Being a Nancy Drew fan since childhood, these anime style graphic novels jumped out at me when I went to the library. This particular book has the same Nancy Drew style with an appeal to the young adult set. It's short and easy to read, fast-paced and intriguing, making it perfect for an afternoon read. Rating - 4 stars due to excellent writing and amazing graphics ( )

The charmed bracelet is a good book because is combines logic, humor and mystery in one book. I love the way Nancy solves each mystery because you can always learn something new. For example, in this book, I learned that kleptomaniac means someone can help themselves from stealing. I think Nancy is really smart from the knowledege she knows. She can figure out anything and solve any mystery. I would like to be like her and know so much about everything because the more you know, the better you are because who knows when that knowledge will become useful one day. I can't relate myself to this book, well, I'm not a detective so I won't see snakes trying to eat me and I won't be sneaking around at night. But I can relate this to another book I read called " Never say die" which is also a Nancy Drew book. It is also about and valuable computer chip stolen and hidden in a very safe place. Difference is, in the Charmed Bracelet, the thief stole the chip for fun and in Never say die, it was stolen to get ransom. I like reading mysteries because it's something that always keeps you guessing and you can't put the book down. ( )

Personal Response:
I wasn’t surprised at all that Nancy got a completely updated look for the graphic novel. Tailored skirts and high heels certainly wouldn’t appeal to youth today. However, seeing Nancy in tank tops seemed to take it a bit further from how she is described in the original books. However, it was a good quick read and as a fan of Nancy Drew when I was younger I think it’s a good idea to give the books an update to make them more relevant and identifiable to today’s readers.

Curricular/Programming Connections:
Have a group read an earlier Nancy Drew book (in prose) [let each group member pick a different one] and a Nancy Drew graphic novel and have the group compare. What strengths does each have?
Read with a graphic novel book club- compare with other types of graphic novels
Illustration style
Updates in character, dress, theme, etc.
Compare an older Nancy Drew book, a Nancy graphic novel and the movie.

Nancy Drew finds herself on another case. A top-secret computer chip has been stolen which could cost the company millions. At a loss for clues, Nancy mysteriously receives a charmed bracelet. Thinking she may have a secret admirer, she barely notices the charms. That is until she realizes each charm represents a crime that is about to take place. Nancy is determined to solve these crimes before another one can happen. Too bad Nancy’s boyfriend, Ned, gets arrested for shoplifting. The girl detective cannot help him out of this one. But the question remains: why would Ned shoplift? Is he jealous of Nancy and her new-detective fame? Join Nancy and her friends as they try to solve the case and Nancy’s relationship troubles. ( )

This is an easy read. I loved reading this book because it brought back memories of reading all the Nancy Drew books when I was younger. This format made for an easy read. The book is about a stolen microchip. Nancy receives a charm bracelet in the mail that will have all the clues she needs to solve this mystery. I read this in Spring '08. (Trisha)