I accommodated myself to the differences between Nancy Drew and myself. We have something in common. It s being women, she told Christian -Smith. Today s mothers in both families are active in their daughters educations. They talk to their daughters about what they re reading.
Mothers are protective of their daughters, fearing for their safety in rough neighborhoods.
They do things to keep childre n at home, like inviting friends in after school to read together. Today s young readers know it s a tough world, with a broad gap between what they want to be and what their lives are actually like, says Christian-Smith. They want to survive and they find that is not as easy as it is for Nancy privileged, upper-middle c lass Nancy. Yet despite changing times, independent, self-reliant Nancy continues to instill courage.