#5. Juvenile Books

Everyone knows the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, two juvenile series that are thrift store mainstays, but have you heard of these?

Peggy Lane Theater Stories by Virginia Hughes, published in the early 60's, is about an aspiring and talented young actress. The series follows her adventures as a drama student in New York City and her slow climb to success. Titles include "Peggy Finds The Theater," "Peggy Plays Off-Broadway," "Peggy Goes Hollywood," and "Peggy's London Debut."

Another career-oriented series for girls, Shirley Flight is an Air Hostess on Trans Continental Air Lines. Her adventures in this British series by Judith Dale include such titles as "Shirley Flight, Air Hostess," ""Shirley Flight in Desert Adventure," "Shirley Flight in Hollywood," and "Shirley Flight and the Rajah's Daughter."

The Brad Forrest Adventure Series by Hugh Maitland is a Canadian series from the mid-60's about a typical Canadian teenage boy -- bilingual, gifted athlete, licensed pilot, wealthy (his father owns newspapers on 4 continents) -- who spends his summers working all over the world for his publisher dad and solving crimes. Titles include "Hong Kong Adventure," "Calgary Adventure," "New York Adventure," and "Halifax Adventure."

While not exactly a series, well-known Toronto sports writer Scott Young (Neil's father) wrote three hockey novels for young readers -- Scrubs on Skates (1952), Boy on Defence (1953), and A Boy at the Leaf's Camp (1963) -- about the exploits of a bunch of culturally diverse high school hockey playing underdogs -- Pete Gordon, "Grouchy" DeGruchy, Stretch Buchanan, Henry Bell, Benny Wong, Horatio Big Canoe, and Bill Spunska. No crime solving, just lots of hockey.