Why do we love Nancy Drew books? Nancy is a classic icon. Her mysteries are often the first series of books we fell in love with as a child. So, what made Nancy Drew so lovable that we remember her fondly even as adults? Here are six reasons:
1. Nancy Drew Books Cultivated our Love of Reading
What better to develop a love of reading than a great series with 55 books (and more if you count the spin-off series) of mysterious wonder? By the time we finished reading all the Nancy Drew books, our reading appetites had been fueled, and we became voracious readers. A lot of us became mystery lovers, and some of us even became cozy mystery authors. 😉
2. Nancy Drew Books Are Clean
No need to censor any of the pages in a Nancy Drew book (or cover sentences with sticky notes like some parents do). Nancy Drew books have no sex and no swearing, and a boyfriend who respects the protagonist. Parents rested easy as we read our way through the series, and as parents today, we do the same for our own brood. Nancy Drew books join alongside Agatha Christie’s works in being the roots of today’s cozy mystery genre.Â
3. Nancy Drew Books are Free of Graphic Violence and Murder
Another clean aspect of the series includes how the writers handled violence. You won’t find anything graphic or stomach-turning in a Nancy Drew book. But don’t worry – as we all recall, there was still plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep us girls up at night, worrying about that thump in the attic.
4. Nancy Drew Had Style
Oh, come on – a teenager with her own roadster convertible? Who doesn’t dream of that? And her clothes – oh my. Even though her style was appropriate for the time period the books were written in, it was dreamy to look back at her preppy clothing and perfectly-styled hair. What young girl doesn’t want to solve a crime in a woolen plaid skirt and penny loafers?Â
5. Polite was Nancy Drew’s Middle Name
Okay, not really. Did she even have a middle name? I can’t remember. But one thing was certain – Nancy minded her manners. She was always polite and respectful to her friends, her family, her housekeeper, her teachers and to everyone she ever came into contact with. She was even nice to the criminals she caught, until they gave her reason not to be. Maybe she didn’t always respect the laws, but even when she broke them, she was polite doing it.Â
6. Nancy Had a Great Relationship With Her Father
This is probably something we weren’t necessarily consciously aware of, but I believe it played a significant role in our love of the series. Every little girl wants to be her father’s princess, and to have a loving, respectful relationship as they grow up. Nancy and Carson Drew modeled that relationship to a tee. Not having a mother in the picture (except for the housekeeper, Hannah, who often stepped into a nurturing role) certainly tightened the father-daughter bond. I loved how he was equally concerned for her safety, yet proud of her accomplishments in solving cases.
These are six great reasons we loved Nancy Drew books, but I know there are many more. What would you add to the list?
Did your love of Nancy Drew spur onto into adulthood with reading in the cozy mystery genre? Read my free report on 5 Christian Cozy Mystery Authors to Try and sign up for my newsletter for other book recommendations.
