Showing posts with label Catalog Card. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Catalog Card. Show all posts

The Amethyst Summer by Bianca Bradbury (1963)

How do you manage a big house, keep three brothers and your father properly nourished when they all seem to have hollow legs, and have a life of your own if you're sixteen years old and inexperienced to say the least? How do you make it clear to your brothers and their friends that you no longer intend to be the pal who is always ready to catch a ball, hold a wrench, and generally make yourself agreeable and useful as a chum? That, in fact, you intend to try for a more glamourous role in their lives? And how do you do the friendly and neighborly thing for an interesting but diffident refugee family that moves in next door?

All of these problems confronted Bayley because her mother had to leave her family one summer to take care of an ailing relative. Bayley rather lightly undertook to fill her place but almost immediately realized she was over her head. After a pretty grim start, however, she began to learn how to manage a house, serve an acceptable meal, and get her social life oriented toward dating rather than just being a good scout.

An excellent story for older girls, told with understanding and humor, about one of the most important facets of growing up. (from the inside flap)

Love Taps Gently by Janet Lambert (1955)

Charming, lovable Susan Jordon, whose longing for a home was happily satisfied in A Dream for Susan, is now sixteen and even better able to cope with the disturbing family crises which develop so unexpectedly. The manner in which Susan and the Jordon family as a whole, meet these crises, forms the plot of this appealing story.

The Jordons' life at Gladstone Gates has settled into a happy routine. Neal, Susan's twin, and young Vance are working for the summer on the Parrishs' estate. Although General Jordon, now a business executive rather than an Army officer, is disturbed by his erratic step-daughter Gwenn's threat to sue him for mismanagement of her inheritance, he is trying to keep the three younger children from knowing of the unpleasant development. With everyone apparently happy, Susan is enjoying a mild flirtation with her other half-sister Alice's young brother-in-law, Keith Drayton. Keith proves a source of constant irritation to Bobby Parrish, whose career as an Army Lieutenant has done little to dampen his light-hearted exuberance. As far as he is concerned, Susan is his property, and his attitude is causing Susan some uneasiness. All of the Jordons miss the youngest daughter, Bitsy, who for five years has been living in England with her oldest sister, Jennifer and her husband, Cyril, Lord Carlington.

When suddenly Bitsy returns to America, a cold, self-centered thirteen-year-old; and when Gwenn explodes on the family unexpectedly and collapses into a serious illness, the Jordons find that both problems can be solved with gentle understanding and love. Bobby Parrish surprises everyone by his own surprising contribution and even Bitsy comes to realize that love is a gentle giving, rather than an insistent demand.

Readers who are meeting the Jordons for the first time will be enchanted with this delightful family. Those to whom the Jordons are old friends, will be gratified that Susan's summer ends happily, after all! (from the inside flap)

Junior Miss by Sally Benson (1939)

Reflection in a Million Mirrors

She's tall for her twelve years, and heavily built. From her shoulders to her knees she is entirely shapeless, and below her skirt, which is too short for her, her legs are hard and covered with scratches. She wears a sloppy sweater, two charm bracelets of a brassy color, and a locket and chain that fastens so tightly around her neck it seems it might throttle her. In the locket is a rather dim snapshot of a kitten and a clear picture of Tyrone Power, clipped from a movie magazine. She's outgrown her devotion to Tyrone Power, but she still gets a lump in her throat when she remembers the kitten, whose name was Bilgy. She has also outgrown toys at Christmas, but there's something empty about Christmas Day in spite of the jade green lounging pajamas and the silk stockings. She's the girl you loved in the stage and screen plays based on this book, and she personifies all the naive realities and sophisticated fantasies of the in-between years. (from the back cover)

Editorial Comment: Could this be a LESS enticing description? Also, I love the note on the back of the Pocket edition: Share this book with someone in uniform. I'm sure they'll love it!




Marty by Elisa Bialk (1953)

Marty felt sick as she faced her city editor. "I'll know better next time," she promised.

"There won't be a next time." The editor's cold blue eyes swept Marty's face. "You're fired. I told you being young wasn't going to excuse you when I hired you. I gave you a chance and you've muffed it. I just can't keep you on as a reporter."

Marty, her face burning, turned away from the desk. There was a such thing as pride ... (from the back cover)

Marty on the Campus by Elisa Bialk (?)

Marty leaned back and tried to relax. So this was her blind date--as extremely blind as one could get! Yet she felt an unexpected flow of triumph: Brad Lane had actually volunteered to come along on the date. Was he such a woman-hater as he liked others to believe?

H'mmm--maybe she'd have to find out for herself! (from the back cover)

Beany Has a Secret Life by Lenora Mattingly Weber (1955)

Beany Has A Secret Life

and it revolves around a very "hush-hush" new club. When invited to become one of the privileged few members, Beany is enthralled--life had been looking very down, with her favorite date going to college halfway across the country, and her father, newspaperman Marty Malone, springing a new stepmother on the family, to mention but two of Beany's current problems.

However, before many weeks have passed, the club has added to the complications in Beany's life; she's quarreled with Adair, her pretty stepmother; and, in fact, things have gone from Bad to Worse to Dreadful.

But to quote one enthusiastic reviewer, the untangling of this very snarled situation "makes a thoroughly absorbing story...Beany fans are in for a treat!" (from the back cover)

Always Anne by Holly Wilson (1957)

Anne Fraser longed to emulate Glory Hoffman, the most popular girl in high school, for Glory was everything Anne wanted to be--gleaming and goldenly beautiful, popular with the boys, always gay and self-possessed, and a leading spirit in the most important group in high school. When Glory suddenly offered Anne her friendship, she was overjoyed and refused to listen to Claire Durand's frank criticism of Glory and her motives. Anne loved her best friend Claire, but she idolized Glory.

At the Sophomore Dance, wearing her first formal, Anne felt sophisticated and happy to be one of Glory's crowd, though she knew deep down that her present popularity was a reflection of Glory's shining orbit. When Tom Magoon, attractive literary editor of The Blue Pencil, danced with her and then asked for a date without any scheming or maneuvering on her part, she felt she was really beginning to live. They began dating regularly, and Anne found that with him she could be quite independent in her ideas and opinions, and this gave her confidence in her own judgment.

As Anne gradually learned the means Glory employed to maintain her popularity, she realized what a shallow, shoddy thing it was. But it was through Glory's final horrifying downfall that Anne rediscovered the fact that in building a good life, what counted most was the way you left about yourself, and that in friendship--even love--you needed to be natural and not a pretender.

Because girls will identify themselves with Anne's gradual rejection of the false and her acceptance of new values and standards, they will love this deeply probing story of Anne's emotional growing up. (from the inside flap)

The Sea Gulls Woke Me by Mary Stolz (?)

"You know," Jean said, as Max leaned down to close the phonograph and hand her the records, "you know, last night I sort of thought...how nice it would be to have you for a brother."

Max straightened slowly. "Oh, no," he said. "No. I don't feel the least bit like your brother." (from the back cover)

Bonnie by Lee Wyndham (1961)

Bonnie Parker--She was one of the quiet ones in her former school. Not one of the "popular" girls. But here in Grove City everything would be different.

Steve Olson--The best athlete and the most popular boy in school, tall blond Steve becomes very much a part of Bonnie's dreams.

Toni Reo--With a smile like a toothpaste ad, beautiful figure, and lots of money, Tony does her best to see that Steve remains simply a dream for Bonnie.

Kay Fogel--Chubby and full of fun, Kay proves a loyal friend in her effort to help Bonnie come out of her shell.

Dennis Miles--Known in school for his accordion playing and jazz band, Dennis' one-track mind about music makes Kay wonder if she will ever be anything to him but just a "next-door neighbor." (from the inside flap)

One Small Voice by Bob and Jan Young (1961)

Gina Morgan's ambition was to be an opera singer. All her spare time was spent in practicing, till suddenly, in her senior year, she realized that her music had become a wall that had shut out friends and the stimulation of school activities. She auditioned for the lead in the Granada High operetta, hoping in his way to achieve popularity, but another girl won the role! Gina's world shattered, and the year which should have been happy and challenging was dull and dateless.

The, miraculously, Walt Kennedy asked her to the Valentine Dance, but the most wonderful evening in her life ended in misery. Walt's care collided with an improperly park car and he was forced to pay a bribe. For the first time Gina was made aware of city corruption. She had never been remotely interested in politics; now she found herself boiling mad. There ought to be something she could do, but how could one girl alone fight graft?

The answer came when her class in American Government decided on a campaign to get out the vote. Nobody wanted to head the project, and Gina saw it as her one chance to salve her wounded pride and gain her classmates' respect. Her Future Citizens Committee were only teen-agers, but perhaps democracy needed fresh young blood to make it all work. Walt seemed impressed as Gina planned her all-out campaign, and she found herself making new friends and gaining new confidence. Her triumph and that of the Future Citizens came on election day when their car pools, teams of baby sitters and good citizenship banners for every voter resulted in the biggest election turn-out in Granada's history.

For Gina the victory was greater than just the town election. In teaching the townspeople that an ideal is worth working for, she discovered that no dream or ideal has value unless you are willing to work for it. Armed with this knowledge, she was able to judge honestly her own musical aspirations and decide on her own future. (from the inside flap)

Sunday Dreamer by Bob and Jan Young (1962)

The letter from Grandmother Demarest arrived just as Nancy was indulging in her favorite dream--she was living in a new town and people were saying as she passed, "Who is that attractive girl?" Now she and her mother were moving to Cordoba to live her with her wealthy, socially prominent grandmother and she, Nancy, would make her dream come true.

It was easy to adopt the role of a gay and charming sophisticate. She knew the Arcadias would pledge her for their sorority, and it was a heady experience to be liked by Doug Holden, a popular man on campus. Riding on a wave of popularity, she was suddenly shocked to discover that her grandmother was penniless, living on her past glory as a grande dame.

To keep a roof over their heads, Nancy's mother went back to nursing in the small Cordoba Community Hospital and converted Cliff's Edge, the family mansion, into a boardinghouse for nurses. This violated the zoning ordinances, stirred up feelings among new and older residents and, worst of all, Nancy's friends began to avoid her. Confused and hurt, she drew comfort from unexpected sources. She learned to confide in Mark Bonner, a college man who worked as a gardener, and she spent rewarding hours with the Nightingales, a group of volunteer girls at the hospital.

In the midst of her personal problems, Nancy was caught up in the vicious rivalry between Cordoba and Southside, the two local high school. As the tension mounted, both at home and in school, she was forced to choose between Doug and Mark and what they represented in terms of her most cherished beliefs. A tragic accident in Cordoba created chaos in the town, and from the crisis Nancy emerged confident about her future.

This is the story of a sensitive girl, town between two ways of life, who learns in the process of growing up that you prove your worth and maintain your dignity by what you give of yourself to your school, your community, your friends. (from the inside flap)

First Love by Gay Head (1963)

Sometimes it's funny.
Sometimes it's surprising.
Sometimes it's sad.
But always, always, FIRST LOVE is special!

Here are fourteen wonderful stories of teen-agers who found their first loves: tomboys and tough guys, plain janes and big wheels--and maybe (just maybe) someone remarkably like you ... (from the back cover)

Beany and the Reckoning Road by Lenora Mattingly Weber (1952)

California, Here Comes Beany

Beany Malone's father used to say that a trip was wasted unless you came back a different and bigger person. For 16-year-old Beany, who kept getting postcards from vacationing friends, it seemed as though any trip would mean excitement and fun.

Beany's big chance comes when she is asked to drive her little nephew back to his parents in San Diego. She and her brother Johnny set out in the old family Dodge and it isn't very long before complications develop. Among them:

Miss Opal, an eccentric old maid,
A horse named Quaker,
A ripe tomato plant.

One lazy adventure follows another and the "two-day trip" keeps getting longer and longer. At the end of the journey, Beany gets the surprise of her life--and has good reason to remember what her father said before she started out.

For more delightful adventures with the happy-go-lucky, heart-warming Malones, read LEAVE IT TO BEANY and MEET THE MALONES. (from the back cover)

Champlain Summer by Marjorie Vetter (1959)

Who would let an oar float away without paddling anxiously after it? Kit Turner wondered as she fished the blade out of Lake Champlain. But in a little while, she came upon a drifting gray skiff and a handsome boy sprawled lazily and unconcernedly in the morning sun. Kit, who only the week before had argued with her mother against buying a formal dress, who preferred sports to parties and dances, who disliked silly, "fluffy" girls like Elaine Lester, momentarily regretted her disheveled appearance. Bates Cunningham's poetic thanks for the returned oar made her aware, for the first time in her almost fifteen years, that perhaps it wasn't so foolish to take time to primp and fuss and be feminine. Of course, Elaine, her nearest neighbor, couldn't replace Marge and Babs, her sports-loving pals, and having regal Great-aunt Charlotte as house guest appalled Kit and made her feel uncomfortable.

Summers at Lake Champlain had always thrilled Kit. She knew all its romantic history, from its early discovery to the days when Admiral Macdonough built the fleet that defeated the British in the war of 1812. Surprisingly, her fund of anecdotes about Vergennes, Vermont, the Turners' summer address, was just the key that gave her Bates' companionship. Kit's enthusiasm for the area charmed bates and he asked her to be his guide. It was great fun touring in his cream-colored Jaguar, rowing on the lake, and picnicking near historic sites.

Kit realized that she was growing up--slowly. She began to look outside herself and try to understand others: her mother's loneliness when Mr. Turner had to be away on business trips; Great-aunt Charlotte's weaknesses; and even Elaine's good points. But it wasn't until a treacherous storm endangered Kit's life and the lives of others for whom she felt responsible that she really understood her own development into a young woman, and the ways and needs of other adults.

The historical pageant which Kit inspired proved that she had left childishness behind. "Brick Top" Kit could toss her head happily in the knowledge that her Champlain summer had brought her her first romantic interest in boys, her first compassionate interest in people outside her family circle, and her first appreciation of the heritage that had come down to her from her country and from her own ancestors. (from the inside flap)

Student Nurse by Mary Stolz (1951)

A Shining World

Gretchen Bemis was the kind of girl who usually set her own standards and if she wanted to be notice by a man--even in a prim nurses's uniform--she generally was. Not only was she popular with the medical staff at Sibert Memorial Hospital, but with her quick intelligence and easy going personality, she was well liked by the other student nurses--especially by the delicate Rosemary Joplin adn the studious Nelle Gibson.

Senior year at nursing school was an exciting time for these three girls, but most of all for Gretchen, whose great wish to fall in love was granted in a way that was as unexpected as it was delightful... (from the back cover)

To Tell Your Love by Mary Stolz (1950)

"Anne, I've been experimenting--to see how long I could stay away from you."

"You did pretty well," said Anne. "Four days." To Anne, loving Doug is no experiment. And yet when she is with Dough she finds that she has little to say. Why?

In the long summer days Ann, seventeen, discovers love wears many faces for her, her sister and her best friend Nora. (from the back cover)

Gaunt's Daughter by Eleanor Shaler (1957)

Cordelia hasn't seen her famous actor-father since she was a little girl, She feels she can never, never forgive him for deserting her mother. But the theater is part of Cordelia's heritage. At seventeen, she is already a promising young actress. And now she is offered her first big part ... in a play that will star her father!  (from the back cover)

The Hundred Steps by Holly Wilson (1958)

Marcy McKay grew up to the sound of ore boat whistles and the pounding surf of Lake Superior. Her father was first mate on the North Star and she was proud of his job. But her mother wanted a different life for Marcy and discouraged her friendships with waterfront families.

At sixteen Marcy was aware of the gulf between her people and those who lived up the Hundred steps on the hill. She knew the exclusive hill crowd in high school but was never asked to their parties. This didn't particularly bother her, but her best friend Jeannie was adamant. Why shouldn't Marcy be content with her own kind? She'd only get herself into trouble running around with a bunch of rich, spoiled kids. Their continued arguments widened the break between them, till Marcy found herself without any friends from the Lower Town, except Bill who shared her heritage of the sea.

When Gwen Ellis asked her and Bill to doubledate for the Peppermint Ball, Marcy was delighted. This would prove how wrong Jeannie was. But her joy was shortlived. She realized that Gwen wanted Bill and was using Marcy's friendship for him as an entering wedge. She was stuck with wealthy, thrill-crazy Walt. When the dance was over three couples piled into his car, and an evening of fun ended in terror. Before the night was over Marcy was to recall Jeannie's remarks and be inclined to agree with her--for she was in real trouble, torn between loyalties. Bill, steady as an anchor, held her on her course.

Then disaster struck, and Marcy's world was shattered when her father's ship was caught in a hurricane. Throughout the long night neighbors from both sides of town hurried to help the McKays. Marcy learned that people were mixtures of good and bad, that neither wealth nor poverty were yardsticks of character, and that the Hundred Steps did not divide the town--but united it. (from the inside flap)

Four-Party Line by Dorothy Gilman Butters (1954)

This unique and charmingly-told junior novel traces the intermingling patterns in the lives of four girls who work as operators for the telephone company.

There is FRANCINE, with whom snobbery was a rule until her at-first-sight-love of Tom gave her a compassion for all people; and PEGGY, whose restless ambition brought her marriage to the brink of ruin; and TIPPY, who, in her loneliness, looked with despair even upon her own good disposition; and MARY, who came from the wrong side of the tracks with a secret wish, and attained it.

Although their backgrounds are varied, a common bond results from working side by side in the oft-times dramatic atmosphere of the switchboard room. For one girl somehow touches the life of the next and, in so doing, adds understanding where there was none before.

Here is a new setting for the problems of human relationships, happily resolved in an intriguing way. (from the inside flap)

Forever and Ever by Janet Lambert (1961)

A high school junior--and she's never gone to a real school before!

Josie Campbell, growing up all over the world, has never gone to a "real school" in her life! So she doesn't know how to act when a girl friend becomes an enemy over the star role in the school play ... or when a boy who is going steady asks her for a date!

Another delightful story about the irrepressible, unpredictable Campbell family, by a favorite teen author. (from the back cover)