Ruth Fielding Revisted

I began reading the Ruth Fielding books a few months ago, and then I was sidetracked by other interests. I haven't read any series books in the last couple of months. I got started on the Ruth Fielding books again today. I finished #8 and started #9. So far, I feel like it is a good series. I can't give a firm opinion on exactly what I think about it until I get a bit further.

The Ruth Fielding section is now in progress. I have summaries for up through volume 8, but I have not yet posted them to the site. I may begin posting the summaries shortly. Usually I don't post any of them until I am done reading the entire series, but I may make an exception in this case.

After I read Ruth Fielding, I plan to read the Barbara Ann series. I recently completed my set, and I am eager to read the books. It is a four volume series, and I find that I really enjoy the obscure, short series. I'm looking forward to trying them out.

How much I like the different series books

So what do I really think about the different series showcased on my site? I have attempted to separate the series into groupings based on how much I like each series. This is very difficult since my opinion varies depending on my mood and how recently I have read any volumes in a certain series. If I were to rate these same series in a year, I would certainly rate a number of them differently. 

I read Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden when I was a child, and both series have heavily influenced me. The other series that I read when I first began collecting series books, including Judy Bolton and the Dana Girls, have also heavily influenced me. I tend to like books that are set in schools, such as colleges and boarding schools, and I also tend to like books that have mysteries which are set in various haunted places and adventures which take place in country settings. 

I do not like "travelogue" books very much, especially when the books include detailed history lessons. Because I do not like the travelogue books as much, I do not like many of the Vicki Barr and Shirley Flight books quite as much as other series books. Beverly Gray is an exception, since her travels are so exciting and never feel like a history lesson. 

I mention my likes and dislikes so that there is a point of reference for my opinions presented on this page. 

I have placed the books in groups that have a rating of 0 up to 5. The ones listed under 0 and 1 are series for which I find something lacking, although the books are readable and some books are still very good. All of the series listed under 2, 3, 4, and 5 are series that I very much like and the numbers represent how great that liking is. The series listed under 5 are my very favorite series. 

With the exception of the books listed under 5, the books are listed in random order within each section. The books that are rated 5 are listed in order by how much I like them, and these books will almost certainly be in the same order in another year. 

 5 = My favorites 

Nancy Drew 

Beverly Gray 

Outdoor Girls 

Sara Gay 

Trixie Belden 

Girl Scouts Mystery Series (Fairfax) 

4 = Very, very good series 

Sally Baxter 

Peggy Lane 

Adventure Girls by Clair Blank 

Boy Scout Explorers by Palmer (Wirt) 

Brownie Scouts by Wirt 

Judy Bolton 

Connie Blair 

3 = Very good series 

Blythe Girls 

Dana Girls 

Penny Parker 

Perry Pierce 

Mexican Mystery Stories for Girls by Helen Randolph 

Ruth Darrow 

Madge Sterling 

Flash Evans 

Doris Force 

2 = Good series 

Kay Tracey 

Girls of Central High 

Moving Picture Girls 

Trailer Stories for Girls 

Dot and Dash 

1 = So-so series which do have some very good books 

Shirley Flight 

Vicki Barr 

Girl Scouts by Wirt 

Dan Carter 

Penny Nichols

0 = Below average series 

Melody Lane 

Whitman Authorized Editions

Prices for early Nancy Drew books

There have been a few very early Nancy Drew books that have sold lately on eBay:

The Secret of the Old Clock w/DJ, 1930C-3, blank endpapers edition listing 4 titles on the front flap of the dust jacket, $787.00

The Hidden Staircase w/DJ, blank endpapers edition listing 6 titles on the front flap of the dust jacket, $326.21

The Hidden Staircase w/DJ, 1930C-3, blank endpapers edition listing 4 titles on the front flap of the dust jacket, $1492.65