Sisters, Schoolgirls, and Sleuths: Girls' Series Books in America
Many of us know Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, but this compendium provides the broader background of what came before them and what we see now as series books for girls. In 1867,Elsie Dinsmorewas published. In this long-running, moralistic series, Elsie, who lost her mother and was abandoned by her father, defied all odds and grew into a religious and upright citizen. Series really took off in the early 1900s when Edward Stratemeyer hit upon the idea of books written by ghostwriters, which allowed him to churn out story upon story to the delight of his readership. It was under his stewardship that Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey Twins, and the Hardy Boys appeared. In many ways, these series did not change much over the years in terms of offering girls specific ideals and mores of society in any given era. It wasn't until they had to contend with realistic YA fiction in the 1960s that girls opting for careers over family began to appear. This well-written and thoroughly researched volume follows the changes that Nancy Drew underwent. This intriguing history is for anyone interested in how we went from innocent Elsie Dinsmore to "Sweet Valley High" and "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." University libraries will be particularly interested in this title.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.