nancy drew has long been a household name, thanks in large part to the 56 books grosset & Dunlap was published between 1930 and 1979. Using the pseudonym Carolyn Sharpe, several ghostwriters are behind the Nancy Drew series, but this did not prevent the success of the book.
New generations know Nancy from the series’ many adaptations into television shows, movies, comics, and computer games. After 1979, more Nancy Draw books were published, this time by different publishers, and included several spin-offs. we usually see the first 56 books in a single fragment and those published after 1979 as a completely different set.
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the best nancy draw books to start with
here are some of the best nancy draw books to start with:
1. the secret of the ancient clock (book 1)
This first Nancy Drew book revolves around Nancy, a 16-year-old girl (in the original 1930 edition) who wants to help a family struggling with inheritance problems for a deceased relative. Nancy sets out to find a missing will to help them claim the estate.
2. the hidden staircase (book 2)
The book that inspired the film adaptation released in 2019 tells that Nancy agrees to solve a mystery in the mansion of a friend’s relative. The strange sounds and eerie shadows at night make her wonder: is the house haunted?
3. the mystery at the lilac inn (book 4)
Nancy is helping her friend Emily get ready for a wedding at Emily’s Lilac Inn. But what happens when Nancy discovers that someone has impersonated her and bought things in her name? And Emily’s diamonds have been stolen! Can Nancy find the culprit before she wreaks more havoc?
4. the secret of the shadow ranch (book 5)
When Nancy arrives at the Shadow Ranch for a vacation, she finds herself right in the middle of a mystery. an unknown ghostly creature appears to haunt the ranch. But is it really a ghost that Nancy comes face to face with?
5. the secret of the red door farm (book 6)
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In this book, Nancy, Bess, and George try to help Joanne Byrd, who lives with her grandmother and is in dire need of money to support her farm. the three friends decide to pay for their stay to help contribute a little. but what happens when they find a strange group of people renting a cave on the same property?
6. nancy’s mysterious letter (book 8)
a letter arrives from england addressed to nancy drew, but for another young woman with the same name, who is an heiress! Trying to locate the missing namesake, Nancy discovers that a dangerous man stands in her way, with plans to marry the heiress and claim her inheritance for himself.
7. the secret in the old attic (book 21)
How can Nancy solve a mystery using only the letters a dead man wrote? Can she find the crucial clues and help save Philip March and her granddaughter from financial ruin? And who is putting all these obstacles in her way?
8. the mystery of the scarlet slipper (book 32)
In this book, Nancy meets Centorvian refugees who run a dance school and receives a strange death threat. Nancy offers to help, but they give her vague answers, leaving Nancy to wonder what they’re hiding. When they suddenly disappear, Nancy recruits her friends to help her find them and discover the truth.
9. the mystery of the fire dragon (book 38)
In this story, Nancy’s aunt calls her from New York and asks for her help in solving the mystery of her neighbor’s missing granddaughter. As always, Nancy and her friends are happy to fly to New York and search for clues to find the missing girl.
10. nancy drew and the clue team book 1: sleepover detectives
If you intend to gift a Nancy Drew book to a younger girl, this spin-off may be a good place to start. presents Nancy as an 8-year-old girl who seeks to solve her first case with the help of her friends: she must find the missing doll of a girl who is hosting a sleepover.
what reading level do nancy draw books have?
Nancy Draw books were originally written for an 8-12 year old reading level. in fact, she seems to be a great role model for girls of this age, especially since the role of detective has often been given primarily to men! Don’t we all want to empower our girls to reach their full potential?
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However, there are a few things you might want to keep in mind when allowing an 8-12 year old to read even the original 56 books:
- Nancy is 18 in the books (16 in earlier versions, but the publishers changed her age to match the things she is doing). some of the cases she deals with can be a bit dark for a younger girl. For example, in book 1, Nancy’s dad is kidnapped. Of course, it depends on the sensitivity of her son to difficult situations.
- The books also had beauty standards that can be annoying for a pre-teen, such as a constant reference to slim figures and cute hairstyles for girls.
- Having been written at a time when the importance of diversity was not yet prioritized, you may encounter inaccurate representations of minorities. (Makes you wish they had sensitive readers back in the day, huh?)
Do you have to read the nancy draw books in order?
The good news is that even though the books are in a series, you don’t have to read them in order. this is great, especially since you may be able to find some of the printed books at thrift stores, but not all.
of course, most nancy drawn books are available on kindle, which is another convenient reading option.
reading books nancy drew
reading mysteries like nancy drawn books is a good pastime for kids. It’s not only an entertaining use of time, but it also helps them develop critical thinking skills, like looking for clues and finding answers to perplexing problems.
If you have a young reader in your life who you’d like to introduce to some fun reading, consider gifting them one of the best Nancy Draw books we have here on our list!
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