Nancy Drew books are written at an 8 to 12 year old ’ sulfur reading level ; however, that does NOT mean that the situations in the books are appropriate for every 8 to 12 year old. Reading degree does not dictate whether or not a book is justly for your child. There are some issues in the books that may mean it is not right for your 8 – 12 year old .
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Heads up that this article is NOT about any of the many spin offs and modern reimagining of the Nancy Drew character. I have THOUGHTS about The Nancy Drew Files, and many of the other spinoffs, but I ’ ll save those for another post. This is merely about what you should know about the plain-old Nancy Drew books .
Nancy’s Age and the Adult World
Nancy Drew is 18 years old. ( 16 if you happen to have your ma ’ s original-edition books. They aged Nancy up in late editions because they realized she wasn ’ t acting like a normal 16 year honest-to-god. ) How she stays sol youthful over so many books is a mystery, itself .
anyhow, she has some grown up problems and some grown up relationships. Most of the time she ’ s a estimable function model for how an 18 year old should handle herself. however, it does mean that if you give this to an 8 class old, the adversary they ’ re trying to relate to is a full moon ten older than them. There is something to be said for keeping the little in your female child .
Nancy Drew’s Beauty Standards
It was a different meter, and appearance mattered A LOT. There are so many instances in that book when it talks about what Nancy or Bess look like, and how bang-up it is that they ’ ra skinny .
Of naturally, it doesn ’ t come right out and say that, but that ’ s the idea that you get when every one book mentions Nancy ’ s spare shank and stylish blond bob. just something to keep in take care before you hand it to your tween .
Dark Content
The Nancy Drew books are rather dark in places. Do you remember in the beginning book, where there ’ s a kidnap ? Do you remember that it ’ second Nancy ’ s DAD who gets kidnapped ? ! ?
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One of the strengths of these books is that there are clear distinctions between good and evil, and department of justice is served. however, some of the subject might be besides dark for young readers to handle independently .
There are besides so many orphans in the Nancy Drew books, you ’ d think it was a Disney movie. Nancy ’ s own mother has died before the first book starts .
Racism in Nancy Drew Books
When Nancy Drew books were first being penned in the 1930s, having a divers bookshelf wasn ’ t in truth a finish. In fact, there were lots of portions of those original books that portray minorities in inaccurate and inappropriate ways. Any copies on your library ’ south shelves now are probably newer editions, but you need to be mindful that some Nancy Drew books with blatantly racist references are still floating around .
For a rocky reference, the original editions published between 1930 – 1959 control some racist passages. The majority of editions produced after 1959 have removed the offensive material. This means you ’ re probably dependable, because if you have a record older than 1959 you most probable aren ’ thymine handing it to your tween .
HOWEVER, the editions produced by Applewood Books starting in 1991 added the cut passages back in. ( They look like the cover above this section, with a colossus gold spine saying they are The Original. ) These books do have a caution in the get down of the book that they are authentic, and might be offensive. But what middle schooler reads and comprehends that ? ? I would avoid these editions .
The huge majority of Nancy Drew books in print today are produced by Simon & Schuster, so you should be o. however, take a quick glance at the publisher and go steady before you pick up a full set for your child at the use book sale.
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What Age Can Read Nancy Drew?
Every child is different. Every family is unlike. Hopefully all of this information will help you make an educated choice about when or if to hand these books to your child. Whenever you decide to break these out of repositing, make sure to keep the dialogue open about these issues .
If you ’ ra looking for person to compare to, in our home, it ’ mho at 12 years previous that I would hand my child a Nancy Drew script. however, it will have a awkward note on the front that says, “ You are beautiful precisely the way you are. ”
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