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)