As a kid, I read all of the Nancy Drew books. I couldn't get enough of the young detective and her sleuthing skills!For the Books on the Nightstand summer BINGO challenge, I got the box "cozy mystery." Unfamiliar with cozy mysteries, Wikipedia informed me that one of the criteria is strong, female detective characters. I decided to pick up a Nancy Drew from my childhood bookshelf, and see if it was as magical as I remember.I was a bit worried that "adult me" wouldn't be as impressed with Nancy's cunning as "pre-teen me." But nostalgia won the day, and I was immediately transported to the familiar world of Nancy's New England home, and her conspiratorial cousins.What impressed me as an adult was how forward-thinking these books were. I'm not going to claim that these are total feminist handbooks, but for a book from 1955, I was struck by Nancy's independence, intelligence, and leadership qualities. Carson (Nancy's dad) basically gives her the keys to her chic convertible, and despite the housekeeper's concerns, tells Nancy that she's a smart girl and she should go after her dreams in the wider world. Though the plots aren't quite as complex as I remembered (the ending wasn't quite the plot-twist-shocker I'd recalled from childhood), I enjoyed watching Nancy use her smarts to help right a wrong in her community, and gain the respect of adults and local law enforcement in the process.Way to go, Nancy Drew!
This is one of my favorites of the Nancy Drew series. Having lived near the Amana Colonies for many years, the Amish cultural elements of the story were very familiar. Also, working in a local ER for so many years, I remember the reputation of both the Amish and Mennonite patients were that if they came to the ER complaining of "a little cut," they might well have a severed limb. Whereas so many of our patients came in with minor complaints that were hardly emergencies, the Amish and Mennonites only came in for very serious problems and tended to minimize their issues. Anyway, I enjoyed the close to home nature of this adventure.
What do You think about The Witch Tree Symbol (1956)?
The Witch Tree Symbol is a children's story by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym) and the 33rd book in the Nancy Drew series. Eighteen-year-old Nancy Drew finds a scrap of paper with a witch tree symbol drawn on it at the same time she discovers that valuable antiques have been stolen. And her search for the missing antiques leads her to Pennsylvania Dutch country in pursuit of a thief who stops at nothing to get rid of her.I’ve always been a voracious reader. So, as a child, one of my favorite things about summer was the frequent trips to our local library, which was less than a mile from our house. Like most young girls of a certain age (ahem), my love for mysteries started with Nancy Drew—there simply was no mystery too baffling that she couldn’t solve. And as I would read her most current adventure, I would imagine myself following in her footsteps … taking charge and plunging ahead, getting into mischief, chasing down culprits and solving the mystery. Even though I haven’t re-read any of these books since I was a child, I still think that Nancy is a great character—her courage, confidence and fierce independence, makes her an iconic source of inspiration for young girls everywhere. A must-read children's book, The Witch Tree Symbol is another wonderful Nancy Drew mystery.
—Phe☽♃
