Nancy Drew Collection

My ND book collection, a work-in-progress

Yes, I’m obsessed with Nancy Drew. I read about her, I write about her, I collect anything with her image. I’m not alone. There are lots of Nancy Drew fanatics out there, and we meet once a year at Nancy Drew Conventions.

I currently own 35 out of the 56 classic Nancy Drew ‘picture cover’ hardcovers. There are older, more valuable copies out there — the very first Nancy Drew was published in 1930 — but these are the books I remember as a girl. They make a nice backdrop for the pair of Nancy Drew bookends I picked up at the 2012 Nancy Drew Convention in Phoenix, AZ.

The Dana Girls Mystery Stories by Carolyn Keene, Vols. 1, 2 & 4.
Cherry Ames, Army Nurse by Helen Wells.

I’ve begun to collect 2 more series books: The Dana Girls — because I liked the soft green covers — and Cherry Ames — as a nod to my nursing past. This book features a very pretty dust jacket. (Photo on the right).

Nancy Drew Collectibles

Below, my Nancy Drew collectibles to date: (clockwise from left) The Wisdom of Nancy Drew: Get a Clue Book and 12 Classic Cover Magnets, a Nancy Drew change purse, a Nancy Drew folk art painting by Amriel Simpson, a Nancy Drew Halloween Party goodie bag, The Secret of Shadow Ranch journal, Nancy Drew classic paper dolls and a Nancy Drew charm necklace.

Here is a closeup of the Nancy Drew charm necklace I made. I plan to collect charms from every Nancy Drew convention I attend. Yes, it’s a geeky thing to do, but I’m a geek from way back.

(left to right) a magnifying glass charm, The Secret of Shadow Ranch mini book, a Kachina doll charm, The Kachina Doll Mystery mini book, and a silhouette Nancy Drew charm.

On the left is a closeup of the Nancy Drew paper doll collection. The booklet features 3 Nancy paper dolls and 24 costumes from favorite mysteries of the 30s, 40s & 50s. This paper doll collection is available at The Sleuth Shop, as are a lot of the merchandise you see here.

Featured below are crafts and goodies gathered at Nancy Drew Conventions — my very first

Conference goodies

convention was this year in Phoenix, AZ — and includes (clockwise from left to right) a Nancy Drew handbag craft (seen in more detail below), a Secret of Shadow Ranch gift bag, a Nancy Drew Photo Mat Craft, a framed card of the Arizona desert, a Kachina doll purchased at a local souvenir shop, a plastic cactus filled with conference-related charms (it originally held candy – yum) and a canvas Nancy Drew 2012 Conference bag for carrying all the books I bought.

Nancy Drew Handbag Craft (back)

Nancy Drew Handbag Craft (front)

Nancy Drew Handbag Craft (hanging)

Finally, below is the goodie bag we earned by figuring out the clues to a crossword puzzle during the very first night of the conference. It contains a postcard listing the complete Judy Bolton Mystery Series, now available from Applewood Books, a hardcover copy of The Kachina Doll Mystery #62, a Kachina sticker book, 2 paperback copies of Nancy Drew Girl Detective #45 & #46 and a Guide to Sleuthing in the Arizona desert. All of these are contained in a cute little denim bag adorned with a Kachina doll charm and 2 buttons, as well as a warning note to stay out of Arizona. Which we all ignored.

Contents of Goodie Bag

ND Conference 2012 Goodie Bag