Nancy Drew, Girl Detective...Then and Now!

Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #1: The Secret of the Old Clock. Grosset & Dunlap, 1930. ISBN 978-0448095011. Ages 9-12.

Nancy Drew becomes entangled in a case to determine the true heirs to the estate of the recently deceased Josiah Crowley. Nancy’s dislike for the Topham family, a snobbish, wealthy family that has laid claim to the estate,

prompts her to look into the matter, where she meets several friends and family of Josiah Crowley who are claiming that he wrote a later will. When one of them tells her that a clue to the location of the will was hidden in an old clock before he died, Nancy finds herself on a dangerous quest to find this mysterious old clock in the hopes of finding Josiah Crowley’s true will and providing for his rightful, and more deserving, heirs.

Keene, Carolyn. The Nancy Drew Files, Case #1: Secrets Can Kill. Pocket Books, 1986. ISBN 978-0671746742. Ages 10-14.

When Nancy Drew goes undercover as a high school student at Bedford High School in order to investigate a series of thefts, she expects it to be a piece of cake. But after someone sends her a videotape warning her to stay away, and then one of her main suspects ends up dead, Nancy finds herself even more determined to get to the bottom of this case. So when the line becomes blurred between allies and enemies, and she develops feelings for someone other than Ned, Nancy realizes that if she doesn’t figure things out soon, someone could get seriously hurt…or even end up dead.

Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew, Girl Detective #1: Without a Trace. Aladdin Paperbacks, 2004. ISBN 068986566X. Ages 9-12.

In the first book of this modernized version of the famous girl detective series, Nancy Drew gets caught up in not one, but two mysteries. While trying to determine who has been destroying the neighborhood zucchini patches and keep the neighbors from turning on one another, she meets a new neighbor, who kindly welcomes Nancy and her friends into her home. But things take a turn for the worse when her new neighbor discovers that her priceless Faberge egg is missing! Could the two crimes be linked? With the help of her friends Bess and George, Nancy is determined to get to the bottom of both of them, no matter what!

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic, 2008. ISBN 978-0439023481. Ages 12-14.

In the future, the United States has been replaced by Panem, a collection of 12 different districts ruled over by the Capitol. As punishment for districts rebelling in the past, Panem holds an annual televised reality show called the Hunger Games. Here, each district must send one boy and one girl to compete to the death, for only one teen can survive and win the game. District 12’s Katniss finds herself competing after volunteering to take her little sister’s place, and things get complicated when Peeta, District 12’s other competitor, confesses his love for her.

Meyer, Stephenie. Eclipse. Little, Brown and Company, 2007. ISBN 0316160202. Ages 12-14.

Bella must choose between her friendship with Jacob, a werewolf, and her relationship with Edward, a vampire. But when Seattle is ravaged by a mysterious string of killings, the three of them need to decide whether their personal lives are more important than the well-being of an entire city. In this third book in the series, the author satisfies readers by bringing Edward and Bella together again as they continue to fight off Victoria and her new coven of vampires. Continuing on from the previous book, she further develops the triangle between them and Jacob. Older tween readers will find themselves torn between Edward's old-fashioned, gentleman ways and Jacob's passionate advances.

Meyer, Stephenie. New Moon. Little, Brown and Company, 2006. ISBN 0316160199. Ages 12-14.

When the Cullens, including her beloved Edward, leave Forks rather than risk revealing that they are vampires, it is almost too much for eighteen-year-old Bella to bear. But she finds solace in her friendship with Jacob; that is until he is drawn into a "cult" and changes in terrible ways. In the author's second book in the series, we find Bella falling apart after the loss of her true love, but picked up and put back together by a new love interest, Jacob Black. This installment introduces the werewolves, and forces older tweens to choose between their loyalty to Edward and their interest in Jacob. Tweens will also be intrigued by the introduction of the Volturi and be further drawn into the world of vampires.

Meyer, Stephenie. Twilight. Little, Brown and Company, 2005. ISBN 0316015849. Ages 12-14.

When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human. The author's story creates a world so real that even the supernatural elements seem possible. She creates a love story that most older tween romantics will fall for because it tells of a world where even the awkward girl gets the boy. But tween readers will also identify with themes of being different and overcoming all obstacles in order to be with the one you love.

Levithan, David. Boy Meets Boy. Alfred A. Knopf, 2003. ISBN 0375832998. Ages 12-14.

In "this" school, the gay kids and the straight kids all get along just fine, the quarterback is a cross-dresser, and the cheerleaders ride Harleys--yet the road to true love is still a strange and winding path, as Paul discovers when he meets the boy of his dreams. While the idealistic peace between gay and straight students at Paul's high school is just short of utopian, the relationships and problems of the teenagers there are very real and believable. The story is a true study of love and relationships in an environment without hostility, and all older tweens will enjoy the variety offered in this simple tale.

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. Life As We Knew It. Harcourt, Inc., 2006. ISBN 0152058265. Ages 12-14.

Through journal entries sixteen-year-old Miranda describes her family's struggle after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. This is a harrowing account of a catastrophic event through the eyes of a teenager. Throughout the story the reader sees glimpses of Miranda trying to be a normal teenager despite having to watch her world crumble around her. Older tween readers will find the idea of an asteroid doing such damage both fascinating and sobering. They will also relate to Miranda's questions of whether a God exists, feelings of responsibility for her family, and dealing with the repercussions of her parents' divorce.

Brashares, Ann. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Delacorte Press, 2001. ISBN 0385730586. Ages 12-14.

During their first summer apart, four teenage girls, best friends since earliest childhood, stay in touch through a shared pair of secondhand jeans that magically adapts to each of their figures and affects their attitudes to their different summer experiences. The book follows different storylines of four friends and their journeys of self-discovery. While each of the four friends is unique and deals with their own unique situations, tween readers will identify with aspects of each of their stories as they experience circumstances that especially speak to tween girls, including death, illness, sex, relationships, divorce, and friendship.

Bray, Libba. A Great and Terrible Beauty. Delacorte Press, 2003. ISBN 0385732317. Ages 12-14.

After the suspicious death of her mother in 1895, sixteen-year-old Gemma returns to England, after many years in India, to attend a finishing school where she become aware of her magical powers and ability to see into the spirit world. The author creates a seamless blend of historical and fantasy fiction, drawing readers into a world where powerful young women are deeply contrasted against the role of the Victorian woman. Unlike the society in which she lives, the Realms allow Gemma the ability to control and shape her destiny, and use her power to change the fates of others. Tween girls will relate to the story's four young women and find a little piece of themselves in each of them.

Vaughn, Matthew. (Director). (2007). Stardust [Motion picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures. Ages 12-14.

To win the heart of beautiful but shallow Victoria, Tristan journeys beyond the stony wall into the fantasy kingdom of Stormhold to recover a fallen star. There, a dying king sets his four surviving sons on a quest for the crown, and the witch Lamia seeks the heart of the star. While the book this film was based on was originally written for adults, the story of Tristan speaks to older tweens who have ever felt the need to go to the ends of the earth for the one they love. It also tells of a boy who is eager to find out what his purpose is in life and what his true origins are, something that affects many tweens today. They will also enjoy the film's magic and adventure that accompany Tristan on his journeys.

Shankman, Adam. (Director). (2002). A Walk to Remember [Motion picture]. United States: Warner Bros. Pictures. Ages 10-14.

Love brings together what peer pressure and lifestyles seek to keep apart. Jamie is a straight-laced preacher's daughter and Landon is an unmotivated delinquent. When events thrust him into her world, he begins an unexpected journey he'll never forget. While the book this film was based on was originally written for adults, the story speaks to older tweens as well and the film does a wonderful job of conveying the beautiful romance between good girl Jamie and bad boy Landon. Tweens will relate to issues of love, relationships, and religion found in the movie, and identify with aspects of both characters as they fight peer pressure and discover who they are meant to be.

Miyazaki, Hayao. (Director). (2004). Howl’s Moving Castle [Motion picture]. United States: Walt Disney Home Entertainment. Ages 9-14.

After being cursed by the Witch of the Waste and turned into an old woman, young Sophie turns to the handsome young magician Howl and his band of misfits as she joins him on his four-legged walking “castle” as the new housekeeper. Befriending the fire demon Calcifer who is bound to Howl, Sophie is determined to find a way to break the witch’s spell and enlists his help. Soon Sophie is whisked across a magical world filled with wonderful sites and senseless war. And she soon realizes that in her quest to break her own spell, she may be able to break Howl’s as well. Based on the enchanting novel by Diana Wynne Jones.

O’Haver, Tommy. (Director). (2004). Ella Enchanted [Motion picture]. United States: Miramax. Ages 9-14.

When Ella was born, she was given the gift of obedience by her fairy godmother. Now as a young girl, she finds that the gift has become more of a curse. For when her mean-spirited stepsister finds out about Ella’s “gift,” she tortures her for the fun of it. But even that is tolerable when she falls in love with Prince Char. Unfortunately, Char’s evil uncle has different plans for the two, and decides to use Ella’s unfortunate gift to secure his role as King once and for all. This modern retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale is based on the Newbery Honor book by Gail Carson Levine.

Lasky, Kathryn. Chasing Orion. Candlewick Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0763639822. Ages 10-14.

In the summer of 1952, polio has spread throughout Indiana, causing a widespread panic. With pools closed and camps cancelled, Georgie is stuck at home all summer in a new neighborhood with nothing to do. That is, until she discovers that her next-door neighbor is a beautiful young teenage girl stuck in an iron lung. Fascinated by Phyllis’s eighty-seven cubic centimeters of air, Georgie vows to help Phyllis and works to bring her and her brother Emmett together. But Georgie realizes that Phyllis has other plans in store for Emmett, and soon Georgie must save Emmett from Phyllis's deception before it is too late.

In this coming-of-age story, Georgie is facing life in a new part of town, having to go to a new school and make all new friends. In addition, most of the things she loves to do that enable her to make friends are forbidden now due to the polio outbreak. Her only human contacts besides her family are Evelyn (the quirky girl she meets at the library) and Phyllis. Georgie first becomes entranced by the romanticism of Phyllis’s life in the iron lung, but her childlike innocence eventually enables her to see through all the lies and deception. There she finds a family who is determined to hang on to what little of their daughter they have left, and a daughter who wants so desperately to be freed from her iron prison, even if it means death. While Georgie’s situation is unique, the feelings she experiences are ones that tweens can relate to—trying to fit in, finding a purpose, living vicariously through older siblings, and wanting what she cannot have.

Kim, Young. Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1. Yen Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0759529434. Ages 12-14.

Bella meets and falls in love with Edward all over again in the first volume of this beautiful graphic novel adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. Her novel comes alive as Bella moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father and meets a coven of vampires who only hunt animals. Though she is forewarned, Bella cannot help falling for Edward, the brooding gentleman who can barely control his thirst for her blood. Together they begin to build a relationship that tests the very balance of both of their worlds.