Back in March, I browsed the specific category on Simon & Schuster's site that contains the Nancy Drew Diaries books. On March 13, I wrote:
I am perusing Simon & Schuster's website, with my results limited to children's books aimed at the same age as the Nancy Drew series. What is this stuff? Why would I want to read these books? I am so out of touch.
I do judge books by their covers and by their titles. I won't try the Dork Diaries series. I do tend to gravitate towards books with titles not completely dissimilar to classic series books. I also gravitate towards the more nicely painted covers.
The Keeper of the Lost Cities series looks like it could be a possibility. I am about to check out the sample on Amazon.
That, of course, led me into what has now been a Keeper of the Lost Cities three-month-long obsession. Since my last Keeper post was published yesterday, it's time to move on. Back to S&S's website I go!
My problem is that I can't find the page that I used back in March. That page had a nice assortment of S&S's children's books aimed at the 8-12 age group. I'm now using Google to try to find some usable sections of S&S's site. The purpose of this post is store the links I have found so that I can return to them in the future.
Mystery Books for Kids Ages 8-12
The above page has a Nancy Drew Diaries book listed along with other mysteries for children. I am struck by how the books listed on this page are described as middle-grade books. I suppose that is where the Nancy Drew Mysteries Stories have always fit, but in my opinion, the original set, #1-175, was written for a slightly older target audience. That is the problem with the current Nancy Drew Diaries series. They are ostensibly the modern continuation of classic Nancy Drew, yet they are something else entirely. Something is off about the Nancy Drew Diaries series.
Must Read Books for Kids Ages 8-12
No Nancy Drew Diaries books are listed on this page. Even the folks at S&S realize that the Nancy Drew Diaries books are not "must read" books. That says a lot.
Fantasy Novels for Kids Ages 8-12
This category excludes Nancy Drew, but it is a category in which I do greatly enjoy the content when it is of a specific type. I can only enjoy fantasy books when they are set in a world very similar to ours (like Harry Potter, Keeper of the Lost Cities, etc.) where I don't have to struggle to visualize a distinctly different world. For modern children's books, I enjoy this type of book much more than I do the modern books that feature mysteries. That might surprise you, but there's a distinct difference between modern mysteries and vintage mysteries, like the inclusion of cell phones and technology. Fantasy books usually dispense with the technology, which solves that problem.
Books about Spies for Kids Ages 8-12
I'm not into spy books, but I'm willing to take a look.
Adventure Stories for Kids Ages 8-12
Some of these could be worthwhile, if they meet the conditions of the kind of book I enjoy.
Books with Magic for Kids Ages 8-12
Magic overlaps with fantasy, so some of these books could be of interest.
Girl Power Books with Strong Heroines for Kids Ages 8-12
It is truly sad that Nancy Drew isn't included on this page. Truthfully, Nancy Drew has been written too weak for much of the Diaries series, so she shouldn't be included in a list of books with strong heroines (see Heliotrope Lane review).
I also found S&S's entire 2023 digital catalog of children's books in my Google search.
Spring 2023 Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Catalog
I believe that this catalog is of new releases only. Still, it's another way to find interesting books to read.
My problem is that I can't find the page that I used back in March. That page had a nice assortment of S&S's children's books aimed at the 8-12 age group. I'm now using Google to try to find some usable sections of S&S's site. The purpose of this post is store the links I have found so that I can return to them in the future.
Mystery Books for Kids Ages 8-12
The above page has a Nancy Drew Diaries book listed along with other mysteries for children. I am struck by how the books listed on this page are described as middle-grade books. I suppose that is where the Nancy Drew Mysteries Stories have always fit, but in my opinion, the original set, #1-175, was written for a slightly older target audience. That is the problem with the current Nancy Drew Diaries series. They are ostensibly the modern continuation of classic Nancy Drew, yet they are something else entirely. Something is off about the Nancy Drew Diaries series.
Must Read Books for Kids Ages 8-12
No Nancy Drew Diaries books are listed on this page. Even the folks at S&S realize that the Nancy Drew Diaries books are not "must read" books. That says a lot.
Fantasy Novels for Kids Ages 8-12
This category excludes Nancy Drew, but it is a category in which I do greatly enjoy the content when it is of a specific type. I can only enjoy fantasy books when they are set in a world very similar to ours (like Harry Potter, Keeper of the Lost Cities, etc.) where I don't have to struggle to visualize a distinctly different world. For modern children's books, I enjoy this type of book much more than I do the modern books that feature mysteries. That might surprise you, but there's a distinct difference between modern mysteries and vintage mysteries, like the inclusion of cell phones and technology. Fantasy books usually dispense with the technology, which solves that problem.
Books about Spies for Kids Ages 8-12
I'm not into spy books, but I'm willing to take a look.
Adventure Stories for Kids Ages 8-12
Some of these could be worthwhile, if they meet the conditions of the kind of book I enjoy.
Books with Magic for Kids Ages 8-12
Magic overlaps with fantasy, so some of these books could be of interest.
Girl Power Books with Strong Heroines for Kids Ages 8-12
It is truly sad that Nancy Drew isn't included on this page. Truthfully, Nancy Drew has been written too weak for much of the Diaries series, so she shouldn't be included in a list of books with strong heroines (see Heliotrope Lane review).
I also found S&S's entire 2023 digital catalog of children's books in my Google search.
Spring 2023 Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Catalog
I believe that this catalog is of new releases only. Still, it's another way to find interesting books to read.
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