Seasider Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Keep in mind that there are multiple versions of the books so it's likely that different generations of people here will have read somewhat different books. From the time they were published, the publisher began "updating" them every few years for each reprint. Sometimes just to update the feel, the technology, etc. But she also went from being more intrepid girl detective looking out for herself in earlier printings, to girl wearing pretty clothes and needing more rescuing in later printings. The original versions were rereleased awhile ago as well, so there are now multiple versions floating around. I've never personally been a fan, but I've read a number of articles about the changes over the years I find that really fascinating. Yes, many versions... Newer books (and the ones added along each stage of the game) are also updated with whatever was trendy at the time. At least one of them has major plot changes from its original form to the yellow spine version. Nancy and Ned's relationship is very innocent. She is 18 and certainly old enough for a serious boyfriend...Ned is in college. I read them as a kid, and my dd started reading them in second grade. I recommend the old yellow spine books from the fifties through the seventies. Nothing more than the occasional hand-holding, hug or maybe even a kiss. But those would be few and far between if they did occur. And honestly, I just don't remember any. Very innocent books...no worries. The yellow spine editions are not the first ones. I have Nancy Drews from as early as 1930 on my book shelves. I also have the first Cherry Ames and my Outdoor Girls are circa 1913. The oldest ones use more challenging (more picturesque) vocabulary. I truly prefer those old ones. I think they are well written, and there are fewer of them (less to get stuck on and prevent your young reader from moving on to other characters you'd like her to meet in great literature). Something to remember, for those of you who think of Nancy as a snob, is that she was a character of the early 20th century. Class distinctions were perfectly acceptable at the time, and what little girl of the era wouldn't want to read about how the more well-to-do folks lived? At least that's what I believe the publishers were banking on with ND. If she were going to flit around and solve mysteries, she would have to be in a class that could afford the leisure time and have the resources to do such things. It's fodder for some good conversations. Loved Trixie Belden! She and Jim had the hots for each other though. :lol: I always loved her brother Brian. Wanted to marry him for awhile if I recall. :D Trixie was always my favorite, too, but you all have to admit, the whole Jim-n-Trixie thing was much hotter than tame ol' Nancy & Ned! OP, if you have any doubts, preread. If it concerns you, some of the versions have ghostly/paranormal elements (depending on the story/issue date). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I was all about Jim, LOL. But I do love that the boy/girl thing was NEVER stressed...the most they said was they were "special friends" and there was never any kissing/hand holding/etc...so I think they are suitable for even the most conservative of readers. Well...the girls do wear pants around the house, although skirts to school, lol.... But but but how could you forget after the big flood in Iowa??? The plane ride home? He gives her a silver ID bracelet with his name on it and holds her hand on the way home! Made my young girl heart pitter-patter, those pages are worn thin from all the re-reading I did. :lol::lol::lol: I tell my older dd, "Don't fall for a guy unless he treats you the way Jim treats Trixie." Not my opinion at all. I read them as a child and again as an adult. I read the older versions. Her father is a lawyer, he is loving, supportive and gives Nancy her freedom. She does not "get around" him but usually acts with his blessing. The other adults in the book (except the bad guys) are given assistance and respect. Of course the bad guys are all idiots...that is to be expected. I loved the books, let my DD read my older versions. Not interested in any updated versions. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.Balaban Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I loved ND! I never read the Hardy Boys or the other ones mentioned in this thread. I read the yellow hardbacks. I would have no issue with my DD reading them when she is older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I think we just discovered/read these too late. I did love the can-do attitude of the Hollisters. Also the sibling relationships are very sweet in these books. But... but... there's an excerpt from the Happy Hollisters in Writing With Ease! That must mean they're classical! ;) We have nearly all the HH books and my children love them, maybe because the family is a lot like ours (except that we rarely have mysteries to solve, so our bunch has to invent their own :)). I find the stories to be just right for early readers. They're wholesome, with an emphasis on traditional "all-American" values (community, fair play, honesty, welcoming strangers, helping people in need), and the parents are much more involved in their children's lives than in some other books. The author based the characters on his own six children, and some of the little incidental pictures of family life ring true to us. Although I'll never live up to the standard set by the unflappable Mrs. Hollister. Pete: "Holly and Ricky found the kidnapped heiress at the abandoned mine!" Mrs. H.: "I'm glad I brought those extra frankfurters. She must be hungry." :D I think Carson Drew had an easier job, spending most of his time at his law office, and stopping by the convertible dealership every now and then to buy Nancy a new set of wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 The oldest I know about are the tweed covers... I have the next set. (although not complete) I don't care for the newest, but that's only because I don't like how the books look/feel. I've never read those :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 But but but how could you forget after the big flood in Iowa??? The plane ride home? He gives her a silver ID bracelet with his name on it and holds her hand on the way home! Made my young girl heart pitter-patter, those pages are worn thin from all the re-reading I did. :lol::lol::lol: I tell my older dd, "Don't fall for a guy unless he treats you the way Jim treats Trixie." :iagree: OH, I totally forgot that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm all smiley and pitter patter just thinking about it now! Sigh.....so romantic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 There are a lot of better written books, but it's also nice to have light, less challenging books for those people interested in mysteries. The original ones are very tame and a lot better than many of the newer series available now. Especially for children who love to read and read a lot, finding quality books can sometimes be difficult. Yes! I'll be 57 next month, and while I still re-read classics (and in some cases read them for the first time) and current 'good' literature, I also enjoy fluff. Most of my fluff consists of cozy mysteries, and I would probably consider Nancy Drew to be cozy mysteries for the elementary age set. But isn't that the basic premise of all children's adventure literature? If the adults were all perfect and were getting everything done, there's be nothing left for the young people to do. It's hard to think of ANY kids or teen books where the parents aren't conveniently disposed of in one way or another... it would be a pretty boring story if the police solved all the cases in a competent and efficient manner. :lol: There are numerous studies that this is actually good for kids too. As they read about kids handling situations on their own, they learn about making good and bad choices. They are able to work out solutions to problems through the characters. Sure, sure, there are *better things out there*, but let me just reassure you...I read every Nancy Drew I could get my hands on and probably own 50+ of the hardback, yellow spines from the 70's. It did not ruin me. LOL! I was not boy crazy at all and I have read Anna Karenina TWICE. ;) Mine came from an older cousin, and most were written in the late 1950's -early 1960's. Even when I was reading them in the mid to late 60's some things were already outdated. I still loved the stories. Oh, and I'm reading Anna Karenina right now, along with a fluff mystery story (I rarely have less than 2 books going at once). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Applewood Books has reprinted the old 1920s versions of ND and the Hardy Boys. They are more advanced, writing wise, than the redone 50s versions (yellow spines). They are also very reflective of the times, so you will see language and dialect that would be considered inappropriate for our day. But when explained and understood in the context of the time they were written, you have a good story and a history lesson rolled into one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Well, I loved and read all the Nancy Drew books, so through the years I have purchased a complete set of the older series. I like either the original (blue denimy looking covers) or the ones from the 40s/50s (picture covers). I was excited to introduce my dd to them. She has read about half; not quite the fan that her mom was :) That said, they are not wonderful literature by any means, but there is nothing in them that is objectionable. Yes, Nancy has a "steady" but he doesn't even show up in half the books, and if he does it's to take her to a dance or something. Once in a while he and his friends will help Nancy in her sleuthing. The books don't promote boy craziness in any way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Well Cherry Ames is far superior. She's a detective *and* a nurse. Just sayin'. :D Them's fightin' words! Sounds like a smackdown is in order! Nancy Drew vs. Cherry Ames!!! (And the winner faces off against Trixie Belden!) :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I'm not arguing with anyone about literary merit, because everyone is absolutely correct that there isn't much. The plots are totally formulaic and the writing isn't exactly Shakespeare. But what series books like this are excellent at is building fluency. There are two components to reading: fluency, and comprehension. Comprehending these sorts of books is super easy: same characters, same plots, same conclusions. So they allow children to practice reading fluency in a low-pressure, fun way, which builds both the skills and confidence to tackle more complex books. I never really liked Nancy Drew, but there was a period where I was reading 2-3 Babysitter's Club books each week. Same idea, as are the Rainbow Fairy books and the Goosebump books and all those other schlocky written-by-committee" series aimed at kids in roughly 1st-5th grades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinaj Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 But but but how could you forget after the big flood in Iowa??? The plane ride home? He gives her a silver ID bracelet with his name on it and holds her hand on the way home! Made my young girl heart pitter-patter, those pages are worn thin from all the re-reading I did. :lol::lol::lol:: Oh, I loved, loved, LOVED that scene. That was my favorite book. I loved Jim. I married a redhead! And honestly, I cannot imagine harm from reading Nancy Drew. I read them over and over and over...and most of the other books on that literature list someone mentioned, as well - the whole Anne of Green Gables series was my favorite, I read all the Bobbsey Twins, all the Hardy Boys, as well as Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High (those were MUCH worse)! I liked Cherry Ames but never came across more than a few. Was the writing fantastic? No...but it wasn't terrible. I'm convinced my voracious reading has a lot to do with why I'm a writer today. Honestly the formulaic stories were sort of a comforting escape, you always knew it was going to turn out alright in the end. That's not such a bad thing for a kid, sometimes. Certainly, prereading is the best thing to do to determine if it is the best thing for your family! But you know, I still love to read the occasional fluffy book. It is relaxing and fun. Not everything I read needs to expand my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I had both brown Nancy Drews and the yellow versions. I loved ND, Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden and those kind of books. All my kids read some type of book like these, some more than others. Yes, Danny Dunn, Boxcar Family, all kinds of serials. Like someone else said, I read fluff and I read serious and so can children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 But... but... there's an excerpt from the Happy Hollisters in Writing With Ease! That must mean they're classical! ;) We have nearly all the HH books and my children love them, maybe because the family is a lot like ours (except that we rarely have mysteries to solve, so our bunch has to invent their own :)). I find the stories to be just right for early readers. They're wholesome, with an emphasis on traditional "all-American" values (community, fair play, honesty, welcoming strangers, helping people in need), and the parents are much more involved in their children's lives than in some other books. The author based the characters on his own six children, and some of the little incidental pictures of family life ring true to us. Although I'll never live up to the standard set by the unflappable Mrs. Hollister. Pete: "Holly and Ricky found the kidnapped heiress at the abandoned mine!" Mrs. H.: "I'm glad I brought those extra frankfurters. She must be hungry." :D I think Carson Drew had an easier job, spending most of his time at his law office, and stopping by the convertible dealership every now and then to buy Nancy a new set of wheels. My mother gave me her copies of the Hollisters. :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reign Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 There is a new series Nancy Drew Vampire Hunter. Probably want to stay away from that lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakelly Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Ohhhh I totally forgot about Trixie Belden and Cherry Ames. I have those somewhere in the attic, and a whole box of the yellow cover Nancy Drew. I need to dig those out for Marlie!! I have to say though, the Bobbsey Twins were my absolute favorite! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 so go for the older/earlier editions which were written in the 50's/60's. I read them voraciously when I was 12. nothing inappropriate if you stick with the originals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 I grew up without a TV and did read quite a bit, particularly when on holiday from boarding school. I read quite a few ND and wouldn't have a problem allowing a child to read them in the forms I did. I preferred Enid Blyton, Ngaio Marsh, and Agatha Christie though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 I loved Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden as a kid. I would be okay with DD reading them; I think she'd like TB and her friends a lot. I'd be okay with her reading the older Nancy Drews too. Formulaic, yes, but nothing particularly objectionable, IMO. She, however, doesn't particularly like mysteries. DH read them (or maybe just the boys, can't remember) one of the Hardy Boys books, and the boys liked that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Trixie was always my favorite, too, but you all have to admit, the whole Jim-n-Trixie thing was much hotter than tame ol' Nancy & Ned! Amazing how hot is was when the most Jim ever did was look meaningfully at Trixie from across the room. Either I was rather obtuse or it was so veiled that it took me a while to figure this out (Jim & Trixie) even though it was gently hinted in the second book (or was it the third) when Trixie and her friend take off in the RV looking for Jim who had just escaped his mean stepfather. :001_smile:How far does the series go? Does anyone know what the very last book is? The series goes to volume 39, The Mystery of the Galloping Ghost. In it, Jim leaves Trixie and runs off with ME! Step aside, girls. Jim is MINE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted November 11, 2012 Share Posted November 11, 2012 Amazing how hot is was when the most Jim ever did was look meaningfully at Trixie from across the room. The series goes to volume 39, The Mystery of the Galloping Ghost. In it, Jim leaves Trixie and runs off with ME! Step aside, girls. Jim is MINE! You can have him as long as I get Brian Belden. I had a huge crush on him. :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.