The other day while trolling around the internet — when I should have been writing a book review, editing a story or conducting an interview – I came across some astonishing news.
Well, astonishing for me at midnight when I was trying to avoid work.
Nancy Drew turns 80 this year.
The intrepid girl detective was created by Edward Stratemeyer and she first appeared in 1930.
Stratemeyer’s idea was spawned from the great American idea of capitalism. Stratemeyer had created the Hardy Boys in 1926 and the first volumes began to be published in 1927. The series was so successful that he decided to create a series aimed at girls.
The idea wasn’t so much to empower girls, to give a good role model and bring up their self-esteem. Stratemeyer, according to two sources, firmly believed a woman’s (girl’s) place was in the home. But he also believed in the all-mighty dollar. Since girls also liked the Hardy Boys, he figured he could capitalize on that with a strong heroine.
Regardless of his intent, the novels have gone on to do what Stratemeyer may not have planned – they have empowered girls, shown a good role model and helped girls’ self-esteem. Through the years, the novels have been ghostwritten by a variety of authors, published under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene.
80 years and still going strong.
And I have yet to read one. While other kids were loving Nancy and her friends, I was reading Rex Stout, Agatha Christie and a variety of other “adult” authors.
But in that sophisticated research, I did stumble upon a variety of games, dolls and other Nancy Drew “stuff.” I may not have read Nancy, but I would so have had one of these dolls.
Just look at her. Is she not the essence of “girl detective.”
While I am in the minority, I hope you Nancy Drew fans will tell us your favorite Nancy tale. Maybe it’s a novel, or a film or what reading the books brought to your life.
Meanwhile, happy birthday, Nancy. I’ll have a piece of cake in your honor. And for those who really want to celebrate, a birthday party for Nancy is in the works at Bouchercon, scheduled for Oct. 13-17 in San Francisco. Details are still pending.
Birthdays, graduations, holidays — there are many occasions calling for gifts for the young mystery reader. Here are a few suggestions, currently on the shelves of your favorite bookstore:
Interest in Nancy Drew has been escalating, particularly after the recent movie and the various new formats for paperback books. Now a young lady can get The Nancy Drew Pocketbook Mysteries: the first two of the original Nancy Drew hardcovers in a handsome carrying-case, cardboard overlaid with leatherette binding and canvas handles. (Simon and Schuster, $19.95)
For the youngster who wants to put some of the stuff he or she is reading into practice, Christ Oxlade has put together a Detective Tool Kit (Running Press, $24,95, 2007). The shrink-wrapped box contains everything a young detective might need as he or she pursues the suspects: a magnifying glass, clue containers, fingerprint pad and paper, etc. The enclosed manual explains how all this equipment is used by working detectives.
