Hidden Clues #11 Scarcity of Middle Volumes in a Series

We typically consider the final volumes in a series to be the most difficult to acquire. 

Hidden Clues #10 The Hardest to Find Books in a Series

While this is generally true for discontinued series, the middle volumes, while not usually difficult to find, often show up with less frequency.  There are multiple factors at play, including how long a series was in print and how often formats changed.  

I have noticed a pattern with many series, even the ones that were in print for many years after the publication of the final title or that remain in print to the present day.  The middle volumes in the set are slightly scarcer than the early volumes and the volumes well into the second half of the set with the final volumes being the hardest ones to find.  It goes something like this:

This is just a generalization based on observation of books that pass through my hands.  Let's start with Judy Bolton.

Judy Bolton Green Spine Picture Covers

Most of the Judy Bolton picture cover set is extremely scarce.  #5, 6, 8, 9, 11-29, 32, and 34 each went through just one printing.  The Judy Bolton picture covers that aren't as difficult to acquire are #1-4.  #35 is very slightly less scarce, and the rest of the set is quite scarce in this format.  Here's an approximate graph of the curve.

This is not scientific or exact.  It is just a rough idea of the scarcity of the volumes in the green spine picture cover format as compared to the rest.  The dip in the middle part of the set is likely a good bit lower than my estimate.  I didn't attempt to do that since I'm not sure where the truly scarcest books fall in the set. 

While #36-38 have always been priced high, volumes in the green spine format closer to the middle of the set are much, much harder to find than #36-38.  Collectors don't think about the middle books as valuable in this format since collectors who just want to read the books can settle for other formats.  

Those collectors who specifically want this format run into problems with completing their sets due to how uncommon the middle books in the set are.

Nancy Drew Revised Text Picture Cover Books

The first 34 Nancy Drew books were gradually revised from 1959 to 1977.  Books revised late in that period didn't go through as many printings, but they still aren't appreciably more difficult to find than the ones revised earlier.  This is because the print runs from the late 1970s were much larger because of the high interest in Nancy Drew due to the television series.  The massive print runs, particularly in 1978, made up much of the difference for the revised text stories that were revised last.

The revised text books that show up with slightly lower frequency are #14 to #34.  In particular, I find extra copies of #22 through 26 less often than the rest.  For the entire set of 56 books, #28 is the halfway point.  The slightly harder to find revised text books are in the middle of the Nancy Drew set.  

Nancy Drew Digest Books

The Nancy Drew Digest series consists of #57 through #175 in the Nancy Drew chronology.  The median volumes in the set are #115 and #116.  The very hardest to find volumes currently are #100, 114, 121, 122, 123, and 131.  Over the years, I have sometimes found #113, 115, and 124 to be scarcer than other books.  All of these books are no more than 15 books from the middle of the set, and the entire set has 119 books.  Many of the books towards the middle of the set are slightly harder to find than the rest.  There's a reason for this.

The Nancy Drew Digest series ran from 1979 to 2003.  Simon & Schuster dropped many titles as they continued to release new titles.  By late in the run, over half the set was already out of print.  Many of the middle titles went out of print much sooner than other titles.

Dana Girls Beige Spine Picture Cover Books

Some books in the middle of the Dana Girls set are more in demand in the beige spine picture cover format than you might expect.  I find that #19-26 are in lower demand than the rest of the beige spine set, aside from the very common early books in the set.  #19-26 are not hard to find in the beige spine edition, and they were also reprinted in the white spine edition.

#1-16, #17 in the original text, and #18 went out of print when the beige spine set ended.  This makes them more desirable.  The first six books are pretty easy to find in the beige spine set, then the books get a little harder to find.  

In short, #7 through #18 are the beige spine picture covers that are somewhat harder to acquire and may end up costing more than the low-numbered titles or the ones from #19-26.  

These same patterns tend to exist for many other series where collectors will find that certain middle volumes are somewhat harder to find than the average volume.

Hidden Clues #10 The Hardest to Find Books in a Series

Note:  This post pertains to defunct series that went out of print not long after the final book was published.  Defunct series that remained in print for many years after the final volume was published do not fit the pattern described here.

People often ask why certain books in defunct series are so hard to find.  The answer is simple: fewer were printed.  Decades later, many of the books have been destroyed, and the copies that remain are not enough to satisfy demand.  

Generally speaking, the hardest to find book in a series that is no longer in print is usually the final title.  The last book published usually went through one printing, and that was it.  

The first book in any series is usually the easiest to find, because it went through the most printings.

Take a hypothetical series consisting of four titles:  

#1 was published in its first printing.
#2 was published in its first printing, and #1 was printed a second time.
#3 was published in its first printing, #1 was printed the third time, and #2 the second time.
#4 was published in its first printing, #1 was printed the fourth time, #2 the third time, and #3 the second time.

The series ended shortly after the publication of #4, resulting in no additional printings of any of the books.

#1 had four printings.
#2 had three printings.
#3 had two printings.
#4 had one printing.  This would make #4 the hardest one to find.

This is a simplified version of what actually happens, since even more intermediate printings are involved, but it shows why the last book is the hardest one to find.  In addition to fewer print runs, a series usually declines in popularity, so the print run sizes decrease.  When the last book is printed in its one printing, the printing might be rather small.

I won't attempt to cover value, since it is constantly changing.  To get an idea of value, type the book into the search at eBay.com.  Filter the search to sold items, then see what the selling prices were.  Current listing prices do not indicate value.  Some sellers price items way too high, and those items will never sell.

Below, I have listed some examples of scarce titles for a sampling of series books.  The books are examples of titles that are considered to be the hardest to find title, usually by far.  The format matters as does the volume number.  For instance, the Dana Girls books were renumbered for a later format, so the same books with different volume numbers don't count.  If the book is in a different format than what I have indicated, then the book isn't scarce.

For series where I list more than one book, the scarcity is on a sliding scale where the highest-numbered title is usually the scarcest out of the group.

Scarce Last Titles (format matters)

Cherry Ames

27.  Ski Nurse Mystery

For the above book, the scarce book is the original hardcover with the Grosset & Dunlap imprint on the spine.  A modern reprint exists, and it is of minimal value.

Connie Blair

12.  The Mystery of the Ruby Queens

The scarce printing is the hardcover.  It was also printed in softcover, and that book's value is lower.

Dana Girls (Beige Spine Hardcover Edition Only)

27.  The Secret of the Silver Dophin
28.  Mystery of the Wax Queen
29.  The Secret of the Minstrel's Guitar
30.  The Phantom Surfer

Dana Girls (White Spine Hardcover Edition Only)

14.  The Curious Coronation
15.  Hundred-Year Mystery
16.  Mountain-Peak Mystery
17.  The Witch's Omen

Judy Bolton (Green Spine Hardcover Edition Only)

This one is tricky.  Prior to modern reprints, Judy Bolton #35-38 were completely impossible to find.  For that reason, they are still considered to be hard to find titles.  However, they actually aren't as hard to find as the rest of the Judy Bolton set in the green spine picture cover. 

35.  The Hidden Clue
36.  The Pledge of the Twin Knights
37.  The Search for the Glowing Hand
38.  The Secret of the Sand Castle

Ken Holt

18.  The Mystery of the Sultan's Scimitar

Rick Brant

21.  Rocket Jumper
22.  The Deadly Dutchman
23.  Danger Below!
24.  The Magic Talisman

Tom Swift, Jr.:

33.  Tom Swift and the Galaxy Ghosts

Trixie Belden:

35. The Mystery of the Memorial Day Fire
36. The Mystery of the Antique Doll
37. The Pet Show Mystery
38. The Indian Burial Ground Mystery
39. The Mystery of the Galloping Ghost

Vicki Barr

15.  The Mystery of Flight 908
16.  The Brass Idol Mystery

In the case of the two Vicki Barr books, Flight 908 is far harder to find than Brass Idol.

Hidden Clues #9 Sharing Too Much Information

This is a cautionary tale of the possible consequences when too much information is shared in the collecting groups.  Members tend to regard the other members as close friends and share lots of information, as if they were talking to those people in private.  They forget that other people are in the group reading their posts and that what they share might not be in their best interest.

Sharing information that could cause books to be stolen

The Lookout Mystery Series by Christine Noble Govan and Emmy Govan West is extremely scarce in the original hardcover editions with dust jackets.  It is about impossible to find those books.  A member posted about some Lookout books from her church library.  She photographed them so that we could see them.  The books were hardcover with dust jacket.  She said that the church library operated on the honor system.  Anyone could walk into the church's library and remove books without checking them out.  She shared the name of the church and the city in which it was located.

I was horrified that the exact location was shared along with the information that anyone could remove the books without being held accountable.  There were multiple comments on the post about the value and scarcity of the books.  I warned the person who wrote the post, telling her that the group has many sellers in it, that some likely live near her, and that one of them could take advantage of the situation.  I told her to remove the city and church's name from the post.  She instead deleted the entire post.

She never should have shared specific information like that.  

Sharing information that hurts one's own interests

A large number of sellers join groups in order to obtain information.  The knowledge gleaned from the groups helps them to know which books to buy.  In turn, great books show up on sites like eBay because those sellers have learned about the books from the groups.  The downside is when members fail to consider the presence of those sellers and share information that hurts their own interests.  

Many people in the groups work in antique malls and bookstores.  I know this for a fact, since I approve members for some of the groups and see the information on their profiles.

Collectors are surprisingly very open about exactly where they purchase their bargains and for exactly what prices.  People who work in their local store might very well be in the group reading about their cheap find from that store.  If someone from the store does see the post, they might begin to price books higher.  We all know that stores that price higher tend to overprice the books.  We don't want that to happen.

Some collectors have mentioned that quite a few locations of a certain bookstore chain (name withheld for obvious reasons) have figured out that series books can be worth a lot more than $3 to $5.  Those stores are now pricing the books at steep prices, really too high for the local market.  Books that members were happily purchasing for $3 to $5 might be worth $10 to $15 online, but some stores now price them at $25 or more.  That causes the books not to sell and is not helpful to either the buyers or the stores. 

I believe that some employees of this bookstore chain are in the group and have seen the many posts about the cheap series books that are worth more than the prices paid.  Those employees now feel that series books are valuable and price them much higher than in the past.  It has been since the existence of the group and the many posts about cheap books that this chain has increased its prices.  Once too much information is shared, it cannot be taken back.

Books from prominent series like Nancy Drew are now priced a bit steeply in my local stores from this chain.  Ordinary tweed Nancy Drew books with dust jackets are now $20 each.  Tweed Nancy Drew books without dust jackets are now $10 each.  Those are online prices.  Local customers are unlikely to pay that much.  The books are going to take a long time to sell, and the books will likely go on clearance eventually at the prices that the store used to charge.  

I never give the location when I share book finds.  I seldom share the price.  I understand that revealing everything could cause local dealers to raise prices.  Sometimes other collectors will ask me where I purchased books.  Some of them really pressure me to tell them.  I either do not answer, or I give a vague answer, like "in Oklahoma."  

In most cases, the books I purchased were the only good series books in the store.  There would be no reason to share the location.  Also, if one of my local stores were suddenly to get a lot of phone calls about series books because I shared the name and location, then that store might decide to raise prices.  

Occasionally a collector will tell everyone that lots of bargains can be found on an obscure online site unknown to everyone else.  Well, not anymore after they have told everyone.  They just destroyed their own source for cheap books.

In another case, I was rather annoyed when a few people started sharing some very specific search techniques, mentioning one that I used a lot.  Of course they said how that particular search got some great bargains.  I never got anything good from that search ever again, and I bet the person who shared the information was also unsuccessful from that point on.

Sharing information that potentially hurts everyone's interests

On the posts where collectors have given the exact names and locations of stores where they have found cheap books, discussions have occurred about how these stores price books.  Comments are made about how the employees don't know series books and don't know that the high-numbered titles are often worth much more.  Specific examples are given.

Recently, I realized that these discussions could be causing many of the employees to check on the values of the high-numbered books.  This typically results in the books being priced as high as the unsold copies available online, which are likely priced too high.

If your objective is that you want books not to be cheap in stores so that stores will make a good profit, then telling stores how to price series books is a wise decision.  However, if you enjoy finding scarce books priced lower than they should be, then being so open about the mistakes made by stores is counterproductive.

Sharing information that harms one's own business

Some people who sell online make the mistake of being too open about how they acquire items to sell.  I have read multiple tales of woe from people who trusted a friend.  That friend would ask them about how they sourced their stuff.  They told the friend everything.  The friend immediately became their steepest competition by checking all the local stores and purchasing all the good stuff before the seller could.  The friend basically stole the seller's business.  

This has also happened on Etsy with the sellers who offer handmade items.  People try to get those sellers to share how they do it.  If the seller reveals too much information, then the recipient of that information sets up their own shop as a direct competitor.

Sharing information that affects an eBay auction

This one is a little different in that it doesn't hurt the person who shares the information.  It does potentially hurt the interests of other collectors, so it has always been a sore point with me.  Back in the 2000s and early 2010s, several copies of Nancy Drew Old Clock with the 1930A-1 jacket came up for auction on eBay.  At that time, I couldn't justify paying above a certain amount for the book, so I hoped for an auction to fly under the radar.  That never happened.  

Every time an Old Clock with the 1930A-1 jacket came up for auction, a certain collector who was never planning to bid would immediately make sure that absolutely everyone knew about the listing.  So of course, I had no real chance at the book.  

When that collector advertised the listings, they were unintentionally letting sellers with very deep pockets know about the auctions.  The Old Clock auctions usually were won by a certain dealer, who was a member of the group but not a series book collector.  The person who publicized all the auctions was unwittingly helping that dealer, not the other collectors.

I'm always very nervous when something extremely scarce that I really want is up for auction on eBay.  When the latest Old Clock 1930A-1 book and jacket was up for auction on eBay in early 2019, I was worried that someone would let everyone know about it.  I felt that it was the very first copy where I actually had a good chance of getting the book.  However, I still had no chance if anyone advertised the listing.  I was certain that many people knew about it, but not everyone checks eBay constantly.  I was fortunate that nobody mentioned the book and that I was able to win the auction.

I often see excellent items on eBay that I don't need.  I do not advertise them, because I feel that the eBay regulars who check eBay all the time should have first dibs on those items.  Those people are the ones doing the hard work of checking eBay often.  If they spot something great, then they should have a fair shot at it.  

Remember to consider your own personal interests when sharing information online.  Being open is fine, but make sure what is shared will not cause you future problems.

Hidden Clues #8 What Are Series Books?

The purpose of this post is to make clear the core focus of the Facebook group, Collecting Vintage Children's Series Books.

I am a collector of Nancy Drew and similar vintage series.  I have always centered more on the girls' books, but in around 2014 I expanded to boys' books as well.  The genre of collecting that centers on Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys is known as series books.

Unfortunately, we don't have a more descriptive name than that, so nobody understands us.  The biggest obstacle is the name, series books.  The average person thinks that series books can be any series ever published, but that's not true at all.  The books must be similar to Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys in a way that is impossible to explain to others who are unfamiliar with the genre.

I did not create this genre.  The series books genre has existed for decades.  Enthusiasts kept in touch through the mail and via publications that were devoted to collecting series books.  I first came in contact with other collectors in 1996.  They were well organized long before I ever came along.  It was logical that enthusiasts would continue discussing the hobby online, and that is what we do now.

In this post, I explain what is at the core of series book collecting, meaning the narrow genre defined by books similar to Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.

The Stratemeyer Syndicate was an organization that created popular series for young people from 1905 through 1985.  The Stratemeyer Syndicate series were so popular that many others imitated them and created popular rival series.  The enduring influence of the Stratemeyer Syndicate on children's literature cannot be overstated.

The core series books genre includes all of the following:

• books that were the forerunners to the books of the Stratemeyer Syndicate
• books actually produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate
• contemporary rival series to the Stratemeyer Syndicate produced by other entities
• stand-alone books strongly similar to Stratemeyer Syndicate books
• modern versions of Stratemeyer Syndicate books (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, Bobbsey Twins) 

Books that were the forerunners to the books of the Stratemeyer Syndicate

In the late 1800s, Edward Stratemeyer was influenced by the books of Oliver Optic and Horatio Alger, Jr.  Early in his career, Stratemeyer had the opportunity to ghostwrite books published under their names.  The books of Oliver Optic and Horatio Alger, Jr. were obvious forerunners to those of the Stratemeyer Syndicate.

Some other forerunner series were the Deerfoot and Log Cabin series by Edward S. Ellis, the historical adventure books of G. A. Henty, the Hildegarde series by Laura E. Richards, the Kathie Stories by Amanda M. Douglas, The Little Colonal by Annie Fellows Johnston, Katy Carr/What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge, Ruby and Ruthy by Minnie E. Paull, Frank Merriwell by Burt L. Standish, Three Vassar Girls by Elizabeth W. Champney, and Witch Winnie by Elizabeth W. Champney.

Books actually produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate

Early Period (1905-1926)

The Stratemeyer Syndicate had many very successful series from the earlier years.  These series typically center on adventures that occur during the course of ordinary life.  The series include Amy Bell Marlowe, Barton Books for Girls, Baseball Joe, Betty Gordon, Billie Bradley, Blythe Girls, Bobbsey Twins, Bomba the Jungle Boy, Boys of Columbia High, Corner House Girls, Dave Fearless, Dave Porter, Don Sturdy, Dorothy Dale, Girls of Central High, Motor Boys, Motor Girls, Moving Picture Boys, Moving Picture Girls, Outdoor Girls, Radio Boys, Ralph of the Railroad/Railroad Series, Riddle Club, Rover Boys, Ruth Fielding, Tom Swift, Webster, and X Bar X Boys.

Middle Period (1927-1945)

While adventure series remained prevalent, the primary focus of a number of series switched to mysteries during this time.  Many people tend to think of mysteries when they think of Stratemeyer Syndicate books.  The books from this time include Barton Books for Girls, Baseball Joe, Betty Gordon, Billie Bradley, Blythe Girls, Bobbsey Twins, Bomba the Jungle Boy, Dana Girls, Dave Fearless, Don Sturdy, Doris Force, Hardy Boys, Honey Bunch, Kay Tracey, Nancy Drew, Outdoor Girls, Perry Pierce, Radio Boys, Ralph of the Railroad/Railroad Series, Riddle Club, Roy Stover, Ruth Fielding, Ted Scott, Tom Swift, and X Bar X Boys.

Later Period (1946-1985)

These series include Bobbsey Twins, Bomba the Jungle Boy, Bret King, Christopher Cool, Dana Girls, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Happy Hollisters, Honey Bunch and Norman, Kay Tracey, Linda Craig, Mel Martin, The Tollivers, Tom Swift Jr., and Wynn and Lonny.

Contemporary rival series to the Stratemeyer Syndicate produced by other entities

These series were not produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate but were styled as if they had been.  Fans often confuse these series with ones actually produced by the Stratemeyer Syndicate due to the strong similarity in tone and content.

Early Period Rival Series (1905-1926)

These series include Aunt Jane's Nieces, Betty Wales, Girl Scouts by Edith Lavell, Golden Boys, Grace Harlowe, Grammar School Boys, Jane Allen, Jerry Todd, Maida Westabrook, Marjorie Dean, Mary Jane, Molly Brown, Patsy Carroll, Patty Fairfield, Pee Wee Harris, Polly Brewster, Poppy Ott, Ranger Boys, and Tom Slade.

Middle Period Rival Series (1927-1945)

Rival series from this time period include Adventurous Allens, Andy Lane, Arden Blake, Bailey Twins, Barbara Ann, Beverly Gray, Cherry Ames, Cupples & Leon Adventure and Mystery Stories for Boys, Cupples & Leon Mystery Stories for Girls, Dave Dawson, Dorothy Dixon, Hal Keen, Hunniwell Boys, Jerry Todd, Judy Bolton, Linda Carlton, Lone Ranger, Lucky Terrell, Maida Westabrook, Mary Jane, Melody Lane, Mercer Boys, Mildred A. Wirt Mystery Stories, Nancy Pembroke, Outboard Boys, Pee Wee Harris, Penny Parker, Polly Brewster, Poppy Ott, Ruth Darrow, Sue Barton, Tom Slade, and Trailer Stories for Girls.

Later Period Rival Series (1946-1985)

The later period rival series include Beverly Gray, Biff Brewster, Brad Forrest, Brains Benton, Bronc Burnett, Cherry Ames, Chip Hilton, Connie Blair, Dave Dawson, Dig Allen, Donna Parker, Enid Blyton, Ginny Gordon, Judy Bolton, Ken Holt, Kim Aldrich, Kit Hunter, Lone Ranger, Lucky Terrell, Maida Westabrook, Mary Jane, Meg Duncan, Mercer Boys, Mill Creek Irregulars, Peggy Lane, Power Boys, Rick Brant, Robin Kane, Rocky McCune, Roger Baxter, Sally Baxter, Sandy Steele, Sara Gay, Shirley Flight, Sue Barton, Ted Wilford, Three Investigators, Tom Corbett, Tom Quest, Trixie Belden, Troy Nesbitt, and Vicki Barr.

Stand-alone books strongly similar to Stratemeyer Syndicate books

People have a tendency to believe that any books they like that are loosely similar to series books fit within the core series books genre.  For that reason, we unfortunately will reject most posts of stand-alone books unless one of the moderators has actually read the book and knows it to be strongly similar.

We will accept books written by Augusta Huiell Seaman as they are strongly similar to those of the Stratemeyer Syndicate.  In fact, Nancy Drew ghostwriter Mildred A. Wirt Benson read Seaman's books when young and was undoubtedly influenced by them.  Seaman's books fall within our core focus for multiple reasons.

Stand-alone youth books set in schools from the early 1900s fit within our focus.  One example is Dolly's College Experiences by Mabel Gronise Jones.

Modern versions of Stratemeyer Syndicate books (Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, Bobbsey Twins) 

Since Stratemeyer Syndicate series are within our core focus, all modern and recent versions of those series are in our core focus.  In addition to the books, this also includes comic books, graphic novels, memorabilia, television series, and movies based on those series.

Books by Important Early Series Book Authors

Some early series book authors wrote stand-alone books that are strongly similar to series books.  Some of the authors also wrote books that are not like series books, and those books fall outside of the genre.  Authors who wrote some series-like stand-alone books include Mildred A. Wirt Benson, Capwell Wyckoff, L. P. Wyman, Edward Stratemeyer, Sam and Beryl Epstein, Alma Sasse, Hal Goodwin, Howard R. Garis, Enid Blyton, Percy Keese Fitzhugh, Harrie Irving Hancock, and Virginia McDonnel.

What Series Books Are Not, or What Are Not Series Books

(Those of you who are well-versed in series book collecting know what I just did in the heading of this section.  You're welcome.)

This is another aspect that gets tricky.  Many series fall into a gray area between our core focus and series that are far outside of our focus.

What Series Books Are Not

Series books are not coming-of-age stories.  The character does not experience the usual childhood struggles.  Series books are the kind of books that librarians have traditionally despised, because they simply contain exciting adventures without an obvious moral lesson.  

Series books are not romance books.  Some series books have the slightest hint of romance, but only slight and just a trivial detail in the story.  Anything more than a slight hint of romance causes a book not to be a series book.

Series books are not biographies.  Some of the forerunners to the Stratemeyer Syndicate books fall close to that genre, but series books typically are not biographical.  The Landmark and We Were There books do not fit into the series book genre for that reason.

What Are Not Series Books

Books based on television series, such as the Whitman authorized editions of Dr. Kildare, Gunsmoke, and others, are not series books.  All posts which reference Whitman television tie-in books are rejected.  This is because the posts always lead to completely off-topic discussions about television.

 

Books by Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary are not series books.  Picture books and Little Golden Books are not series books.  Readers, such as Dick and Jane, are not series books.  Mark Twain's books are not series books.  All books featuring Disney characters are not series books.  Dr. Seuss books are not series books.  Most Scholastic books fall under general children's books and so are not considered series books.

Malt shop books fall more into the young adult or romance genres, so they are not series books.  This means that Beany Malone, Janet Lambert, and others fit better in other groups.  

The Oz books by L. Frank Baum are also not within our core focus and would be best discussed in a general children's book group.  Baum did write the Aunt Jane's Nieces series under a pseudonym, and that series is within our core focus.  

 

Books featuring adult characters who are past college age are not series books.  

Avoid all Religious or Faith-Based Books

Any series or stand-alone book that features religious content is inadvisable to discuss.  This is simply due to the varying beliefs of members and how we end up with conflict on such posts.  Vintage series books that were offered by faith-based publishers can also be problematic, depending upon the content.  We generally will not approve series that have a religious focus.

These companion groups were created for those who wish to discuss other types of children's books.

Modern Children's Series Books
This group is for modern children's and young adult books.

Vintage Chapter Books for Children
This group has a loose focus, so most all vintage children's books can be discussed in it.

Vintage Teen Books
This group is for vintage teen and young adult books, especially from the 1980s and 1990s.

Hidden Clues #7 Judy Bolton Picture Cover Scarcity

Picture cover editions are a favorite format among current series book collectors.  The Judy Bolton picture cover books are particularly difficult to acquire.  It is believed that most of the Judy Bolton picture cover books went through just one printing, which is why they are so exceedingly hard to find.  Also, a bunch of remaindered picture cover copies were turned into library editions, which reduced the number of surviving picture covers.

#30, 31, and 33 were never printed in the picture cover format, so it is impossible to get a complete set of Judy Bolton picture covers.

I rarely ever see Judy Bolton picture covers in stores.  I have seen #1, 2, and 3 multiple times.  I have seen all of #36-38 at least once and some of them at least twice.  I have also seen #11, 18, and 23 one time each.  I have never seen any of the other Judy Bolton picture cover books in any stores ever since I began collecting series books in 1991.

Judy Bolton did not switch to picture cover until 1964, two years after Nancy Drew and the other Grosset and Dunlap series made the change.  The series ended in 1967, so the picture cover format was only in print for around three years.  That is a very short amount of time and is why most all picture covers likely had only one printing.  The Judy Bolton series had low sales during the 1960s, which is what led to the demise of the series.  It is quite unlikely that the majority of the titles had more than one printing in the picture cover format.

Some Judy Bolton titles were printed later during that three year period than other titles.  Grosset and Dunlap would have continued to use existing stock in the dust jacket format before printing any picture cover books.  The picture covers that are the most scarce, which is unfortunately a large number of them, probably were not printed until towards 1965 or 1966.

Grosset and Dunlap must have had sufficient copies of #30, 31, and 33 in the dust jacket format to avoid ever needing to print any picture cover editions of those titles.  That is why those three do not exist.

As I began this post, I wrote the following paragraph going by memory of what I remembered seeing for sale over the years.

#1 had at least two printings, since it has two different cover art and text versions.  #2, 3, and 4 might have gone through more than one printing since they aren't as hard to find as all later titles.  #5-29, #32, and #34 are quite hard to find, so I believe that they all had one printing each.  For some reason, I find that #35 through #38 are just slightly easier to find than most picture covers, but they almost certainly would have had just one printing each since they were printed late in the set.

I then decided to see if I could find evidence of multiple printings of any titles, in particular #1 through 4.

Below, I give the list information for the picture covers.  In red, I indicate the list information given in Clarke's Guide to Margaret Sutton's Judy Bolton Mystery Stories for variants that I do not own.  In blue, I indicate the list information provided by collectors who own the books with those lists.  All lists in black are from books that I have actually seen.  Notice that many of the books list to #36, which means that they were probably not printed in the picture cover format until 1965.

 #1 1932 text - to #34 back cover and no interior list
 #1 1964 text - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
                        to #34 back cover and #37 inside
                        to #34 back cover and #38 inside
 #2 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
        to #34 back cover and #36 inside
        to #34 back cover and #38 inside
 #3 - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
        to #36 back cover and #36 inside
        to #36 back cover and #38 inside
 #4 - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
        to #34 back cover and #36 inside
 #5 - to #34 back cover and no interior list
 #6 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
 #7 - to #34 back cover and no interior list
         to #36 back cover and #36 inside
         to #34 back cover and #37 inside
 #8 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
 #9 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
#10 - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
         to #34 back cover and #37 inside
#11 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
#12 - to #36 back cover and #36 inside
#13 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
#14 - to #36 back cover and #36 inside
#15 - to #36 back cover and #36 inside
#16 - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
#17 - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
#18 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
#19 - to #34 back cover and no interior list
#20 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
#21 - to #36 back cover and #36 inside
#22 - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
#23 - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
#24 - to #36 back cover and #36 inside
#25 - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
#26 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
#27 - to #34 back cover and #35 inside
#28 - to #36 back cover and #36 inside
#29 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
#30 - does not exist
#31 - does not exist
#32 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
#33 - does not exist
#34 - to #36 back cover and #37 inside
#35 - to #34 back cover and #34 inside
         to #34 back cover and #35 inside
#36 - to #36 back cover and #36 inside
#37 - to #34 back cover and #37 inside
#38 - to #34 back cover and #38 inside

This information reveals that #1 had at least four printings.  #2, 3, and 7 had at least three printings. #4, 10, and 35 had at least two printings each.

This information confirms what I suspected.  I find it especially interesting to confirm two printings of #35.  I have always considered #35 to be more common than the other high-numbered titles and have wondered about it.  Now I know that #35 did have more than one printing.

I completed my set of Judy Bolton picture covers in the early 2000s.  I spent at least $30 each for 19 of the books.  7 of the books cost between $20 and $30.  Most series books have gone down in value since that time.  The Judy Bolton picture cover values have not gone down, for the most part, due to the extreme scarcity of the books.  The value of #34-38 has decreased substantially due to reprints, but the titles that exist from #4 through #32 still retain value that is close to their historical value.  People who want a set of Judy Bolton picture cover books must be willing to pay high prices for some of the books in order to complete the set.

Hidden Clues #6 The Textured Nancy Drew Flashlight Editions

In 2004, Nancy Drew fans noticed that some of the flashlight edition Nancy Drew books that were showing up in stores had a textured cover and that the colors were darker.  The fans referred to the books as "matte flashlight editions," and that name has stuck with those of us who saw those discussions.  The problem is that using "matte" with "flashlight" is very confusing to people who do not know what we mean, since the names mix together two distinct formats of picture cover editions.

As I prepared to write this post, I decided that we should instead refer to these books as "textured flashlight editions."  By doing that, we use a name that does not refer to the previous format of picture cover edition.  That should make discussions less confusing to collectors who are not familiar with this format.

The textured flashlight editions have a textured cover instead of the usual smooth cover seen on all other flashlight edition printings.  The surface is still shiny just like all flashlight editions.  All of the colors on the outside of the book are darker than usual.  The darker colors make the books easy to spot in bookstores.  When seen on a shelf with the regular flashlight editions, the textured covers will draw one's attention immediately, because the yellow is darker on the spine.  That was exactly what happened to me today, causing me to purchase the two textured books and write this post.

These first two photos show a textured flashlight edition from 2004 (left) next to a matte picture cover edition of the same title from the 1970s (right).

Notice that the cover art is darker on the textured flashlight editions.  The reproduction of the cover art reminds me a lot of the Perma-Bound library editions, which have cover art created from photocopies of the original editions.

I want to show you what these books look like, but photographs poorly reproduce what is obvious when viewing the books in person.  I found that I had to photograph the books without the camera flash in order to try to show the texture.

In the next photo, a regular flashlight edition is seen on the left, and a textured flashlight edition is seen on the right.  Notice that on the regular flashlight edition (left) that the light bulbs are reflected as separate from each other.  On the textured flashlight edition (right), the light is diffused where the bulbs cannot be seen as distinct, and you also should be able to detect some of the vertical and horizontal lines that cause the cover to be textured.  Click on any photo in this post to see a larger version.

For the next photo, the textured flashlight edition is on the left, and the regular flashlight edition is on the right.  Notice the same pattern with the reflected light.  You also should be able to spot some of the horizontal and vertical lines on the cover of the textured book. 

The next photo shows the textured books in the middle, with the overhead light reflected on the spines.  Hopefully, you can see some of the texture on the middle two books.

I took one last photo in direct sunlight to try to show how the color is deeper on the spines of the textured flashlight editions.

In the above photo, the regular flashlight editions look faded as compared to the textured flashlight editions.  None of the books are faded at all.  

I went through old discussions of the textured flashlight editions in the Nancy Drew Sleuths Yahoo! group to see how many of the books were printed with textured covers.  At least all of the following books can be found with the textured covers.

1, 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 53, 56, and the back-to-back edition of 1 and 2

The textured flashlight edition books are quite uncommon.  The flashlight editions have been in print for 33 years.  In 2004, there were at least three flashlight edition printings (noted by fans in the 2004 discussion), and only one of them had the textured covers.  If we assume that in each of the last 33 years that the flashlight editions went through three printings, then we can assume around 100 printings exist.  Only one out of approximately 100 printings has the textured surface.  We can therefore expect just one out of every 100 flashlight editions to be textured.

Most collectors are probably not interested in the textured flashlight editions, so the books are probably worth only marginally more than the average flashlight edition.  It should be noted that the current retail price for flashlight editions is around $7 to $9 each for new copies.  Used copies go for about half of that range.  The textured flashlight editions probably would not be worth more than around $10 each.

Hidden Clues #5 The Dana Girls Revisions

Collectors frequently ask about whether the Dana Girls books were ever revised.

If you are not very familiar with Dana Girls formats, please take a moment to view my Dana Girls formats page.  The image seen to the right has been captured from my main Dana Girls page.

First, the only Dana Girls books that might possibly have revised texts are the white spine picture cover books from 1972-1979 (see  formats page for photos).  If the Dana Girls book is not a white spine picture cover, then it does not have a revised text.

Let's get more specific.

Dana Girls #1-16 and #18 were never revised down from 25 chapters, so each book only has the original text in all printings.  These seventeen books all still had the original text in the beige spine picture cover format, and all of them went out of print and never made it to the white spine format.

#19 and up only had 20 chapters in the first place, so those titles were not revised.  However, a few titles that made it to the white spine picture cover version had very slight revisions like just a sentence or a paragraph in the beginning of the book.  The order of the titles changed in the white spine format, and this caused them to have to correct minor inconsistencies like when the Danas returned from various travels.  Changing a sentence or a paragraph corrected the continuity problems.

#17 The Ghost in the Gallery is the only volume that actually was revised down from 25 chapters to 20 chapters.  The revised version appears in the white spine format.

You don't have to worry about making sure you have the original text for #1-16 and #18 in the original set, since all of those books have the original text.

#19 through #30 in the first set and their corresponding volumes in the second set are practically identical except for the very slight changes mentioned above.  It does not matter which version of the book is purchased, unless the fan is a format collector.

Since The Ghost in the Gallery is the only book that was truly revised, it is the only book where it matters which version of the text is purchased.

In closing, I find that many people who are currently collecting have forgotten how to use Internet searches to find the many series book websites and information pages.  Please consider utilizing the Internet to seek information.  Type any phrase or question that you have into Google.  You will be surprised at what is out there.

Offhand and without trying hard, I can think of at least seven advanced collectors (people with large collections who have collected for 20 or more years) who have extensive websites that cover just about anything and everything you would ever want to know about series books.  Please find and visit those sites so that we feel motivated to continue to pay the monthly hosting fees.  Having an informational site is pointless when active collectors do not use it.  Thanks.

Hidden Clues #4 Collecting the Entire Nancy Drew Series

A large number of Nancy Drew collectors prefer only to collect what they consider to be the original Nancy Drew Mystery Stories.  On this old post, I listed what I then thought were all the possibilities of what a collector might consider the original Nancy Drew books.

#1-56
#1-175
#1-34 original text only, any format
#1-34 original and revised text
#1-38 blue books with or without dust jacket
#1-34 original text only and Applewood #1-21
#1-34 original text only with original dust jacket art

I was unaware at that time that a growing number of Nancy Drew collectors consider #1-64 to be the original Nancy Drew Mystery Stories.  Wait, what?  Ah, these people are going by format.

Nancy Drew #57-64 were briefly issued in the flashlight edition by Penguin under the Grosset and Dunlap imprint.  In this format, #57-64 match #1-56, so quite a few collectors now think that the Nancy Drew series ended with #64.  This is not true at all.  The Nancy Drew series actually ended with #175.  All of Nancy Drew #57-175 were published by Simon and Schuster in softcover.

Apparently the flashlight edition hardcover gave legitimacy to #57-64, so people now collect those as eagerly as #1-56.  I understand the reluctance of collecting a softcover book; I once felt that way.  However, collectors who refuse to go past #64 based solely on format are missing out on some really good stories.  If you enjoy Nancy Drew #57-64, then you are making a mistake in ignoring Nancy Drew #65-175.  If you are not sure whether you want to take the plunge and collect all of them, I suggest purchasing a small sample of the books to see if you like them.  Don't ignore them just because they are softcover books.

Furthermore, do not use a format that ended at an arbitrary number to decide where to leave off in your set.  You might be aware that the Stratemeyer Syndicate created all of Nancy Drew #1-56.  The Stratemeyer Syndicate was responsible for #57-64 as well, but it was also responsible for #65-78.  If you want all books created by the Stratemeyer Syndicate, then you need to collect up through #78.

In "My Thoughts on Nancy Drew #57-175," I list what I think are the very best titles in the softcover Nancy Drew series.

In "An Overview of Nancy Drew #57-175," I assign ratings to each of the books in the set.

Hidden Clues #3 Trixie Belden Deluxe Editions

The Trixie Belden deluxe edition format was issued in the middle 1960s.  This edition is rather nice with color illustrations scattered throughout each book.  The books were issued with both the Whitman and Golden Press imprints.  Volumes 1 through 15 were issued in this format.

Seen below is my set. 

I have mostly Whitman books with three Golden Press books.  I have never tried to get all of them with the same imprint, since that has never been very important to me.  I do tend to favor the Whitman imprint, which is why I own more of them.

Many other Trixie Belden collectors have tried to assemble a complete set of the deluxe edition with both the Whitman and Golden Press imprints.  As far as we can determine, nobody has been able to get all of them with either imprint.  Recently, a query was made in two of the Facebook groups about who owns which books, and nobody who responded has all of the books with either imprint.

We believe that #10 Trixie Belden and the Marshland Mystery was never issued with the Whitman imprint.  We also believe that #8 Trixie Belden and the Black Jacket Mystery was never issued with the Golden Press imprint.  All of the other titles can be found with both imprints.

Hidden Clues #2 The Scarcity of Nancy Drew #55 and #56

Some collectors have heard that Nancy Drew #55 Mystery of Crocodile Island and #56 The Thirteenth Pearl are scarce and think that all copies of those two books are scarce.  Actually, most copies currently up for sale are very common and not worth purchasing on value speculation.

The matte picture cover editions of these two titles are scarce; the flashlight edition picture covers are quite common.  At the time of this writing, current eBay listings show 34 copies of Mystery of Crocodile Island up for sale.  29 copies are the flashlight edition, and only five copies are the matte picture cover edition.  For The Thirteenth Pearl, 48 copies are up for sale.  41 copies are the flashlight edition, and only seven copies are the matte picture cover edition.  The flashlight edition of both titles is very easy to find as compared to the matte edition.

This photo shows the front cover of the matte picture cover edition of both books.

The matte picture cover edition has a cover that is not glossy.  The books do not have a flashlight logo near the top edge.

The flashlight edition books have been in print since 1986.  #1 The Secret of the Old Clock and other lower-numbered books are probably available in slightly higher quantities, simply because people tend to buy the early books first.  However, the entire set of #1-56 has been available for 32 years in the flashlight edition.  No previous format of Nancy Drew was ever in print for 32 years.  All copies of Nancy Drew #1-56 in the flashlight edition are extremely common and are more common than any other format of Nancy Drew book.

Seen below is a scan of the front cover of the flashlight edition of Nancy Drew #55 and #56.  The books have a glossy cover and the flashlight logo near the top edge.

The flashlight edition of #55 and #56 should be purchased if you need to complete your set of flashlight editions or if you simply need a copy of the book to read.  If your objective is acquisition of a scarce book, then purchase the matte picture cover edition of #55 and #56.

Hidden Clues #1 The Judy Bolton Revisions

This is the first post in what I hope will become a continuing series.  I have chosen the name "Hidden Clues" as a nod to the Society of Phantom Friends and their newsletter, "The Whispered Watchword."  The Phantom Friends took its name and the name of its newsletter from two Judy Bolton titles.  I have taken "Hidden Clues" from the Judy Bolton title, The Hidden Clue.

The purpose of "Hidden Clues" is to clear up common misconceptions and to share information that those of us who have been collecting for 20 or more years take for granted.  We know this information, and 20+ years ago, everyone collecting knew it.  That information is still with us, but we have been remiss about sharing some of these facts with people who have joined us since the heyday of the Yahoo! groups.

It is fitting for the first installment of "Hidden Clues" to feature a forgotten fact about the Judy Bolton series.  Did you know that the first four Judy Bolton titles were revised and condensed?

The Vanishing Shadow was actually revised twice.  It is available in three distinct texts from 1932, 1964, and 1967.  The 1964 edition removes Judy's actual abduction but keeps the part where Judy is held captive in the shack.  The 1967 edition also removes Judy's captivity in the shack so that the abduction never occurs at all.  The 1967 edition also adds a scene with Horace that is not present in either of the previous editions.

The Haunted Attic, The Invisible Chimes, and Seven Strange Clues were revised slightly for the 1967 and 1968 editions.  Some short phrases were changed to be politically correct, and some short passages were removed in order to reduce the length of each book.

From left to right, the picture below shows the original text picture cover of The Vanishing Shadow followed by the 1964 picture cover and the 1967 Tempo paperback.

These next pictures show the original text picture cover of each book followed by the revised text Tempo paperback.

Some people will say that The Haunted Attic has three different texts.  In a sense, this is true, but the difference between the first two versions is just three words on one page.  The very first printing from 1932 mentions Judy's birthday on her invitation on page 160.

The second printing and all subsequent printings omit mention of Judy's birthday.

While the removal of Judy's birthday on page 160 is technically a revision, I consider it simply a first printing point.

The 1964 edition of The Vanishing Shadow is more scarce than the original text, but it can be found without difficulty.  The Tempo paperback editions from 1967 and 1968 are very hard to find and cannot be found easily.