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Nancy Drew: Girl Detective Graphic Novels #1
The Demon of River Heights
Everyone's favorite girl detective makes her graphic novel debut! An all-new series of full-color Nancy Drew graphic novels, with all-new comics stories based on the series by Carolyn Keene, starts right here! Join Nancy, along with Bess and George, as they search for missing student filmmakers and discover the deadly secret behind the local urban legend known as "The Demon of River Heights." Ages 8 to 12. Papercutz is the exciting new graphic novel publisher that's building a huge following among the next generation of comics fans. Even the most reluctant readers are becoming addicted to the Papercutz approach of giving classic characters a modern makeover! Each Papercutz graphic novel features comics stories drawn in the style of the popular Japanese comics known as manga, and beautifully rendered with state of the art color. While educators rave about the high quality of the Papercutz writing and artwork, readers 8 and up are simply enjoying the great adventures found in each fun-filled volume. Be sure to check out other Papercutz titles such as The Hardy Boys, Zorro and Totally Spies.
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2013
16 people are currently reading
771 people want to read
About the author
Stefan Petrucha
342 books273 followersStefan Petrucha (born January 27, 1959) is an American writer for adults and young adults. He has written graphic novels in the The X-Files and Nancy Drew series, as well as science fiction and horror.
Born in the Bronx, he has spent time in the big city and the suburbs, and now lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, fellow writer Sarah Kinney, and their daughters. At times he has been a tech writer, an educational writer, a public relations writer and an editor for trade journals, but his preference is for fiction in all its forms.
Born in the Bronx, he has spent time in the big city and the suburbs, and now lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, fellow writer Sarah Kinney, and their daughters. At times he has been a tech writer, an educational writer, a public relations writer and an editor for trade journals, but his preference is for fiction in all its forms.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
September 21, 2011
I have fond memories of my Daddy reading Nancy Drew books to me as a child, and this new graphic novel version doesn't measure up. The artwork is bad, with some crappy CG thrown in just to mix things up a bit. Specifically, the characters' faces are poorly done and all of the women except for George are drawn like Playboy models (even Nancy... sort of... she's got a little too much scoliosis and her boobs are just... strange).
It's also just a little too "rah rah women can do everything and look like male fantasies" for me. It's tough for me to believe that someone who would spend as much time on her own appearance as Bess would have the ability to tune up Nancy's vehicle and fix a VCR.
Most ridiculous scene: Nancy is faced with a grizzly bear in the woods, so while the bear is all getting in her face, her friend George spends time looking up how to behave toward bears on her tablet. She instructs Nancy to fight the bear, so Nancy punches it in the face. a. How would George's tablet work in the middle of the woods, b. Why didn't Nancy get eaten while George was busy surfing the web, and c. She punched a bear in the face. Forget this graphic novel--send your daughters to girl scouts instead.
It's also just a little too "rah rah women can do everything and look like male fantasies" for me. It's tough for me to believe that someone who would spend as much time on her own appearance as Bess would have the ability to tune up Nancy's vehicle and fix a VCR.
Most ridiculous scene: Nancy is faced with a grizzly bear in the woods, so while the bear is all getting in her face, her friend George spends time looking up how to behave toward bears on her tablet. She instructs Nancy to fight the bear, so Nancy punches it in the face. a. How would George's tablet work in the middle of the woods, b. Why didn't Nancy get eaten while George was busy surfing the web, and c. She punched a bear in the face. Forget this graphic novel--send your daughters to girl scouts instead.
July 25, 2015
Categories/Genres for this class fulfilled by this book: Tumblebooks/Graphic Novel
Estimate of grade level of interest: 5th grade to teen
Estimate of reading level: Not sure???? Guided reading V?
Brief description: Nancy Drew is back in her own graphic novel. This book is illustrated in the Japanese style animation, Manga. This is not the Nancy Drew I knew, and I am NOT EVEN OLD! This book is about Nancy Drew and her investigations into the disappearance of some missing student filmmakers. As they look for the missing teens, they discover the deadly secrets of the Demon River Monster!
Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book: This book is a graphic novel and uses multiple pictures on one page to tell as story. They also use talking/speech bubbles and thought bubbles to tell the story. In this book, Nancy phones her father and the speech bubble around his talk is zig-zagged as to portay the use of electronics, or voice carried by electronics.
In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience? Here's an example where I detest the book, but would probably have to offer it in my library...for student reading motivation only! It shows a sexist manner in which to view women, and features the typical veluptuous girls in short shorts. Now, with that being said, it is an action packed adventure that features a a character girls can look up to and relate to.
Awards if any: none..and if there are any...I can't believe it!
Links to published reviews from professional sources e.g. ALA, Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ, etc. if :http://www.amazon.com/Demon-River-Hei...
Estimate of grade level of interest: 5th grade to teen
Estimate of reading level: Not sure???? Guided reading V?
Brief description: Nancy Drew is back in her own graphic novel. This book is illustrated in the Japanese style animation, Manga. This is not the Nancy Drew I knew, and I am NOT EVEN OLD! This book is about Nancy Drew and her investigations into the disappearance of some missing student filmmakers. As they look for the missing teens, they discover the deadly secrets of the Demon River Monster!
Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book: This book is a graphic novel and uses multiple pictures on one page to tell as story. They also use talking/speech bubbles and thought bubbles to tell the story. In this book, Nancy phones her father and the speech bubble around his talk is zig-zagged as to portay the use of electronics, or voice carried by electronics.
In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience? Here's an example where I detest the book, but would probably have to offer it in my library...for student reading motivation only! It shows a sexist manner in which to view women, and features the typical veluptuous girls in short shorts. Now, with that being said, it is an action packed adventure that features a a character girls can look up to and relate to.
Awards if any: none..and if there are any...I can't believe it!
Links to published reviews from professional sources e.g. ALA, Booklist, Kirkus, SLJ, etc. if :http://www.amazon.com/Demon-River-Hei...
June 11, 2010
Ok, so maybe I still live under a rock, but when I hear the words Graphic Novel, I still think of superheroes or anime. So when I came across some Nancy Drew at my library, I was excited to pick one up to see how it compared. I was not disappointed at all. I like the idea of graphic novels introducing something like a Nancy Drew (dare I call it a classic?) to kids. It could get kids reading, and it’s a good transition or accompaniment to the original series. Also, I like that these appear to be new stories. It isn’t just another version of the originals, but new stories unto themselves. Yet, I don’t feel as if the original ‘feel’ has been lost. It does stay true to the original “formula” set our by Carolyn Keen. I love how Nancy Drew keeps running out of gas. With that said, it is formulaic. Still worth the read and I think both kids and adult who grew up with the series will enjoy.
November 11, 2011
Copyright: 2005
Genre: Graphic Novel/Mystery
Thoughts: The artwork is well done, although the figures on the female characters are exaggerated (way worse than Barbie dolls). The plot tended to jump around. The characters would be in a car on one page and inside having a new conversation on the next. I've never read the original Nancy Drew, but this one is not very smart (forget to get gas and get stuck in the woods twice in one story, really?). And I wasn't convinced that she could fight a bear or get blown out of a mine shaft by the force of an explosion and live to catch the bad guy two minutes later.
Genre: Graphic Novel/Mystery
Thoughts: The artwork is well done, although the figures on the female characters are exaggerated (way worse than Barbie dolls). The plot tended to jump around. The characters would be in a car on one page and inside having a new conversation on the next. I've never read the original Nancy Drew, but this one is not very smart (forget to get gas and get stuck in the woods twice in one story, really?). And I wasn't convinced that she could fight a bear or get blown out of a mine shaft by the force of an explosion and live to catch the bad guy two minutes later.
July 5, 2016
Randomly picked this one up at the library. Not that I can draw, but the graphics were poorly done and look rushed. Story is not remotely believable...Nancy punching a bear in the middle of the woods after George looks up how to scare it off on a tablet? Yeah right.
I honestly wish there was a better Nancy Drew graphic novel out there, like there now is for the Babysitters Club...this one didn't come remotely close to doing the original series justice.
I honestly wish there was a better Nancy Drew graphic novel out there, like there now is for the Babysitters Club...this one didn't come remotely close to doing the original series justice.
Read
March 12, 2022maybe not all graphic novels good
July 4, 2020
I love Nancy Drew....the comic was a bit different. Not bad though, I’ll probably continue when I need a short read in challenges. ☺️
March 6, 2010
I tend to stick with what I know. Especially with my reading. This year, I’m challenging myself to read more outside of my comfort zone. During my last visit to the library, I found myself feeling very nostalgic. I wandered into the children’s section and headed for straight for Nancy Drew. Ahhh… Nancy Drew… where my love for series first began.
Imagine my surprise when I realized Nancy had branched out since I read her years (many years!) ago. So I thought why not allow a childhood favorite to introduce me to a new genre: graphic novels. I’ve only read one other graphic novel: Wonder Woman: Love and Murder by Jodi Picoult. (Honestly I only read it because Ms. Picoult wrote it and she’s one of my favorite authors.) Not knowing what to expect with the Nancy Drew graphic novels, I decided to check out books one and two.
In The Demon of River Heights, Nancy is starring in a movie written by two college students, who are convinced there’s a monster lurking in the woods of River Heights. After filming one night, Nancy, Bess and George invite the guys to meet them later at the local coffee shop. When they fail to appear, the girls return to the woods to look for them. Evidence is left behind that alert Nancy the boys may not be too far off about the monster. Can she shed some light on this myth and save the boys in time?
And the answer is: of course she can. After all, she IS Nancy Drew.
Ok, I have to admit, the mystery is very light. It’s obvious who the “bad guy” is as soon as he’s introduced to the reader. But, then I had to remember the target audience for this book. I definitely think young readers will love this series. The graphics are vivid, as the characters practically jump off the page! However, I did find the story a bit lacking and almost decided not to read book two. As I continued to flip through the pages, I noticed a sneak peek for Writ in Stone, the second installment. Curious, I read it and wouldn’t you know it ended in a cliffhanger! Of course I HAD to know what happens next.
To be continued…
Imagine my surprise when I realized Nancy had branched out since I read her years (many years!) ago. So I thought why not allow a childhood favorite to introduce me to a new genre: graphic novels. I’ve only read one other graphic novel: Wonder Woman: Love and Murder by Jodi Picoult. (Honestly I only read it because Ms. Picoult wrote it and she’s one of my favorite authors.) Not knowing what to expect with the Nancy Drew graphic novels, I decided to check out books one and two.
In The Demon of River Heights, Nancy is starring in a movie written by two college students, who are convinced there’s a monster lurking in the woods of River Heights. After filming one night, Nancy, Bess and George invite the guys to meet them later at the local coffee shop. When they fail to appear, the girls return to the woods to look for them. Evidence is left behind that alert Nancy the boys may not be too far off about the monster. Can she shed some light on this myth and save the boys in time?
And the answer is: of course she can. After all, she IS Nancy Drew.
Ok, I have to admit, the mystery is very light. It’s obvious who the “bad guy” is as soon as he’s introduced to the reader. But, then I had to remember the target audience for this book. I definitely think young readers will love this series. The graphics are vivid, as the characters practically jump off the page! However, I did find the story a bit lacking and almost decided not to read book two. As I continued to flip through the pages, I noticed a sneak peek for Writ in Stone, the second installment. Curious, I read it and wouldn’t you know it ended in a cliffhanger! Of course I HAD to know what happens next.
To be continued…
June 26, 2012
Bookaday #29. I picked this up thinking a graphic novel version of Nancy Drew could be the introduction for my elem students to the classic girl detective, whom I adored. Wrong! Too mature (it has a YA label from my public library, but then, so did Babymouse) and poorly drawn, with inconsistencies in the vocabulary and character name spellings.
May 20, 2020
To be honest, I saw Nancy Drew as a graphic novel and was immediately intrigued, hence why I picked up this book in the first place. As a first book in a series, and these are personal opinions about first books to begin with, I felt there was not enough time or development of the characters. Since Nancy Drew is a famous character, this book just launched into a story immediately without the exposition of who she was or why she solved mysteries. Just like a tv show, I like my first story to be a pilot or origin story of sorts. Introduce me to the characters and their relationships, don't assume I should already know them. Save those assumptions for book 2.
That being said, I was perturbed more by the illustrations than the story itself. Nancy Drew usually is an icon for girls -- a girl with a brain. Yet my eye kept noticing the way the artist drew her breasts. She was ample, but none of the pictures looked as if she was wearing a bra. The fabric just clung to them unnaturally. It was not even like spandex that female superheroes wear, inviting the male reader not so unsubtly. It was more like a Mystique from X-Men bodysuit...for a sweater and skirt set. This just made no sense.
That being said, I was perturbed more by the illustrations than the story itself. Nancy Drew usually is an icon for girls -- a girl with a brain. Yet my eye kept noticing the way the artist drew her breasts. She was ample, but none of the pictures looked as if she was wearing a bra. The fabric just clung to them unnaturally. It was not even like spandex that female superheroes wear, inviting the male reader not so unsubtly. It was more like a Mystique from X-Men bodysuit...for a sweater and skirt set. This just made no sense.
December 12, 2018
I’ve always loved Nancy Drew. I have my mom’s copies of the books from when she was a kid, and I still play the games. I was excited to read this graphic novel!
It was a pretty good story. I read some bad reviews of this book before I read it, so I didn’t expect much. However, I enjoyed the story. The characters were very familiar. Bess, George, and Nancy had to solve a mystery together. Meanwhile, Deirdre Shannon was getting in the way. The only character I didn’t see was Ned, and I hope to see him in later comics.
The graphics weren’t the best. They were flat and one dimensional most of the time. Later in the story, some panels had more depth. The background was blurry so the people in the forefront stood out more. That made it look three dimensional.
I enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading the next one.
It was a pretty good story. I read some bad reviews of this book before I read it, so I didn’t expect much. However, I enjoyed the story. The characters were very familiar. Bess, George, and Nancy had to solve a mystery together. Meanwhile, Deirdre Shannon was getting in the way. The only character I didn’t see was Ned, and I hope to see him in later comics.
The graphics weren’t the best. They were flat and one dimensional most of the time. Later in the story, some panels had more depth. The background was blurry so the people in the forefront stood out more. That made it look three dimensional.
I enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading the next one.
June 2, 2022
- art is subpar…wasn’t amazed by it…LIKE WHY DO THE CHARACTERS LOOK LIKE DAT
- WHY IS MOST OF THIS IN PITCH DARK LIKE I GET IT THERE IS A DEMON IN THE SCARY WOODS AT NIGHT BUT I LITERATELY CANT SEE THE ART
- Pretty scattered storyline and dialogue bubbles, especially since it is the first graphic novel in the series and I haven’t really read the regular novels except for one ages ago so I’m a bit confused. Like I was confused with the jobs of the characters and other connections Nancy had with the “bad” characters like——
-the images don’t match up with the narrations
- The humor was a bitttt too cheesy for me
- I still don’t fully understand how “The Demon of River Heights” had to do with these old guys trying to get fancy ores in a cave and how that had anything to do with filming the show :/
- WHY IS MOST OF THIS IN PITCH DARK LIKE I GET IT THERE IS A DEMON IN THE SCARY WOODS AT NIGHT BUT I LITERATELY CANT SEE THE ART
- Pretty scattered storyline and dialogue bubbles, especially since it is the first graphic novel in the series and I haven’t really read the regular novels except for one ages ago so I’m a bit confused. Like I was confused with the jobs of the characters and other connections Nancy had with the “bad” characters like——
-the images don’t match up with the narrations
- The humor was a bitttt too cheesy for me
- I still don’t fully understand how “The Demon of River Heights” had to do with these old guys trying to get fancy ores in a cave and how that had anything to do with filming the show :/
July 23, 2018
Nancy Drew, The novels I was read to and have read and heard of when I was younger. When I saw this book in the library I must admit a bit excited. especially because it was a graphic novel. I started reading it and noticed, the artwork was not impressive and did not live up to expectations, all the girls looked like copy and pasted drawings with different colors pasted on.
even the story was a bit patchy and made no sense at all, she punches a bear in the face while up in a tree in complete darkness? And she survives a explosion caused by chemicals deep inside a enclosed cave? It wasn't very impressive and it did not live up to expectations, sorry for the harsh rating. the only good part is that it was inspired by Nancy Drew.
even the story was a bit patchy and made no sense at all, she punches a bear in the face while up in a tree in complete darkness? And she survives a explosion caused by chemicals deep inside a enclosed cave? It wasn't very impressive and it did not live up to expectations, sorry for the harsh rating. the only good part is that it was inspired by Nancy Drew.
December 16, 2019
AUTHOR Petrucha, Stefan Murase, Sho
TITLE The Demon of River Heights
DATE READ 12/16/19
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE Hi, that's me, Nancy Drew, the dangling one. I'm considered kind of a detective here in River Heights.
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF YA/ 2005/ Papercutz/ 96 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE #1 Nancy Drew Graphic novel
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2019 Reading Goal 189/111;
GROUP READ
TIME/PLACE 2005/OH
CHARACTERS Nancy Drew, Bess, George
COMMENTS The 1st in Nancy Drew Graphic novels. Nancy is part of a student film featuring the Demon of River Heights. An unscrupulous business owner is interested in some old mines in the River Heights area.
TITLE The Demon of River Heights
DATE READ 12/16/19
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE Hi, that's me, Nancy Drew, the dangling one. I'm considered kind of a detective here in River Heights.
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF YA/ 2005/ Papercutz/ 96 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE #1 Nancy Drew Graphic novel
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2019 Reading Goal 189/111;
GROUP READ
TIME/PLACE 2005/OH
CHARACTERS Nancy Drew, Bess, George
COMMENTS The 1st in Nancy Drew Graphic novels. Nancy is part of a student film featuring the Demon of River Heights. An unscrupulous business owner is interested in some old mines in the River Heights area.
August 2, 2017
Nancy Drew as a graphic novel - love it! I love the updated Bess and George. I love being able to see these people too. Reading the old Nancy Drew books and seeing some of the film/TV adaptations have left me confused about what they look like. Now problem solved. Typical Nancy Drew story with help from friends in a modern setting. Love it!
May 22, 2019
I’m just starting my journey into graphic novels, and how could I not pick up Nancy Drew when I saw it?! The story was fun, the graphics were interesting Though I didn’t love how the women are drawn. Can they not look realistic?), and the nostalgia didn’t hurt. Story was rushed and choppy though, and I read it in less than an hour. I needed more substance.
December 31, 2018
If you want to read a graphic novel version of a beloved childhood series I'd suggest sticking with the BSC...this failed to capture the Nancy Drew atmosphere and feeling of gumption in the original books.
July 5, 2024
This is not the empowered girl detective that I recall from my youth. She is depicted as a ditzy girl, not the smart resourceful detective I remember. Not empowering for my daughter. Will not read any more of these. And I should've known, written by a man. Disappointed.
June 9, 2018
i love this book
July 19, 2019
Not as good as the original series and original files.
March 23, 2020
2.5 stars
As a lifetime fan of Nancy Drew, I was optimistic about this series. Unfortunately, this was a let down.
As a lifetime fan of Nancy Drew, I was optimistic about this series. Unfortunately, this was a let down.
March 24, 2020
Unreadable formatting
October 27, 2020
Love love love this. This is where I fell in love with Nancy Drew.
Read
May 14, 2021this book was a good book. I thought it should how well a detective Nancy was. I would recommended this book for someone who likes mysteries. I would deftly read a book like this again.
April 8, 2022
This one was really weird and confusing. If it had been the first one in the series that I read, I probably wouldn't have continued.
July 11, 2022
Picked this up on a whim for free - it wasn’t long enough to really develop the mystery of totally understand the plot. Nancy got in a couple of good points and that was it.
August 26, 2022
I loved reading this little detective book
November 20, 2022
This one wasn't interesting to me either
February 23, 2023
Ended in a cliffhanger but over all didn’t love this book.
December 18, 2023
let me pretend i understood that
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews