The tutor, also a parent, receives not only entertainment from the Nancy Drew Mysteries, but education as well.

Last night, I was reading my children to sleep.  I might have read past normal time, but my wife is away:)

We started the Nancy Drew Mystery at Lilac Inn.  On the first page it describes Nancy as a “titian blond”.

Not having seen “titian” before, I went to the dictionary.  I didn’t see “titian” in my paperback Merriam-Webster, nor in my Oxford Canadian.

I found “Titian” – in capitalized form – in my Collins Essential Canadian English Dictionary & Thesaurus.  By that source, “Titian” applies to hair, and means “reddish-gold.”  My desk Webster’s contains “titian”, giving it the meaning “of a brownish orange color”.

As I understand, the Nancy Drew series targets ten- to-fourteen year olds.   Yet, the vocabulary suggests higher sophistication.  I haven’t needed three dictionaries to chase down a word for some time.

In my post about the Hardy Boys series, I arrived at this point: the Hardy Boys, as well as Nancy Drew, have excellent value both for entertainment and education. At age 45, I read both series to my kids because I really enjoy them myself.

By the way: the cover of The Mystery at Lilac Inn, when I saw it last night, was instantly familiar. I think a lot of my classmates read the book when I was in grades 5-7:)

Source:
Keene, Carolyn. The Mystery at Lilac Inn. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1989.

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.