Monday, October 27, 2008

NANCY DREW: DRESS REHEARSAL




by Chris Wilson
Editor-In-Geek


AUTHOR:
Stefan Petrucha
ILLUSTRATOR: Sho Murase
PUBLISHER: Papercutz
GENRE: Mystery

FORMAT: Digest paperback
VOLUME: 12
PAGES: 112
COLOR: Full color
ISBN-13: 978-1-59707-086-7


STORY SYNOPSIS
The drama gets going in this fast-paced mystery, when Nancy shows up at the ball in the same dress as hateful fashion diva Deirdre. Such a dilemma means all drama breaks loose. Heaven forbid the handsome Ned see the dreadful debacle. The class act she is, Nancy offers to leave to alleviate Deidre’s tantrum. On the way out the door Miss Drew is kidnapped, making her the mystery. Who? Why? What will be done? The list of culprits is long, the solutions small, but leave it to Nancy to save herself and with the help of her friends, finger the perpetrator.


REVIEW
A rather stylized and sharp-cornered rendering makes for a modern comic suited perfectly for tween and teen girls. It is appropriate for any child, boy or girl, but it seems geared for young females. Nancy Drew is the contemporary female protagonist: She is intelligent, caring, strong, observant, and meant for greatness. She does not wait to be rescued; rather, this clever young lady carves out her own destiny by using her mind and solving her problems. Nancy Drew is a class act.


AGE RECOMMENDATION
My Rating: Ages 9 and older

I did not find a publisher’s age recommendation, but the work of Papercuts tends to start around ages 8 to 10. This book may be a bit hard for 8-year-olds, most at least, so I recommended starting with 9-year-olds. The truth is, I would hand this over to any interested kid.


BE AWARE
Nancy Drew is kidnapped.


IN THE CLASSROOM
Powerful females can be hard to find in literature, and stories that support positive roles for intelligent girls and women are of utmost importance in the classroom.


OTHER INFORMATION
A collector’s hardcover (ISBN 978-1-59707-087-4) is also available.


MY RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended
When I read girl-power comics I think of my daughter and the kind of woman I hope to raise. Books that portray women and girls as intelligent, strong, caring, loving, responsible and respectful are gems in my book.

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