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In the future, the United States has been replaced by Panem, a collection of 12 different districts ruled over by the Capitol.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.

Nix, Garth. Sabriel. HarperCollins, 1995. ISBN 0060273224. Ages 12-14.

Sabriel, daughter of the necromancer Abhorsen, must journey into the mysterious and magical Old Kingdom to rescue her father from the Land of the Dead. In this first book of the trilogy, readers are introduced to Sabriel and the Old Kingdom as she fights to save her father. Tweens will identify with her need to discover who she truly is and be drawn in to her quest to fight evil and find the only man who can truly give her those answers and show her what she is to become.

Houston, Jeanne Wakatsuki, and Houston, James D. Farewell to Manzanar. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1973. ISBN 0913374040. Ages 9-14.

The true story of one spirited Japanese American family's attempt to survive the indignities of forced detention, and of a native-born American child who discovered what it was like to grow up behind barbed wire in the United States. This true story offers a real look at Japanese Internment during World War II, but does so through a child's eyes, simplifying the experience in some ways. The content can be more appropriate for older tweens at times, dealing with issues like death and alcoholism. Tweens will identify with Jeanne's struggle to be herself when her family tells her it’s one thing and society tells her it’s another.

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.

Pullman, Philip. The Ruby in the Smoke. Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1985. ISBN 0394895894. Ages 12-14.

In nineteenth-century London, sixteen-year-old Sally, a recent orphan, becomes involved in a deadly search for a mysterious ruby. Though Sally's quest to find her father's murder and solve the mystery of the ruby is a fantastic one set in unfamiliar times, tweens will identify with Sally's need to discover the truth and find her place in a world she has been thrust into all alone. Tweens will also enjoy the book's seamless blending of mystery, adventure, and historical fiction. While there is mild drug use, it is portrayed in a negative and harmful light.

Barker, Clive. Abarat. Joanna Cotler Books, 2002. ISBN 0060280921. Ages 9-14.

Candy Quackenbush of Chickentown, Minnesota, one day finds herself on the edge of a foreign world that is populated by strange creatures, and her life is forever changed. Candy's story is like many other fantasy novels involving young children--it is a story of a young girl desperate to escape the cruel realities of her world and submerge herself into another world that is the complete opposite. Tweens will relate to Candy because of this as she flees an alcoholic father and depressed mother, striking out on her own in a strange world in order to make some kind of difference.

Pullman, Philip. The Golden Compass. Alfred A. Knopf, 1996. ISBN 978-0679879244. Ages 10-14.

Accompanied by her daemon, Lyra Belacqua sets out to prevent her best friend and other kidnapped children from becoming the subject of gruesome experiments in the Far North. As Lyra is forced to grow up at a young age without a father or mother present, she takes on a motherly role when her best friend Roger is kidnapped. Selflessly attempting to save him and traveling to the ends of the world to bring him back safely, Lyra demonstrates that even in the most horrible of situations, sometimes love, compassion, and determination are all you need to find your place in the world.

Paolini, Christopher. Eragon. Alfred A. Knopf, 2003. ISBN 978-0375826689. Ages 10-14.

In Alagaesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage named Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters. This is an epic tale of a boy whose simple life falls apart with the discovery that he is meant to be more than he could have ever imagined--a Dragon Rider. Tweens who love fantasy will love this first book in a series full of action and adventure, and identify with Eragon's solitary quest to discover who he truly is and what he is meant to do with his newfound abilities.

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.

Waters, Mark. (Director). (2008). The Spiderwick Chronicles [Motion picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures. Ages 9-12.

When the Grace family moves into the old Spiderwick Estate, strange things begin to happen. Jared is blamed early on because of his anger issues, but after discovering Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide in a secret room in the house, Jared slowly convinces his sister Mallory and twin brother Simon of the secret world of fantastical creatures that lies hidden within their own. So when the evil ogre Mulgarath gets wind of the field guide’s existence, the Grace family puts aside their differences and fights the ogre army in order to protect the book and its secrets, as well as their fragile family. Based on the beloved series by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black.

Claus, Richard. (Director). (2006). The Thief Lord [Motion picture]. United States: Twentieth Century Fox. Ages 10-14.

After Prosper and Bo’s mother dies, Prosper rescues Bo from their evil aunt and uncle and they run away to Venice (their mother always told them it was a magical place). There they run into the Thief Lord, who turns out to be a wealthy boy named Scipio who has taken in a band of orphans. These orphans normally help him steal from the rich, including his neglectful father, but when a mysterious job is offered to the Thief Lord for a large sum of money, Scipio and his gang are plunged into an adventure involving a magical carousel capable of altering time itself. Based on the bestselling book by Cornelia Funke.

Shriner, Wil. (Director). (2006). Hoot [Motion picture]. United States: New Line Cinema. Ages 9-14.

As the new kid in town, Roy isn’t making any friends. So when he stumbles upon social outcast Mullet Fingers and his tough stepsister Beatrice, he is immediately intrigued by how different they are (despite the fact that they call him "Cowgirl"). And then he discovers that they are fighting to save the homes of some burrowing owls, and Roy quickly risks everything to join their cause. But can three kids make any difference against a big shot corporation, or will they have to resort to something more illegal? Based on the winner of the Newbery Honor Award by Carl Hiaasen.

Patterson, James. Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. Little, Brown & Company, 2005. ISBN 031615556X. Ages 11-14.

Max is just a kid, but she’s a kid with a lot of responsibilities—five brothers and sisters to be exact. Oh, and she and her siblings can fly. After the mutant Erasers abduct their youngest sister Angel, the “bird kids,” who are the result of genetic experimentation, take off in pursuit. Throughout their adventurous journey, they also find themselves struggling to understand their own origins and purpose as they fight to keep the only family they’ve ever known together, no matter what the cost.

This story, as well as the others in Patterson’s bestselling series, is adventure-packed and the characters are well developed. The plot is fast-paced and visually dynamic, with short chapters perfect for keeping even the most reluctant reader’s attention. The story tells of a futuristic world when child mutants are created to fight man’s wars in hopes of gaining the most power, even at the expense of the child. Tweens will have an easy time relating to the recombinants’ feelings of not belonging and feeling different, as well as Max’s feelings of responsibility for her younger siblings.

Scott, Michael. The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. Delacorte Press, 2007. ISBN 978-0385733571. Ages 10-14.

Josh never expected so much excitement and adventure when he took a job at Nick Fleming’s bookshop. One minute he’s searching for a book on the shelves, and the next minute he discovers his boss is the famed Alchemyst Nicholas Flamel. Soon he and his twin sister Sophie are caught up in a whirlwind of magic, creatures and immortal beings, and follow Flamel on a dangerous path to rescue his wife from the clutches of the evil John Dee, as well as discover their true magical potential.

Cunningham, David L. (Director). (2007). The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising [Motion picture]. United States: Twentieth Century Fox. Ages 9-14.

The seventh son of a seventh son, Will Stanton finds out that he is The Seeker on his fourteenth birthday. Meant to restore the balance between light and dark, he is challenged to find six signs hidden throughout time. With these signs in his possession he will obtain the power to defeat the Rider, who is gaining the power necessary to destroy the Light. With the help of the Old Ones, Will takes on the Rider in a final battle of Light versus Dark, and consequently restores his family as well. Loosely based on the second book in Susan Cooper’s popular series.

Columbus, Chris. (Director). (2010). Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief [Motion picture]. United States: Fox2000 Pictures. Ages 11-14.

Percy Jackson has always felt different—his ADHD and dyslexia keep him from ever feeling like anything but a failure. But after being attacked by a Fury looking for Zeus’s lightning bolt, he discovers that he is the son of Poseidon—a demi-god. Sent to Camp Half Blood to train, Percy soon embarks on a great adventure with Grover (his satyr protector) and Annabeth (daughter of Athena) to find the lightning bolt and stop the gods from waging an all-out war. Based on the first book in Rick Riordan’s bestselling series.