As of this month, we’re half way through our Children’s Classics Mystery Challenge here at 5 Minutes for Books! Have you gotten to everything you wanted to? Do you still have books and friends you want to revisit? Perhaps you have a new friend or two to make yet – I know I do! Last month seemed to be the month of Encyclopedia Brown and he’s a guy I’ve yet to meet. I’m hoping to spend time getting to know him soon. This month, however, I caught up with some old pals of mine, the Dana Girls.
Bluestocking also mentioned The Dana Girls a few months back and I’d encourage you to go read her post as she gives a good introduction to them. Actually, I’m going to quote from her review of the Dana Girls (with permission) and then you ought to go and read it yourself!
The Dana girl mysteries are about two sisters Louise and Jean Dana. They are orphans being raised by their uncle, Captain Ned Dana, and their Aunt Harriet with the maid Cora Appel. They attend a private boarding school called Starhurst, whose headmistress is Mrs. Crandall. They have their friends Evelyn Starr and enemies Lettie Biggs and Ina Mason.
This month I delved into The Secret At Lone Tree Cottage
Naturally, the Dana girls have as interesting a publishing and author history as any of their peers. The first four books were written by Leslie McFarlane who also used the pseudonym of Franklin F. Dixon (which should ring a bell to you Hardy Boy fans!) The Dana Girls were also written by authors of the Nancy Drew books. This series is quite enjoyable and I add my enthusiasm to Bluestocking’s in recommending them to you. If you haven’t heard of them before, you can get a quick history of the Dana Girls from THIS WEBSITE.
In the meantime, I’m looking forward, once again, to seeing what you all read and wrote about this month! Hope you are (still) having fun!
We have a special giveaway just for you! Jennifer has a brand new copy of The Whispering Statue that she’d like to send to one of you (U.S. shipping addresses only).
We’d love for you to receive this book and read it before the end of the challenge in June (but there are no strings attached). It could be your first Nancy Drew Mystery or a return to an old favorite. Indicate in your comment that you are interested in winning the book (if you aren’t, you can still comment on this post). We’ll announce the winner on Wednesday March 17.
Carrie comes by her book obsession honestly, having descended from a long line of bibliophiles. She blogs about books regularly at Reading to Know and Reading My Library.
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A twofer this month, because it’s also Youth Art month. The first mystery is “From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,” a classic and a Newbery Award winner. The second, a pretty new one, is “Chasing Vermeer.” Both are a lot of fun, with plots centered on the world of art, art theft and art fraud.
Oooh….Ilsa and I both love Nancy Drew. Have you seen the new graphic novels? They are kinda fun. We’d love to win!
I really, really want to read a Dana Girls Mystery but I can’t find them! boo!
I’ve never heard of the Dana Girls! Nancy Drew I know well. Even though I was a little disappointed in returning to her after all these years I’d still enjoy having another of her books. 🙂
I was very interested to hear the reference above about a children’s book about Vermeer. There’s something about the quality of light in a Vermeer painting that moves us silently right back into the past (which can sometimes be so much more illuminating than the present).
Sounds like another great giveaway….sign me up
I would love to win this book.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
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I would love to expand my Nancy collection…to two books! And yes, I hope to read for next month’s challenge!
I would love to win/read this book!
I was an avid Nancy Drew fan growing up. I would like to win The Whispering Statue to share with my eight year old niece. From The Mixes-up Files of Mrs.Basil E. Frankweiler was great my students loved it.
enyl(at)inbox(dot)com
I read every Nancy Drew book I could find when I was growing up, but somehow I never owned any of them. We were big library patrons, as I still am! I would love to own a Nance Drew book, and if I win I promise to read it and enter the challenge.
Oh, my daughter loves mysteries. I’d love to win the book Thanks.
I would love to win The Whispering Statue. My oldest daughter has really gotten into Nancy Drew, and it would be so fun to read this with her!
I’d love to win. I’ve just discovered the Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer adventure mysteries beginning with Sorcery and Cecelia. Much fun. I really like the Blue Balliett ones – Chasing Vermeer, The Calder Game, and The Wright 3.
This would be fantastic for julie. what a great giveaway
Nancy Drew and Trxie Belden ~ my 2 favorite series!
Please enter me.
hawkes(at)citlink.net
I read many, many Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries as a kid, but have never heard of the Dana Girls. Would love to win!
This looks like fun!
janemaritz at yahoo dot com