Over the years, the Hardy Boys series has remained one of the most popular juvenile book series of all time. Its timeless plots, endearing characters, and exciting writing have helped keep the series alive for seventy years, while spawning and inspiring numerous nonfiction books, board games, TV series, and in these modern times, internet homepages dedicated to the books.

But how did it all begin?

A fact that most people now know is that there is no writer named Franklin W. Dixon. There never has been. For that matter, neither was there ever a Carolyn Keene, nor a Victor Appleton. These are all pen names for a group of writers established by a man named Edward Stratemeyer.

Since just before the turn of the century, hundreds of children's' series books have sprung from Stratemeyer's fertile mind. His first major series was the Rover Boys, published from 1899 to 1926 under the pseudonym Arthur M. Winfield.

Stratemeyer soon found that he had far more ideas for stories and series than he could write on his own. He established a group of writers known as the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Stratemeyer would outline the basic plot of each book to be written, and one of the Syndicate writers (known as "ghosts") would write the book, being paid a flat fee and no further royalties. It was a system that seemed to work.

Most of the early Stratemeyer books were adventure tales. But in the mid twenties, adult detective novels became popular, and the Stratemeyer Syndicate began to follow this trend.

The Hardy Boys Series began in 1927, when three "breeder" volumes (written by Leslie McFarlane under the name Franklin W. Dixon) were released: "The Tower Treasure", "The House on the Cliff", and "The Secret of the Old Mill", published by Grosset & Dunlap.

McFarlane, a Canadian journalist, wrote the first fifteen or so volumes of the series. He established the writing style that made the books so successful.

Early volumes were published in a cloth hardcover format with colour dust jackets. In 1962, the series switched to a new cover format with the cover art printed directly on the cover (no dust jacket). Collectors know this format as "picture cover" or "PC." This format was used for the Grosset & Dunlap books until 1987, when a laminated plastic cover began to be used.

In a process that angered loyal fans, the Syndicate systematically rewrote the Hardy Boys volumes 1-38 between 1959 and 1973. The changes were meant to eliminate much of the fairly common racial stereotypes of the earlier volumes, and to bring the series more up to date. As was said on the copyright page:

In this new story, based on the original of
the same title, Mr. Dixon has incorporated
the most up-to-date methods used by police
and private detectives.

The books became shorter (225 pages to 180, 25 chapters to 20) and the writing style was streamlined. The degree and type of revisions made varied considerably. Some revised stories were only touched-up versions of the originals, while others were totally new books that beared no resemblance to their predecessor except the title.

In 1979, Simon & Schuster acquired the rights for all new Hardy Boys books written by the Syndicate. The new publisher gave the books (and the Hardys) and all new look; paperback editions were published along with hardcovers. Simon & Schuster also published several spin-off books from the series, including "The Hardy Boys Ghost Stories" and "Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Sleuths."

But the biggest spin-off series was the Hardy Boys Casefiles, first published in 1987 by Archway Paperbacks, a division of Simon & Schuster. The Casefiles were aimed at an older audience than the other series, and presented readers with many changes from the original series. Joe's girlfriend Iola was killed in the first volume, and the difference between Frank and Joe has become more pronounced: Joe refers to Frank as "the brains of the operation" and to himself as "the brawn of the operation." Also, the Hardys now view murder scenes and use guns. Simon & Schuster announced another new Hardy Boys series in 1997: Frank and Joe Hardy - The Clues Brothers. The series is written for readers in grades three or four.

Soon to enter their seventy-first year, the teenagers Frank and Joe Hardy remain as popular as ever. And with four major series now being published, the Hardys seem ready for at least another seventy years firmly rooted in the hearts and minds of readers young and old all over the world.