Customer Reviews

Nancy Drew Starter Set: The Secret of the Old Clock/The Hidden Staircase/The Bungalow Mystery/The Mystery at Lilac Inn/The Secret of Shadow Ranch/The Secret of Red Gate Farm (Nancy Drew, Book 1-6)

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Every girl in America can benefit from reading Nancy Drew mysteries. Unlike a lot of books out there today that are questionable for young girls or have promiscuous elements, Nancy Drew is wholesome fun.

This starter set is an excellent value for anyone who would like to introduce a girl to Nancy Drew. The Secret of the Old Clock is the first book in the series, and it does a nice job of introducing the character and giving us a glimpse into her adventurous spirit. The second book, Hidden Staircase, is perhaps my favorite Nancy Drew book of all time as it has all the great elements of a mystery, complete with a creepy old mansion.

Nancy started solving mysteries back in 1929 when she was 16. Within a few years, she had turned 18, the age at which she would remain for the duration of the series. But Nancy was a mature 18, very smart, self-possessed, shrewd, and unafraid. And I like that about her.

Nancy was definitely middle class (probably more like upper middle class), living in a big brick home set back from the road in the swanky part of River Heights, state unknown. She lived with her dad, Carson Drew, a prominent attorney, and Hannah, their housekeeper. That middle class stability gave Nancy the freedom she needed to do her own thing. And she took full advantage of it. She had her own blue convertible roadster, which was probably a big deal back in the 1930s for a girl her age. She had her own money, but no paying job; a credit card; and lots of opportunities most folks can only dream of, such as flying lessons and trips around the world (which she invited her friends along to boot). She also had a boyfriend, Ned Nickerson, who was a popular football player at Emerson University, state unknown.

There was no funny business between Nancy and Ned. Instead, Nancy called on him when she needed his brawn, a lookout or perhaps a ride after escaping from a moss-covered mansion. And Ned was always quick to oblige. He didn't begrudge her the adventure and excitement. Maybe he was ahead of his time too.

Each Nancy Drew book generally finds Nancy working on two seemingly unrelated mysteries, only to discover that the two are very much connected. Whether it's in a haunted castle or at a dude ranch, Nancy's primary goal is to help out the innocent, bring missing family members back together, recover a priceless treasure for someone on the skids and/or reveal the true identity of an impostor or villain. She is a beneficial presence.

Nancy's friends, family and hobbies were her life. She helped people, hung out with her friends and spent time with Ned when it suited her. Although wise beyond her years, Nancy did turn to her father for advice now and then, but he was smart enough not to cramp her style.

Nancy is a strong, positive role model for young girls.

I disagree with the reviewer who complains of stereotypes and dumb stories in these books. Like that reviewer, English is my second language (I learned it when I was 10 years old). I've been an avid reader from age 3, having read everything from Vanity Fair magazine to comic books to Twain, H.R. Wells, Stevenson, Dickens, you name it... to Nancy Drew. The Nancy Drew mystery stories gave me a lot of joy when I was in 5th and 6th grade, and even now that I have a serious job in a law office. I highly recommend Nancy Drew! The early books may be outdated, yes, but any preteen is smart enough to realize that (they were outdated when I first read them too and we all knew that). What is refreshing about them is that they are plain detective stories, not about sex, not about vulgarity, not about violence. They are Agatha Christie stories for the younger crowd. They are well written and easy to understand, but not dumb. Proof is they are still around after 70 years.

I normally preview all the books that my 8 year old reads but I confess I have not read every single Nancy Drew book she has been reading. Reason? I feel pretty comfortable that the Nancy Drew series do not contain some outrageously inappropriate material for 8 year olds. Sure, Nancy Drew is not comparable to Dickens or Twain, but they make a fun light read for children. I am particularly relieved because for a while, my child would not read anything except the Harry Potter series (which she has read numerous times). Then she accidentally started on the Nancy Drew series and was finally able to put down the HP books, for once! No offense, Ms. Rowling -- we LOVE your books but I just thought that she should be also reading something else, at least for a while :). In short, you may want to consider the Nancy Drew series if you are looking for some clean, fun, reading for your children. For the reviewer who is concerned about the "dumbing" down of our children, bear in mind that there are also many intellectually challenging books out there to supplement you child's diverse reading list.

Anyone with the good fortune to have a daughter has likely, at one time or another, either read a Nancy Drew mystery to her, or purchased one for her to read herself. These are timeless classics for young girls growing up. For decades Nancy has been a good and positive role model for young girls. She was also a fun read, letting every young girl pretend for awhile that she was an amateur detective like Nancy, with pals like Bess and George. Her dad, Carson Drew, was both protective and proud of his winning daughter, who didn?t fall too far from the family tree.

This boxed set has the ones every girl gets first, the beginning of her journey into young adult reading. Light and fun, but with just enough mystery for a young girl to use her imagination, Carolyn Keene?s creation of Nancy Drew was like a good friend every girl could rush home to after school. There was, and is, magic between the pages, secrets and mysteries, and even a little danger. Many girls have spent joyous hours over the decades finding out about that old clock, that hidden staircase and that secret at Lilac Inn, and your daughter will also.

This is a good investment into your child?s future. It builds confidence and lets her discover for herself the simple joy of reading. A wise purchase.

I thought I was going to be disappointed in these because they significantly different (updated/rewritten) than the Nancy Drew (same titles) I read growing up. Upon reading three of these from my daughter's set, I am happy to say that the flavor and goodness of the stories have been preserved. And Nancy is as independent, good-hearted, and intelligent as ever. I love this newer Nancy Drew as much as I did the original one when I was growing up, and I encourage all girls to read these wonderful stories.

I read this series as a child and loved them. As an adult, I realize how much I learned while reading. These books are written in correct english, use correct grammer and spelling. They have a plot and the stories make sense. So what if they seem a little corny now. They are good wholesome fun for today's children.

Nancy Drew is great light reading for anyone looking to unwind. I am constantly amazed at how old these books are (the first one written in 1930), yet they really don't seem overly dated. I would remind the reviewers who complain about diversity and such stuff to remember when these books were originally written. Great stuff!

I love Nancy Drew and this book set is awesome! I started reading Nancy drew when I was about six or seven and I still read them at fifteen. These are good "advanced" Chapter books for both boys and girls.

Note: For those who say that Nancy Drew is "unrealistic" It's becuase when Nancy Drew was first written it was written so girls can get their minds off the great deppression. It wasn't supposed to be real. And the people that say that Nancy has no colored friends, it's becuase in 1937 they didn't have that! It was still a problem for Black and White people to sit together. That's the way it was then, these books are fun to read. Not masterpieces and deffinatley not educational pieces. But fun nontheless

I think the series is a wonderful way to introduce young girls to a genre of literature most highly intelligent readers enjoy. These books may be dated and naive but they are refreshing and usually lead to more sophisticated choices. I loved them as a child and still find them fun, and I have a degree in English and a large personal library of so-called fine literature. I would also suggest that BAW "BAW" learn to spell if he or she wants his literary critiques taken seriously. One may expess one's preferences freely but if one sets oneself up as a "bluestocking", one should be able to back it up!

It?s good to start out a Nancy Drew collection. The Nancy Drews? always have that innocent charm that there just isn?t enough of these days. It is so much fun following Nancy, George, and Bess on there many adventures. If it?s finding a hidden passage way, or catching counterfeiters in the act, it?s always entertaining for girl of any ages. I would suggest Nancy Drews set to anyone, and having choices of what book to read next is always fun. You can get the old ones, but unless you?re an old book collector, it easier to have the new ones, not having to worry about tearing the pages and stuff like that.