Throughout the series, the two girls solve mysteries that baffled authorities and, along with brothers and friends, formed a club called the Bob-Whites of the Glen, have adventures, travel (though not as extensively as Nancy Drew, an older and more sophisticated girl sleuth), and struggle with school.

But the fact that Ms. Benfer so enjoys Simon & Schuster's newly revised books also points to another truth about our favorite girl sleuth: from her first incarnation in 1930, Nancy Drew has represented an ideal to aspire to for the girls who read her.

In "Nancy Drew," the titular girl sleuth, a literary role model and crush object for generations of young readers, is decked out with air quotes and the full complement of knowing pop-culture accessories.

As far as I'm concerned, the old sincerity worked just fine, and too much tweaking has been done with the intention of bringing the girl sleuth up to date.

Theater 'CAM JANSEN,' a new musical based on the book series about a girl sleuth, by Theaterworks/USA, at the Lamb's Theater, 130 West 44th Street, Manhattan, (212)329-6200.

His Edith Van Dyne stories, including the Aunt Jane's Nieces, The Flying Girl and its sequel, and his girl sleuth Josie O'Gorman from The Bluebird Books, depict girls and young women engaging in traditionally masculine activities.

Having already created for the Stratemeyer Syndicate such series as the Bobbsey Twins, Tom Swift and the Hardy Boys, he developed a series featuring a girl sleuth.

But even that can't stop the girl sleuth.

Christopher Paolini published the last book in his Eragon series, Inheritance, which became the fastest selling book of the year so far, and Lauren Child published the first in her new Ruby Redfort series, about a girl sleuth.