The Beverly Gray series is best read in order, since the events are sequential. It is one of my all-time favorite series, just behind Nancy Drew. I feel like everyone who likes series books should at least give it a try. For those who wish to try out the Beverly Gray series, there are certain titles that will work.
The first four books, Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior, can be read without having read any of the others. Each book's plot takes place during one of Beverly's years in college. In fact, the first book that I read in the Beverly Gray series was Beverly Gray, Junior. I had found an A. L. Burt edition with dust jacket in a used bookstore. I bought it since I knew it had value and could always sell it if I didn't like it. The book made quite an impression on me. I still remember vividly where I was and the circumstances surrounding my reading of it. I also remember that I immediately began buying Beverly Gray books on eBay, and at that particular time, the pickings were slim. After a while, though, I had the complete set except for World's Fair.
It is only the series books that are the most important to me for which I remember the first reading so clearly. The other ones are Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton, and Trixie Belden. I believe I read my first Nancy Drew book in the summer that I turned seven. I remember so clearly spending a few hours reading the opening chapters of The Secret of the Old Clock while sprawled in a chair in the living room. That one day was the origin of my love of reading.
To go back to Beverly Gray, Career and World's Fair could probably be read just to try out the series (not that anyone who wants to try the series is randomly going to find World's Fair first), but I would not suggest these two titles as they are somewhat transitional between the College books and the World Cruise books.
World Cruise, Orient, Treasure Hunt, and Return are the books during which Beverly Gray and her friends take their world cruise. They travel to Great Britain, then through Europe, Egypt, the Middle East, India, China, and finally to some Pacific Island where there are cannibals. These books are best read as a group. They could be read as someone's introduction to the series, provided that World Cruise is the first one. The remaining titles in this group would be harder to follow as someone's first exposure to the series. This group of books is my favorite part of the series.
Reporter and Romance could both be read to try out the series, since the stories are mostly complete within each volume. Quest is another book in which Beverly travels to an exotic location and meets up with cannibals, and the story is complete in itself. Problem is the first Beverly Gray book that is like a Nancy Drew mystery. This story is complete in itself.
Adventure, Challenge, Journey, and Assignment are also all like the Nancy Drew mysteries and are good books to sample. Assignment is one of my favorites in the entire series.
Mystery and Vacation are both books that could be used to sample the series, but I do not recommend using either of them. I did not enjoy either book this time through, so I feel that they are among the weaker books in the series.
Fortune has Beverly and her friends back in an exotic location with superstitious natives and is also a good stand-alone book to try out.
Island Mystery, Discovery, Scoop, and Surprise are among the best books in the series, and any of them would be a good one to read as the first book.
As partially indicated above, my favorite Beverly Gray books are #6-9, #12, #13, #17, and #20-25.
Why do I like the Beverly Gray series? It is because the series appeals to my sense of adventure. Thrilling events occur almost constantly, so there is seldom a dull moment. Humor is also a very important part of the Beverly Gray series, and the character of Lenora Whitehill is a hoot.
Some people prefer their books to be plausible, so anyone who is like that will not like the Beverly Gray series. Most of Beverly's adventures are over-the-top and unlikely to happen in real life. The Beverly Gray series is like a soap opera, and it was described as a soap opera in one of the Yellowback Library articles. It is quite unlike any other vintage juvenile series. If you have never read a Beverly Gray book, give it a try. You have nothing to lose.
4 comments:
I enjoyed your posts about Beverly Gray. My mother had read these as a girl and not Nancy Drew...maybe she was too old for those. I remember her reading one or two Beverly Gray books to me. I really should pick up some copies of these and read them. You make them sound great.
I too have enjoyed reading the posts- I just bougt a copy of the first book from an Ebay seller. Interstingly, it is described as softcover, with a 2008 copywright date and lists Grosset and Dunlap as the publisher- Any ideas what this could be? Is the series being reissued and I have missed out?
My best guess is that the seller made a mistake. You will most likely receive one of the older Grosset and Dunlap hardcover books. If you do receive a new softcover book, let me know because I have no knowledge of any Beverly Gray reprints, aside from the couple of times that World's Fair was reprinted by Applewood.
So you know, I just received word from the seller that my book order had been cancelled as they could not find the book. LOL! That's because no softcover Beverly Gray has been published! I managed to find two later books from the series in some used bookstores: "Scoop" and "Island Mystery" both Clover editions, though I believe that is the only way they come- Well back to the drawing board!
Btw- I do have one of the reprints of "Worlds Fair" so when I read to that point, I won't have to skip the story!
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