The History of Nancy Drew
© Mary M. Alward
The Nancy Drew Series hit the bookstores on April 28, 1930, just as the Great Depression was getting under way. Three books were released as a "breeder set." They were an instant success. Girls all over America were dying to get their hands on the next book in the series.
The three books that were released in 1930 were:
The Secret in the Old Clock, The Hidden Staircase, and The Bungalow Mystery. They were a great way to get away from the problems of the world and to help Nancy solve a good mystery.
In 1937, Togo, Nancy's dog, was introduced in The Whispering Statue. Fans had already met Bess Marvin, George Fayne (a tomboy) and Ned Nickerson.
In 1962, the cover of the Nancy Drew Books were changed to include a yellow spine. These made the books highly recognizable. I still have many of these books and as a child had some of the ones with the dark blue color.
By 1980, Simon & Schuster had begun publishing the Nancy Drew books. Many changes had taken place by this time. I might say that, in my opinion, they were not for the better. However, the publisher wanted the books to be more modern.
In 1992, the River Heights series ended. In 1994, the Nancy Drew Notebooks debuted (came out), and the Nancy Drew files, which debuted in 1986, ended.
Though I prefer to read the older versions of the series, the new ones are great reading for the modern generation. The older series can still be found in bookstores. Be sure to pick one up the next time you want to read a great mystery.
Mildred A Wirt, the original Carolyn Keene, died in 2002. She was 90 years old.
Author's Note:
Nancy Drew® is the registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved. This site is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Any of Simon & Schuster's Copyright material appearing on this site complies with fair or acceptable use principles established in U.S. and International coypright law for the purpose of review, study, criticism, or news reporting.
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