She is as cool as Mata Hari and as sweet as Betty Crocker.” Yet Drew’s appeal lives on. In her book (), mystery writer Bobbie Ann Mason argues that Drew can be ‘perfect’ because she is “free, white and 16” () “as immaculate and self-possessed as a Miss America on tour. Over the past 85 years, Drew has changed to reflect cultural shifts – with some of the manifestations drawing criticism. First published in 1930, the series of ghostwritten mystery stories lasted until 2003, when it was relaunched with the lead character driving a hybrid electric vehicle and using a mobile phone. Initially bold and outspoken (although her sassiness was toned down in later books), the 16-year-old Nancy Drew wins the medal for most enduring teen sleuth. (Credit: Warner Bros Entertainment Inc)Īnother female crime-fighter has been credited as a formative influence by US Supreme Court justices – and Hillary Clinton. Our favourite? For overcoming his natural timidity and ultimately saving the day by befriending the poor deformed Sloth, it has to be Chunk. And the storyline – in which two brothers follow a treasure map in a fight to save their home from foreclosure – still resonates today. Drawing on their life skills to overcome a series of challenges, the intrepid crew of misfits made us all feel that we too could find One-eyed Willy’s ship and outwit the ne’er-do-well Fratellis. One of the finest modern examples features a selection of cult teen actors from the 1980s, including Martha Plimpton, Corey Feldman and Sean Astin. After a group of children in Britain (), we celebrate the best child crime-fighters in books and on screen. And you followed their exploits as though you had lived them. We swam well into the night, my kids making up songs and singing and jumping and gasping for air from giggling so hard at their own goofy lyrics and their crazy good fortune to be swimming at 10:30 on a school night.You were one of them as a child. Suddenly this dumb delay had the makings of an adventure. We tape in Dallas! We’ll send a car to retrieve you at your hotel! My children’s eyes lit up. Once we settled into our room, I commenced sending a flurry of emails to cancel various Monday commitments, including a TV interview on MSNBC about the Women’s March.īut wait, the producer emailed. We spent the next couple of hours securing seats for the next evening, tracking down our already-checked bags and finding a hotel room. (Fog in Chicago.) And once that airline resumed flying, there would be no room on any of its flights for another 21 hours. Until it was time to return the car, hop a plane and fly home.Įxcept our flight was canceled. Genuine fun was had, frivolous complaints were lodged and ignored, more genuine fun was had.

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