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The first volume in the long-running girl detective series, "The Secret of the Old Clock," was published 90 years ago under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. In a tr...ibute to the iconic sleuth, author Theodore Jefferson writes, Agency. It is that which forms the foundation for any hero’s ability to save the day. In America, agency for teenage girls in literature made its debut in 1930 in the person of Nancy Drew. This original Mighty Girl character paved the way for many more heroic female characters and inspired generations of real-life girls and women. Ghostwritten by Mildred Wirt Benson and later revised by Harriet Stratemeyer Adams, the first volume of Nancy Drew had a huge influence on young readers. Jefferson writes, Nancy Drew provided them with stories of someone like themselves who had a positive effect on the world instead of passively sitting at home She is a character with that magical ‘what if’ question woven into her identity, and one that effortlessly captures the imaginations of readers by allowing them to participate in a world where the answers to that question are just as entertaining as the stories themselves. At the time, some viewed Nancy Drew as a poor role model, contradicting adults while she squared off with the villains she is mechanically inclined and at the same time doesn’t act like most people in the 1930s would have expected a teenage girl to act. In fact, many libraries and bookstores refused to carry the Nancy Drew stories. Despite -- or because of -- that disapproval, kids collected the books voraciously, and in the midst of the Depression, used copies were shared and traded like trading cards are today. As a result, any kid, even those who couldn’t afford new books, would very likely get to read every adventure starring their favorite character. The tremendous influence of Nancy Drew continues to this day asserts Jefferson: It is difficult to overstate how powerful Nancy Drew’s presence remains in literature and in other media. She has influenced film, comics, video games and animation for [90] years, and will continue to do so as long as teenage girls take the lead as our heroes in the imaginative worlds of adventure." To share your love of the Nancy Drew series with a new generation, there is a beautiful box set of the first four classic Nancy Drew books at https://www.amightygirl.com/nancy-drew-mystery-stories There is also a new 90th Anniversary Collection of the Nancy Drew Diaries for ages 8 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/nancy-drew-diaries-90th-anniver For younger children, there is a fun set of Nancy Drew chapter books designed for new readers, "Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Collection," for ages 6 to 9 at https://www.amightygirl.com/nancy-drew-clue-crew-collection Adult fans will also love the Nancy Drew Dolman Sleeve Shirt, available in women's sizes small to 3XL, at https://www.amightygirl.com/nancy-drew-dolman-shirt Long-time fans will also enjoy the 1000-piece Nancy Drew Puzzle featuring dozens of the classic book covers at https://www.amightygirl.com/nancy-drew-jigsaw-puzzle To learn more about the fascinating story of Nancy Drew ghostwriter Millie Benson, we recommend the youth biography on "The Secret Case of the Nancy Drew Ghostwriter and Journalist" for ages 10 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/missing-millie-benson For more girl-empowering books starring mystery-solving Mighty Girls for all ages, check out our blog post, Elementary, My Dear Mighty Girl: 50 Books Starring Mighty Girl Detectives at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=12393 To read Jefferson's entire essay on The Mary Sue, visit http://bit.ly/1bk0r1o

I can't believe I found a receipt in old book from this bookstore. I forgot all about it. It was a few blocks from here and it was usually closed with a sign in the door that said "Open By Chance Or Appointment ". That was in the old days before all the gentrification when it was possible to run a store that way It kind of sucks now having to work all the time to keep our head above water.

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Look what I found in the middle of Contemporary Urban novels! I guess that's the sign of a classic, it can be found anywhere and always fit in....yes, The Adventures of Ghetto Sam would be at home in any library...