancy's love interest, Ned Nickerson. I remember loving Bess when I was younger, and I still did, especially her constant suggesting of snacks or lunch. Once again, Nancy finds herself trying to help a downtrodden friend, after stumbling upon a burning house and seeing a man running away. Finding a diary that she assumes he dropped leads her to his family and she is determined to help them find their husband/father and clear his name. And once again, she succeeds in helping others and foiling selfish, evil people's plans to exploit those less fortunate. And she manages to squeeze in a couple of lovely dates with her new beau, Ned.
One of the things I loved going back now and reading Nancy Drew was that even though they were written in a fairly male-dominated time, Nancy really is the heroine. She does get help from her father, Carson, and Ned, but she is the brains. She is the one taking action. She is solving problems and helping others.
So, next time a student is looking for adventure, mystery, or even realistic fiction, I will point her OR him straight at the Ke section. Did I mention that our biggest Nancy Drew fan last year was a boy? Yep, great for everyone...boy or girl, young or old.
One of the things I loved going back now and reading Nancy Drew was that even though they were written in a fairly male-dominated time, Nancy really is the heroine. She does get help from her father, Carson, and Ned, but she is the brains. She is the one taking action. She is solving problems and helping others.
So, next time a student is looking for adventure, mystery, or even realistic fiction, I will point her OR him straight at the Ke section. Did I mention that our biggest Nancy Drew fan last year was a boy? Yep, great for everyone...boy or girl, young or old.
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