In our eyes, she is forever eighteen, resourceful, and smart. She is Nancy Drew, and she is the ultimate Cool Chick.

Nancy had boatloads of freedom and resources while those of us sucked between her yellow covers (this was, after all, the 70s) ached for them. She had Ned, a hot boyfriend, but didn’t suffer by the phone praying for him to call. She had a kicky blue convertible. She had her best buddies, Bess and George, to provide some necessary girlie/tomboy balance in the adventure. And she went everywhere. That Carson Drew, successful attorney, must have been raking it in to afford all of Nancy’s smart clothes and private lessons in everything from equitation to ice skating.

What can we learn from her? Loads. Just ask Jennifer Worick, author of Nancy Drew’s Guide to Life, a tiny gift book I gave Kels for her birthday a while back. The guide contains Nancy-gleaned advice about Survival Strategies, Dating: A Primer, Sleuthing 101, The Delicate Art of Etiquette, Wilderness Tips, On Being a Lady, Powers of Observation, and Accoutrements. Here’s a sample: “When bound and gagged, you can still tap our HELP in Morse Code to attract attention,” from The Clue of the Tapping Heels. Or “If you see something resembling a shark in a river, don’t fret. It’s more likely to be a small submarine operated by thieves.” (The Mystery of Lilac Inn)

With advice like that, how could you go wrong? Which Nancy Drew adventure was your favorite?