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Girls Growing Up Genre

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Books in the Girls Growing Up genre:

Julie’s Secret Sloth (1953)

Julie’s father says no pets, but Julie goes ahead and buys a two-toed sloth named Sampson and soon discovers she can’t keep him a secret. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Jacqueline Jackson
Illustrator(s): Robert Henneberger

Beyond the Pawpaw Trees: The Story of Anna Lavinia (1954)

On a lavender blue day Anna Lavinia learns she is to visit her Aunt Sophia Maria, so she sets off next day with an umbrella, a gardenia bush, a carpetbag full of pawpaw jelly and her cat Strawberry.

Author(s): Palmer Brown
Illustrator(s): Palmer Brown

Half Magic (1954)

Faced with a dull summer in the city, Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha suddenly find themselves involved in a series of extraordinary adventures after Jane discovers an ordinary-looking coin that seems to grant wishes. Read online at archive.org.... View More

Author(s): Edward Eager
Illustrator(s): N. M. Bodecker

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Farm (1954)

The widow of a retired pirate has move to the country but is still providing cures for children with bad habits.

Author(s): Betty MacDonald
Illustrator(s): Maurice Sendak

Evie and the Wonderful Kangaroo (1955)

Evie’s pet kangaroo is named Cookie. She is very neat and polite.

Author(s): Irmengarde Eberle
Illustrator(s): Louis Slobodkin

The Magician’s Nephew (1955)

Digory’s uncle sends him and his neighbor Polly to the land between the worlds and he comes back with the cruel witch Jadis. In an attempt to get rid of her they all end up in the newborn world of Narnia.

Author(s): C. S. Lewis
Illustrator(s): Pauline Baynes

Knight’s Castle (1956)

Four cousins, Roger, Ann, Eliza, and Jack, have an extraordinary summer when, after an old toy soldier comes to life, they find themselves transported back to the days of Robin Hood and Ivanhoe. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Edward Eager
Illustrator(s): N. M. Bodecker

The Secret Garden (1956)

An Anglo-Indian orphan girl and and an English invalid find their cure in a garden.

Author(s): Frances Hodgson Burnett
Illustrator(s): Ernest H. Shepard

The Silver Nutmeg: The Story of Anna Lavinia and Toby (1956)

On another lavender blue day Anna Lavinia explores dew pond hill and travels through the dew pond to meet her cousin Toby.

Author(s): Palmer Brown
Illustrator(s): Palmer Brown

Bedknob and Broomstick (1957)

Carey, Charles and Paul discover their neighbor, Miss Price is a witch. She purchases their silence with a magic bed-knob that allows their bed to travel in space and time. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Mary Norton
Illustrator(s): Erik Blegvad

Gone-Away Lake (1957)

Portia and her cousin Julian discover an abandoned summer colony on the shores of a gone-away lake. Read online at archive.org.... View More

Author(s): Elizabeth Enright
Illustrator(s): Beth Krush
Joe Krush

Newbery Honor Book
Newbery Honor Book - 1958

The Great Wheel (1957)

Eighteen-year-old Conn leaves Ireland and sails to America, where he helps build the first Ferris Wheel for the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. The Junior Literary Guild edition has a library binding. A prepublication binding in yellow cl... View More

Author(s): Robert Lawson
Illustrator(s): Robert Lawson

Newbery Honor Book
Newbery Honor Book - 1958

Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (1957)

A woman with a magic way of curing children’s bad habits tries her hand with a bully, a whisperer, and a slowpoke and formulates cures for a show-off and a crybaby. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Betty MacDonald
Illustrator(s): Hilary Knight

Magic by the Lake (1957)

On a vacation with their mother and stepfather, Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha find themselves overwhelmed with a lakeful of magical adventures after Mark captures an ancient turtle that seems to have extraordinary powers. Read online at archive.o... View More

Author(s): Edward Eager
Illustrator(s): N. M. Bodecker

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (1957)

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is the widow of a pirate who lives in a house built upside down. When worried mothers call her about Jane or Darci’s behavior problems, she always has a solution. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Betty MacDonald
Illustrator(s): Hilary Knight

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Magic (1957)

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle sometimes comes up with surprising cures for childrens’ problems. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Betty MacDonald
Illustrator(s): Hilary Knight

Sense and Sensibility (1957)

When Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters find themselves in realtive poverty with only the income of ten thousand pounds ($100,000 per year in current money) to live on, she determines to move to a different part of the country, near a cousin who o... View More

Author(s): Jane Austen
Illustrator(s): Helen Sewell

Rock Hounds (1958)

When Eddie’s cousin Priscilla joins him at science camp he is certain she will ruin it for him.

Author(s): Evelyn Sibley Lampman
Illustrator(s): Arnold Spilka

The Time Garden (1958)

While spending the summer in a house by the sea, four cousins, Roger, Ann, Eliza, and Jack, discover a bank of wild thyme whose magic propels them on a series of adventures back and forth through time. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Edward Eager
Illustrator(s): N. M. Bodecker

While Mrs. Coverlet was Away (1958)

Mrs. Coverlet is called away to care for her daughter and the three Persever children are left in charge of themselves as their father is in New Zealand.

Author(s): Mary Nash
Illustrator(s): Garret Price

Magic or Not? (1959)

When Laura learns the well at her new house is a wishing well, she plunges right in.

Read online at archive.org

Author(s): Edward Eager
Illustrator(s): N. M. Bodecker

The Nine Questions (1959)

Willie sets out to seek his fortune with his watch, his feather cap, a silver whistle and a feather bag. Along his journey he learns the answers to the nine questions which will allow him to find his father and assume his rightful place in the kingdo... View More

Author(s): Edward Fenton
Illustrator(s): C. Walter Hodges

The River at Green Knowe (1959)

Three children are invited to spend the summer at Green Knowe - they must be able to swim - and explore the river. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): L. M. Boston
Illustrator(s): Peter Boston

The Trouble with Jenny’s Ear (1960)

When Jenny starts hearing people’s thoughts, her brothers figure out how to cash in.

Read online at archive.org.

Author(s): Oliver Butterworth
Illustrator(s): Julian de Miskey

The Well-Wishers (1960)

Laura, Lydia, James and Kip put the old wishing well on its mettle, and it delivers. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Edward Eager
Illustrator(s): N. M. Bodecker

Mrs. Coverlet’s Magicians (1961)

The Toad is not at all pleased when Miss Eva Penalty takes over for Mrs. Coverlet, and he intends to do something about it.

Author(s): Mary Nash
Illustrator(s): Garret Price

To Tame a Sister (1961)

Margaret goes to stay with her cousins, but her two mischievous brothers come as well and threaten to spoil everything.

Author(s): Gillian Avery
Illustrator(s): John Verney

The Diamond in the Window (1962)

Following the clues scratched on a window in their attic Eleanor and Eddy embark on a series of adventures across time and space. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Jane Langton
Illustrator(s): Erik Blegvad

A Wrinkle in Time (1963)

When their scientist father disappears whilst on a secret mission, two children and a friend search for him through time and space by a process of "tessering."

Author(s): Madeleine L’Engle
Illustrator(s): Ellen Raskin

Newbery Medal
Newbery Medal - 1963

Linnets and Valerians (1964)

Fleeing the threat of boarding schools, the four Linnet children leave their grandmother’s house and find refuge with their uncle and enter a magical kingdom. Read online at archive.org. ... View More

Author(s): Elizabeth Goudge
Illustrator(s): Ian Ribbons

The Far-Distant Oxus (1969)

Three children spend the summer holiday on Exmoor where they find ponies, friends and adventure. This is a somewhat shorter version of the original work. The original illustrations have also been dispensed with.

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (1969)

Susan and Colin discover that the lost Weirstone hangs on her bracelet, and all the powers of evil are out to steal it. This is the revised edition.

Author(s): Alan Garner
Illustrator(s): Ron Bowen

The Princess and the Goblin (1970)

The Princess Irene has been sent to her King-Papa’s hunting lodge to live. One evening when her nurse keeps her out too late, they are rescued from the goblins by Curdie, a miner’s son.

Author(s): George MacDonald
Illustrator(s): Pauline Baynes
Arthur Hughes

The Maggie B (1975)

Margaret wants to sail for a day in a boat named for her with someone nice for company.

Read online at archive.org

Author(s): Irene Haas
Illustrator(s): Irene Haas

Joan of Arc (1980)

Joan of Arc is considered de Monvel’s master piece and the original Frence edition was considered a marvel of the printer’s art.  This edition was based on a copy in the Morgan Library.  It tells the story of the Maid of Orleans... View More

The Little Moon Theater (1981)

Jo Jo, Jip and Nicolette traveling about in their caravan presenting plays and granting wishes, are shivering in the winter’s cold until a little old fairy godmother grants their wish.

Author(s): Irene Haas
Illustrator(s): Irene Haas

Run Away Home (1982)

The Marlows help a young boy return to his father, but it requires a dangerous sea voyage.

Author(s): Antonia Forest
Illustrator(s): Roger Phillips

Matilda (1988)

Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil, child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and to restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial security.

Author(s): Roald Dahl
Illustrator(s): Quentin Blake

Adopted Jane (2002)

A young orphan girl spends the summer with two families, hoping that one will adopt her.

Author(s): Helen Fern Daringer
Illustrator(s): Kate Seredy

The Complete Little Orphan Annie Volume One Daily Comics 1924-1927 (2008)

This is the first volume in the reprinting of the complete Little Orphan Annie comic strip and includes the daily strips from 1924-1927 as well as a few atypical Sunday strips that advance the plot.

Author(s): Harold Gray
Illustrator(s): Harold Gray

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