-- Midwest Book Award Finalist --If you didn't already know, Carolyn Keene, of the famous Nancy Drew mystery series, is not a real person. Neither is the Hardy Boys' Franklin Dixon or Laura Lee Hope of the Bobbsey Twins. They are all the brain child of one of the country's most prolific writers for children and young adults to date: Edward Stratemeyer. Edward was so prolific, in fact, that he had to eventually hire ghostwriters to help him flush out his story ideas, which was not an issue until a series he created just before his death became a cult classic. "Will the Real Carolyn Keene Please Stand Up" tells of the lives of the three primary creators of the Nancy mystery series and how the plucky, intelligent, resourceful, and famous girl sleuth came to life, along with the controversy that still rages on about who really created the Nancy that millions of readers across the globe have come to know and love. "Will the Real Carolyn Keene Please Stand Up" is a fresh take on one of America's most popular characters-Nancy Drew. Keleny offers readers a behind-the-scenes look at the dedicated and determined creators of the series. She also reveals the competing-and often conflicting-visions each author had for Nancy. This novel is entertaining, smart, and exceptionally well researched. It is certain to interest anyone who is curious about the surprising mystery behind the Nancy Drew mysteries." Jenna Nelson, PhDLARGE PRINT EDITION