My mother was born in Canada and my grandparents immigrated to Canada as children. I discovered Enid Blyton and the Swallows and Amazon series as an adult. But I did discover Agatha Christie young and loved her books.
After reading your post I had a real “Circle of Life” moment! As a child I read The Bobbsey Twins. As a teen I read all the Nancy Drew books (and a few of my brother’s Hardy Boys books). As an adult I eagerly await every new China Bayles book. I am drawn to her as I am an avid gardener; however, I also realize there is an even longer draw in the China Bayles books. I have graduated from girl-sleuth books to woman-sleuth books! It all makes perfect sense. Thank you so much for continuing the rich history of sleuthing adventures. They have always fed my soul and continue to do so.
So many! I started off with my mom’s books, Meadow Brook Girls, lots of WW II books like Sparky Ames and the Ferry Command and The Three Secrets of Radar. Then all of the Betsy. The entire mystery bookcase at the library and on to my dad’s SF. Plus I remember most of them.
I loved Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Hardy Boys, as well as Sue Barton. As a USAF brat there were lots of moves across the country and long, long drives in the summer to the upstate NY family farm, and the lake. Lots of time to climb a tree and hide out from my sisters reading my books. I still always have a book in hand, using the kindle app on my phone!
I read Louisa May Alcott and the Little House series. Also Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys but nowhere near all of them. And the Bobbsey twins, Sue Barton (I wanted to be a nurse at that time). I also read the Penny Parrish and Tippy Parrish books by Janet Lambert, I probably read other of her books as well. Somehow I missed Anne of Green Gables, I think our library didn't have them. Now I'm rereading the Dahlia books (just finished a reread of China), and also rereading the Aunt Dimity series.
Trixie Beldon was my favorite growing up but I devoured everything I could find. I loved the Scholastic Books we could buy at school and the library was my best friend. Anything with a horse in it, especially Black Beauty, was of great interest. My favorite book as a YA was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. So thrilled to learn about your alter-ego, Carolyn Keene!
My first reading adventures included the "BobbseyTwins". My family took a long trip from the small town of Turkey, Texas to Bunkie, Louisiana. Checking out books to read while traveling, I chose " The Bobbsey Twins series. Later I began to read "The Boxcar Children" and "Nancy Drew" among others. I am a lifelong reader of many genres, especially mysteries, historical fiction, and psychology.
Wow, what an adventure in writing you have had. Being born and brought up- in the UK my childhood was filled with titles such as Moby Dick, The three Musketeers and the famous five .
My friend and I would sit together at school break time and fill blank pages with "scripts" talking back and forth and writing it down usually using our favourite TV show. - Great times. Liz
All those authors you mentioned caused memories to come flooding back. I feel like those early books made so many of us stronger more powerful women. I’m thrilled to know you were part of that. It makes it all feel more real. Add in the biographies of Clara Barton and other women who ignored traditional roles and you have books that changed the world.
I devoured Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys in 3rd-5th grades. Our school did not permit us to read them, so we all snuck around with fake book covers. I wonder today if the powers that be had found a sneaky way to ensure that we would all read something and become hooked.
I have enjoyed many of your books, the whole China Bayles series, and several of your stand alone books. I appreciate your research and compassion displayed in your writing. I think we would be good friends if we ever met. Thank you for all your hard work over the years.
My first Nancy Drew was The Clue in the Crumbling Wall. I went through all the ones that my school library had pretty quickly. I also read a bunch of Bobbsey Twins (also a Stratemeyer Syndicate series, I discovered on Wikipedia). I had books called The Pilgrim Twins and The Indian Twins that were part of a twins series, I believe, but I couldn't find anything about them with Google. I also loved Trixie Belden. One book that really sticks with me from childhood is The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I don't remember much about it now but I loved it at the time.
I had dozens of Little Golden Books. I used them in my "classroom" when I became "Mrs. Star" to "teach" my two little brothers. Poor babies! I was three and four years older, and our parents worked, leaving us home with a (kind but not "hands-on") housekeeper. When I was alone in my room, I read _Bobbsey Twins, Black Beauty, Old Yeller :( My parents bought a "How and Why" series from a door to door salesman. I was there when he came, and had never seen such fun-looking books: nursery rhymes, nature, stories. Now I know my parents could not afford these books, but gave in because I was so enchanted by them! These books were a huge influence in my life! They taught me through stories about insects and forest trees, vegetables, birds, wild animals ("The Animal Acrobat and Clown": "Little Friends in Feathers"), Persian rugs and Byzantine art. My parents and grandparents reading to me and an abundance of books in my home are How I Got to be Carolyn Keene (and an English teacher) when I grew up.
You have given to me SO much help
I first read Nancy Drew as an adult (of advanced age). I had no idea that one of my favorite authors also wrote Nancy books!!
My mother was born in Canada and my grandparents immigrated to Canada as children. I discovered Enid Blyton and the Swallows and Amazon series as an adult. But I did discover Agatha Christie young and loved her books.
After reading your post I had a real “Circle of Life” moment! As a child I read The Bobbsey Twins. As a teen I read all the Nancy Drew books (and a few of my brother’s Hardy Boys books). As an adult I eagerly await every new China Bayles book. I am drawn to her as I am an avid gardener; however, I also realize there is an even longer draw in the China Bayles books. I have graduated from girl-sleuth books to woman-sleuth books! It all makes perfect sense. Thank you so much for continuing the rich history of sleuthing adventures. They have always fed my soul and continue to do so.
So many! I started off with my mom’s books, Meadow Brook Girls, lots of WW II books like Sparky Ames and the Ferry Command and The Three Secrets of Radar. Then all of the Betsy. The entire mystery bookcase at the library and on to my dad’s SF. Plus I remember most of them.
I loved Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Hardy Boys, as well as Sue Barton. As a USAF brat there were lots of moves across the country and long, long drives in the summer to the upstate NY family farm, and the lake. Lots of time to climb a tree and hide out from my sisters reading my books. I still always have a book in hand, using the kindle app on my phone!
I read Louisa May Alcott and the Little House series. Also Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys but nowhere near all of them. And the Bobbsey twins, Sue Barton (I wanted to be a nurse at that time). I also read the Penny Parrish and Tippy Parrish books by Janet Lambert, I probably read other of her books as well. Somehow I missed Anne of Green Gables, I think our library didn't have them. Now I'm rereading the Dahlia books (just finished a reread of China), and also rereading the Aunt Dimity series.
Nancy Drew was always the books I was reading as a teen. It was really interesting to read about your life before China!
Trixie Beldon was my favorite growing up but I devoured everything I could find. I loved the Scholastic Books we could buy at school and the library was my best friend. Anything with a horse in it, especially Black Beauty, was of great interest. My favorite book as a YA was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. So thrilled to learn about your alter-ego, Carolyn Keene!
My first reading adventures included the "BobbseyTwins". My family took a long trip from the small town of Turkey, Texas to Bunkie, Louisiana. Checking out books to read while traveling, I chose " The Bobbsey Twins series. Later I began to read "The Boxcar Children" and "Nancy Drew" among others. I am a lifelong reader of many genres, especially mysteries, historical fiction, and psychology.
Wow, what an adventure in writing you have had. Being born and brought up- in the UK my childhood was filled with titles such as Moby Dick, The three Musketeers and the famous five .
My friend and I would sit together at school break time and fill blank pages with "scripts" talking back and forth and writing it down usually using our favourite TV show. - Great times. Liz
All those authors you mentioned caused memories to come flooding back. I feel like those early books made so many of us stronger more powerful women. I’m thrilled to know you were part of that. It makes it all feel more real. Add in the biographies of Clara Barton and other women who ignored traditional roles and you have books that changed the world.
I devoured Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys in 3rd-5th grades. Our school did not permit us to read them, so we all snuck around with fake book covers. I wonder today if the powers that be had found a sneaky way to ensure that we would all read something and become hooked.
I have enjoyed many of your books, the whole China Bayles series, and several of your stand alone books. I appreciate your research and compassion displayed in your writing. I think we would be good friends if we ever met. Thank you for all your hard work over the years.
Hi--I just left a comment, and it vanished! Should I try again?It was about 5 minutes ago~started with "I had dozens of Little Golden Books"
My first Nancy Drew was The Clue in the Crumbling Wall. I went through all the ones that my school library had pretty quickly. I also read a bunch of Bobbsey Twins (also a Stratemeyer Syndicate series, I discovered on Wikipedia). I had books called The Pilgrim Twins and The Indian Twins that were part of a twins series, I believe, but I couldn't find anything about them with Google. I also loved Trixie Belden. One book that really sticks with me from childhood is The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I don't remember much about it now but I loved it at the time.
I had dozens of Little Golden Books. I used them in my "classroom" when I became "Mrs. Star" to "teach" my two little brothers. Poor babies! I was three and four years older, and our parents worked, leaving us home with a (kind but not "hands-on") housekeeper. When I was alone in my room, I read _Bobbsey Twins, Black Beauty, Old Yeller :( My parents bought a "How and Why" series from a door to door salesman. I was there when he came, and had never seen such fun-looking books: nursery rhymes, nature, stories. Now I know my parents could not afford these books, but gave in because I was so enchanted by them! These books were a huge influence in my life! They taught me through stories about insects and forest trees, vegetables, birds, wild animals ("The Animal Acrobat and Clown": "Little Friends in Feathers"), Persian rugs and Byzantine art. My parents and grandparents reading to me and an abundance of books in my home are How I Got to be Carolyn Keene (and an English teacher) when I grew up.