The Sign of The Twisted Candles by Carolyn Keene, narrator: Danica Reese

What a strange story. Bess and George have an extended family member who owns an inn. None of the family have seen him in awhile so they, along with Nancy, stop in to see how he is doing. Ages ago, he invented a twisted candle that, as it burns, the wax melts toward the bottom so it wastes less wax.

It turns out that it is his one hundredth birthday, but he has been relegated to the inn's tower by the people running his inn. Their foster daughter is the only person to visit him. Except that today, Nancy brazens her way in along with some food. Later, the foster daughter is able to call and ask Nancy to return with her father the next day. The old man makes his will, then dies the next day.
While Nancy is trying to solve the mystery of his hidden treasures, she is also trying to understand the fact that, because one of Bess and George's relative's said she was working against them, her best friends are no longer speaking to her.

Three stars
Nancy Drew #9

Follows Nancy's Mysterious Letter

Followed by Pasword to Larkspur Lane

This book came out in 1933

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene, narrator: Jessie Birschbach

Ira Dixon, Nancy's mail carrier, is about to retire. It's his age that has her offering him a ride during a violent storm and then setting him up with a hot beverage. It is her kindness that kicks off the mystery when the last of his mail is stolen from their front porch, including a note for Nancy and a package for her father. This puts his job, and his retirement, at risk.

Ira remembers just enough about the letter that Nancy can back track and find out that it came from a law firm in England. It wasn't actually meant for her. Nancy Drew has inherited a large sum of money and, so far, our Nancy is the only one they've found. But, coincidentally, Nancy Smith Drew is helping with a play at Ned's university. Do the two mysteries link up? Yes, but it's a very thin thread. 

Three stars

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #8

Follows The Clue in the Diary

Followed by The Sign of the Twisted Candles

This book came out in 1933

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Clue in the Diary by Carolyn Keene

The book opens with Nancy, Bess, and George leaving a carnival where they met a young child, Honey, and her mother. The are on their way home when they witness a house bursting into flames. While making sure everyone is out of the house, Nancy meets a young man who is at first suspicious looking, but then she realizes is helping people. He introduced himself as Ned Nickerson. 

But that is all within the first part of the book. There is a missing father (Honey's), a man who has been duping inventors (and the owner of the house that burned), and a number of instances where Nancy is near death. 

I vaguely remember reading this as a child and enjoying it, but it is harder to suspend belief as an adult. 

Three stars

Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #7

Follows The Secret of Red Gate Farm

Followed by Nancy's Mysterious Letter

This book came out in 1932

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Muriel and the Mystery by Charlotte Parent

How adorable is this cover? It's what really drew me to request this book from NetGalley. 

Muriel is in the woods and comes upon a mystery. Then she sees it again.  Then she discovers it's home. But what she does next is a good lesson for us all. 

I think I may be a bit too pedantic for this book. The reveal of the mystery was confusing. I've discovered that the book was translated from French and wonder whether some of joy was lost in the translation. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out September 1, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Tundra Book Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Secret of Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene, narrator: Laura Linney

An interesting book.  Nancy is portrayed as fearless, getting her friends into a fine mess.  After Bess purchases some expensive perfume, which the shopgirl had tried to dissuade her from buying, she spills it on Nancy setting of a strange chain of events leading to the arrest of counterfeiters posing as a cult.  I don't remember reading this one before, though, like most young girls I feel like I had read the entirety of the original series.  A good read, with some great morals for girls about how to be both humble and helpful, fearless and fun-loving.

Three stars

Nancy Drew #6

Follows The Secret of Shadow Ranch

Followed by The Clue in the Diary

This book came out in 1931

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene, Mildred Benson (Ghostwriter)

Nancy is meeting Bess and George at their aunt and uncle's ranch. There's a phantom horse causing issues across the ranch and they are close to having to abandon the ranch altogether. But is there really a phantom? And does it have anything to do with the notorious outlaw Dirk Valentine who is reported to have hidden a treasure somewhere on the ranch?
Nancy gets knocked out in this book. This seems to happen to the poor girl so many times. This book is definitely dated - fascination with the old west, some of the clues wouldn't be as well known today, bit it is a fun book with a glimpse into the time the book was written.

Three and a half stars

Nancy Drew #5

Follows The Mystery at Lilac Inn

Followed by The Secret of Red Gate Farm

This book came out in 1931

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene, narrator: Laura Linney

This book starts with a literal bang when Nancy and her friend, Helen Goulding, are trying to outrun a storm but, when their boat hits a log, they have to swim for it. They are saved by Laura Pembleton who mentions that she might need Nancy's help. She has new guardians and is wary of them

The couple is certainly a piece of work. The wife is rude and demanding, even before she meets Laura. The husband nearly drives Nancy and Helen off the road. Things get stranger from there. 

This book is somewhat disjointed with parts and characters popping up without rhyme or reason but it was still an interesting read. 

Three stars

Nancy Drew #3

Follows The Hidden Staircase

Followed by The Mystery at Lilac Inn

This book came out in 1930

ARC kindly provided by Dover Publications and Netgalley

Opinions are my own

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene

Nancy is trying to relax and read a book but is having trouble concentrating. Luckily, she's interrupted by a knock on the door. Not so luckily, it's Nathan Gombet who is trying to get something from Carson Drew. Her father isn't home but, when he comes back, confirms that Gombet is someone that Nancy should avoid.

Luckily, she has a mystery to distract herself. There are a pair of elderly sisters who are concerned that their house is haunted. Nancy decides to stay at their house so she can experience what they are hearing. And it is certainly puzzling, but she is able to figure out what is happening in the end, leaving the sisters with a happy ending.

This book hasn't aged as well as the first one. I think it was just some of the language that made me realize how old these books are but I'm going to keep working my way through the series. 

Three stars

Nancy Drew #2

Follows The Secret of the Old Clock

Followed by The Bungalow Mystery

This book came out in 1930, rereleased June 16, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Dover Publications and Netgalley

Opinions are my own

The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene, narrator: Laura Linney

Seventy years later, this book holds up amazingly well. Of course, this is the series that was updated after it was found that the original series was a little, um, dated, especially in regard to the overtly racist overtones. This wasn't the first Nancy Drew book I read, but it's remains one of my favorites.

Nancy sees a young girl run into the road and almost get hit by a bus. Meeting the girl's great aunts sets her on the path of solving the mystery of a missing will. Interestingly, it's almost as much to spite the Topham sisters as it is to help a number of people that Nancy gets involved.

Four stars

Nancy Drew #1

Followed by The Hidden Staircase

This book came out in 1930

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell

Magdalena "Maggie" Fishbone is being moved from one orphanage to another. She knocked a boy (who, to be fair, was bullying some younger children) off a dock into the water. And for that, she's being sent to the Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls. Luckily, all is not as it seems. Though the atmosphere is initially dreary, Maggie is somewhat heartened to meet two other new girls, Nell and Sofie. She is even more heartned to meet the director, Miss Mandelay. She has an eye patch and an aluminum leg and is more concerned that the girls learn useful skills than that they are "good."

I read about this on NPR's Best Books and it did not disappoint. 

Four stars

This book came out January 1, 2024

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Double Fudge by Judy Blume

There are two Farley Drexel Hatchers? That's what Pete and his family discover on a trip to Washington, D. C. There, Pete's father rediscovers his cousin, Howie. Howie also has two girls, Flora and Fauna, who are about Pete's age in addition to the Farley who is a couple years younger than the Fudge we've grown to know and love. 

We also get to see past series favorites like Sheila Tubman and Jimmy Fargo, the latter of whom is moving out of the neighborhood with his father which upends Pete's world to no end.

Everything is changing but many things stay the same. A little more out there than some of the books in this series but still enjoyable. 

Four stars

Fudge #5

Follows Fudge-a-Mania

This book came out September 30, 2002

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Fudge-a-Mania by Judy Blume

It's summer (yay!) and Peter's parents have a lead on a place to stay. Too bad the tip came from Sheila Tubman's parents. And that he's going to be staying right next door to her all summer long. Add in shenanigans of Fudge wanting to marry Sheila, Buzz Tubman and Peter's grandmother getting along Very Well, and Peter not telling Jimmy where Sheila's actually staying before his best friend visits and you have a rollicking good story. 

Four stars

Fudge #4

This book came out in 1990

Follows Super Fudge

Followed by Double Fudge

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Superfudge by Judy Blume

Peter and Fudge are about to have some major life upheavals. First, their mother is pregnant. Second, they're going to be living in Princeton (NEW JERSEY!) for a year while their dad takes a sabbatical to write a book. 

Peter is NOT happy. And finding out he's going to be in the same school as Fudge makes it even worse, especially when he's called into the principal's office on the first day to help deal with Fudge. But he does make a new friend, Alex, so that's not so bad.

Is this book a little dated? In some ways. As with many of Blume's books, though, the overarching themes stand the test of time. 

Four stars

Fudge #3

This book came out in 1980

Follows Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great

Followed by Fudge-a-Mania

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great by Judy Blume

Sheila Tubman was a side character in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Now, she's front and center. She has a little bit of a lying problem along with a fear of swimming and dogs. Her family is getting out of the city for the summer and watching another family's house. And dog...

She's going to make some new friends this summer, including Mouse who isn't going to put up with Sheila's lies, but is surprisingly good at not calling her out on it. 

Four stars

Fudge #2

This book came out in 1972

Follows Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

Followed by Superfudge

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

This book actually holds up from my childhood and hearing Judy Blume read it herself was... just so amazing. 

Peter Hatcher is nine years old and is figuring out his life, especially having to navigate it with his two-year-old brother who everyone calls Fudge. Both are a little precocious but hearing about Peter's book report, and how others rely on him to help not only navigate the world (Fudge's birthday party and then Dad taking them to the moview) but to demonstrate to Fudge how he should be acting. Then there's navigating having a little brother who breaks into his room, destroys his homework, and eats turtle.

Four stars

Fudge #1

This book came out in 1972

Followed by Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Pippi Longstocking Astrid Lindgren, narrator Esther Benson

Is there anyone more endearing than this redheaded child? I remember giggling to beat the bands while reading this series as a child. She was just so... out there. I always wished that I had friends who scrubbed the floor with brushes on their feet and hid wonderful gifts for me to find. Sigh. Someday...

Although, listening to it as an adult, there is something a little more startling about nine-year-old child who lives by herself and lies incessantly though the book is still fun. 

Four stars

This book came out in 1945

Pippi Longstocking #1

Followed by Pippi Goes on Board

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Most Magnificent Team by Ashley Spires

The girl and her dog are going out to make a new thing. Only there's somebody already there. In her place. What is she to do? Except make a friend. But the two have very different working styles. Will they be able to work through them?
I normally enjoy Spires books and this one was... fine. While the conflict was well-defined, the resolution was a little mushier.  

Three and a half stars

This book comes out May 6, 2025

ARC kindly provided by Kids Can Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

How Spider Saved Valentine's Day by Robert Kraus

I just rediscovered this book from my childhood and it is adorable. It has some good repetition that children will enjoy because they can participate.

In this book, it's Valentine's Day. Spider, Ladybug, and Fly remember valentine  for each other but forget about the two hungry caterpillars who sleep in the back. Luckily,  they come up with a plan. And the caterpillars have a surprise of their own.

Fours stars

This book came out in 1986

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

The Most Magnificent Maker's A to Z by Ashley Spires

I had read "The Most Magnificent Thing" and really enjoyed it. This book was also a joy. With delightful illustrations, Spires goes through the alphabet with different words related to inventing. Like in the first book, Spires includes ideas around the fact that failure is not bad, it's just a way to cross off a path that didn't work and I love that. 

Four stars

This book comes out September 5, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Kids Can Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic by Betty MacDonald

Oh my goodness. I had forgotten how much I loved the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books. Every book is a collection of children with bad manners who are taught how to behave through some magical cure provided by Mrs. P-W. This particular book includes the tattle-tale cure (every time the children tattle, a big cloud with a tail forms above their heads), the interrupter cure (when someone tries to interrupt, their mouth either stays open or opens and shuts without noise), the sloppy eater cure (pig teaches child how to eat)and, one of my favorites, the cure for a heedless child (pills that make the child slow down so she has time to think before she breaks things.

Of course, none of these would work for today's kids (notwithstanding the fact that none of these things actually exist) but it's still a cute lesson for kids on how to behave.

Four stars
This book came out in 1949

Follows Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Followed by Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own