Nancy Drew and Her Sister Sleuths: Essays on the Fiction of Girl Detectives Paperback – August 19, 2008 by Michael G. Cornelius

Description

Author: Cornelius Michael G.

Brand: McFarland

Package Dimensions: 13x226x204

Number Of Pages: 216

Release Date: 19-08-2008

Details: Product Description This collection of essays focuses on the girl sleuth, made famous by Nancy Drew but also characterized by other famous detectives like Cherry Ames, Trixie Belden, Linda Carlton, and even in contemporary media by Veronica Mars and Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series. Topics include the disputed origins of Nancy Drew and the Stratemeyer Syndicate; the intertwined relationships between the Syndicate and Nancy Drew’s many ghostwriters; the distinct and evolving textual identities of the Cherry Ames series; the adaptation of the traditional archetype by contemporary girl detectives like Veronica Mars, Lulu Dark, and Ingrid Levin-Hill; and the ways in which Harry Potter’s Hermione Granger, while a central character in the series, is often at odds with the male-centric, fantasy-genre world of Harry Potter himself. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here. From School Library Journal This collection of articles is an interesting and thought-provoking treatment of the cultural influences on the stories of girl detectives. The essays, most of them by university professors, include a brief history of the Stratemeyer Syndicate and the creation of Nancy Drew, first published in 1930, and an introduction to the two major authors of the Nancy Drew mysteries, Harriet Stratemeyer Adams and Mildred Wirt Benson. Both wrote under the name of Carolyn Keene and were involved in the corporate collaborative effort of the publisher, writers, and editors who produced books that were meant to entertain but were often questioned by librarians and teachers in terms of their literary value. Other selections examine the issues of race and xenophobia in the series and Nancy’s lack of technological knowledge and ability in spite of her strength and intellect and the changing cultural influences on that dearth of knowledge. Other essays look at series about Linda Carlton, Cherry Ames, Trixie Belden, and teen sleuths such as Hermione Granger. A great choice for all who are interested in the evolution of the girl detective in American youth literature.—Rebecca Sheridan, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review “an excellent addition…recommended”―Choice; “interesting…thought-provoking…a great choice”―School Library Journal; “an absorbing read”―Feminist Collections; “valuable collection…most of the essays are highly readable and cover fresh ground”―Mystery Scene; “a welcome addition”―Dime Novel Round-Up; “interesting, useful, and sometimes entertaining volume”―Children’s Literature Association Quarterly. About the Author Michael G. Cornelius is an award-winning novelist and the author or editor of numerous scholarly works. He is the chair of English and Communications at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.Melanie E. Gregg is an associate professor of French at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.