The Secret of the Twin Puppets

Nancy Drew: Picture Book #2

by Carolyn Keene

Two little girls ask Nancy to solve the mystery of two oddly behaving puppets.

Genres: Mystery

62 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Carolyn Keene is a writer pen name that was used by many different people- both men and women- over the years. The company that was the creator of the Nancy Drew series, the Stratemeyer Syndicate, hired a variety of writers. For Nancy Drew, the writers used the pseudonym Carolyn Keene to assure anonymity of the creator.

Edna and Harriet Stratemeyer inherited the company from their father Edward Stratemeyer. Edna contributed 10 plot outlines before passing the reins to her sister Harriet. It was Mildred Benson (aka: Mildred A. Wirt), who breathed such a feisty spirit into Nancy's character. Mildred wrote 23 of the original 30 Nancy Drew Mystery Stories®, including the first three. It was her characterization that helped make Nancy an instant hit. The Stratemeyer Syndicate's devotion to the series over the years under the reins of Harriet Stratemeyer Adams helped to keep the series alive and on store shelves for each succeeding generation of girls and boys. In 1959, Harriet, along with several writers, began a 25-year project to revise the earlier Carolyn Keene novels. The Nancy Drew books were condensed, racial stereotypes were removed, and the language was updated. In a few cases, outdated plots were completely rewritten.

Other writers of Nancy Drew volumes include Harriet herself, she wrote most of the series after Mildred quit writing for the Syndicate and in 1959 began a revision of the first 34 texts. The role of the writer of "Carolyn Keene" passed temporarily to Walter Karig who wrote three novels during the Great Depression. Also contributing to Nancy Drew's prolific existence were Leslie McFarlane, James Duncan Lawrence, Nancy Axelrod, Priscilla Doll, Charles Strong, Alma Sasse, Wilhelmina Rankin, George Waller Jr., and Margaret Scherf.

Reviews

[Eric Wood]

I enjoyed this one a little less than the first picture ND book, mainly because the mystery was so predictable from the start and there were a lot of coincidences. I know these books are for younger children, but really they just read like the other ND books. There were some parts in the story that weren't explained like why the puppeteer says "secret" to the twin puppets after they perform and why a random boy punches one of the puppets. Overall though, a still enjoyable book, just with a lot of coincidences and hardly no real detective work from Nancy. 3 stars.

[Laura]

Cute mystery story that’s not too scary. Perfect for reading with my 9 year old.

[Sharon Buxton]

C. fiction, mystery, grades 2-3; picture book version of a Nancy Drew Mystery, from Manda (Stash)

[Barbara Brien]

I was never a Nancy Drew fan as a child, but I think the reason is because my older sister was a fan. I thought of her as I read this, but I also thought of any child in the late 70s or early 80s.

The mystery is pretty simple, as is the writing. The subject matter is slightly dated, but not horribly so; the mention of cars, phones, and computers does not scream of anachronism.

What really surprised me was the positive message for girls being able to do anything they want in life. From solving mysteries through car mechanics to keeping a shop, Nancy is really a renaissance woman.