Childhood Love of Nancy Drew Turns into Award-Winning Collection
Tamara Doiny, a Victoria College student and winner of the 2024 F. David Hoeniger Book Collection Prize, is showcasing her personal collection of Nancy Drew books in a new exhibit at the E.J. Pratt Library.
Award-winning book collection highlights student’s childhood passion for Nancy Drew
By Tina Adamopoulos
Tamara Doiny’s mother gave her The Best of Nancy Drew: Classic Collection Vol. 1. for her seventh birthday, a collection that included the first, third and 43rd books from the iconic Nancy Drew series about a fictitious teenage detective.
The series was the one of the only English-language books her mother read growing up speaking Spanish in Argentina. This gift—and the character of Nancy Drew—would leave a lasting impact on Doiny, who finished the book within a week and eagerly asked for more.
By the time she was 14, Doiny has acquired the entire original series of 56 books published by Grosset and Dunlap, and eight limited editions.
“As a seven-year-old, the stories felt so genuine,” said Doiny, a second-year student majoring in Book and Media Studies at Victoria College. “But beyond that, Nancy Drew was pivotal in my first love of books and that trickled on to my love for other mystery series from that era like Trixie Belden and the Happy Hollisters. I realized that I wanted to work with literature for my whole life.”
Doiny, the recipient of the 2024 F. David Hoeniger Book Collection Prize, is sharing part of her collection in the exhibit Nancy Drew and the Eight Limited Print Copies, on display in the front foyer of the E.J. Pratt Library from March 17 to April 11. The exhibit was curated by Agatha Barc, reader services and instruction librarian, and Colin Deinhardt, interim head of the reader services department.
The prize, named after Hoeniger, who was a professor emeritus at Victoria College, honours students who demonstrate a deep commitment to collecting books in a specific subject area. Doiny’s exhibit features more than 20 books, all which she carefully transported from her hometown of Calgary in her carry-on bag.
The Nancy Drew series, ghostwritten by a number of authors under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, follows the adventures of the fictional teenage detective who solves mysteries in her hometown. First published in 1930, the books have captivated young readers for generations, making the character a lasting literary figure.
To add to her collection, Doiny and her parents embarked on a scavenger hunt, spending countless hours searching garage sales, second-hand bookstores and surfing online international-shipping platforms like Amazon. Doiny has some original copies with older, rough-textured covers, which offer a rare glimpse into what mystery books were like when first published.
The last eight books in the series were limited editions, meaning there weren’t many copies in circulation. Doiny recalls the relief when they finally found them after a time-consuming online search.
“It was a relief to say I have all these books, and now I have bragging rights,” Doiny said. “But I’m sure my parents are relieved that they don’t have to go looking for them anymore.”
It wasn’t just the books themselves that held meaning; second-hand editions carried unique nuances and personal touches from their previous owners.
Doiny’s copy of The Mystery of the Fire Dragon, the 38th book in the series, features a handwritten note in its early pages. She’s also found stickers and doodles scattered throughout the pages of other editions. Another book is stamped with a library name and has an empty pocket for checkout cards.
Doiny’s copy of The Mystery of the Fire Dragon, the 38th book in the series, features a handwritten note in its early pages.
While she admits that these discoveries were annoying as a child, they played a pivotal role in selecting the books for the exhibit.
“It’s those intimate moments that I hope people enjoy the most,” Doiny said.
In addition to celebrating the book collection, Doiny hopes the exhibit encourages others to reflect on and celebrate their own individuality — especially the childhood interests that may have once felt out of the ordinary.
“I hope people know that the weird interests they had as a child is not a bad thing,” Doiny said.
“Having the entire Nancy Drew collection wasn’t the most normal thing, but I won an award for it, and I hope that main takeaway is more about preserving the interests you had as a child.”
The Nancy Drew series, ghostwritten by a number of authors under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, follows the adventures of the fictional teenage detective who solves mysteries in her hometown.
Doiny feels the award is one she shares with her family.
“When I found out that I won the award, I ran upstairs and yelled, ‘Mom, our Nancy Drew collection won an award’,” Doiny said.
“It’s been a wonderful experience revisiting this era of my childhood dedicated to these books. It’s a return to something that brought me joy.”