Subject
Women authors -- Juvenile fiction Books
Best books
Helen Diehl Olds
Joan of the Journal
"Joan of the Journal" by Helen Diehl Olds is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story centers around Joan Martin, a 14-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a reporter, inspired by her family's history in journalism. Throughout the narrative, readers follow her excitement surrounding her brother Tim's new job at the local newspaper, the Plainfield Evening Journal, and the challenges she faces as she aspires to break into the world of reporting herself. At the start of the book, Joan is eagerly awaiting news about her brother's job application to the Journal, where their uncle serves as the general manager. Her passion for journalism is palpable, as is her sense of adventure in wanting to learn about the responsibilities and experiences of being a reporter. As Tim embarks on his new role, Joan is determined to get involved as much as she can, and the opening chapters hint at an unfolding mystery connected to the newspaper—specifically regarding a series of strange mistakes that may affect its reputation. Joan's curiosity, combined with her determination to help her brother, sets the stage for a story that explores themes of family bonds, ambition, and the dynamics of a small-town newsroom.
L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum
Aunt Jane's Nieces on Vacation
"Aunt Jane's Nieces on Vacation" by L. Frank Baum is a novel published in 1912. When John Merrick's nieces grow bored during their upstate New York vacation, they decide to launch a newspaper in the small town of Millville. The girls dive into journalism, mixing wire service news with local gossip. But their adventure takes a serious turn when greedy mill owners threaten the community. Through colorful town characters, the nieces learn that people shouldn't be judged as masses but valued as unique individuals.
Amy Le Feuvre
Odd made even
Odd made even by Amy Le Feuvre is a novel written in the late 19th century. It follows Betty Stuart, an impulsive, idealistic young woman restless with London society and longing for purpose, as she and her steadier sister Molly accompany their overworked mother to a country vicarage. In this reflective, faith-infused domestic tale, Betty’s quest to “make odd even” intertwines with a bitter, blind villager she longs to comfort and with Gerald Arundel, a principled landowner facing the loss of his ancestral home. The opening of the novel finds Betty bristling at shallow social calls and a persistent suitor, then whisked to the countryside when her mother’s health fails. In the village, Betty rekindles her childhood bond with the sculptor Mr. Russell, discovers solace at the church organ, and coaxes the embittered, blind Mat Lubbock to be her blower while quietly offering him hope. A chance encounter with a man in evident anguish later proves to be Gerald Arundel, whose gracious hospitality, love of books, and philanthropic bent impress Betty even as rumors—confirmed in his calm presence—surface that he must sell the Red Manor. Amid garden walks, organ-playing, and earnest conversations about charity and purpose, Betty is urged to fill her life with others’ needs, setting the story’s course of inner growth, compassion, and testing through altered circumstances.
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