Earlier this year, I contacted the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota to do some research on two of my favorite authors, Maud Hart Lovelace and Elizabeth Enright. I was particularly curious about early drafts of Enright’s Melendy or Gone-Away Lake novels. Shortly afterward I received scans of a few sheets of Enright’s handwriting—some research notes about plants and flowers, along with a list of all the turn-of-the-century families mentioned in the two Gone-Away novels. I also received a jotted-down scene from a folder labeled Return to Gone-Away depicting Portia and Julian talking, so I assumed it was a piece of an early draft.

Just recently, I was enjoying a re-read of Return to Gone-Away (RtGA) when I remembered that scene from the Kerlan files. Curious to compare it to the final edition, I reopened my file—and as I read it again, this time more slowly, I realized something odd. The section did not appear in RtGA—it was an opening scene, an introduction to the characters but also to the events of RtGA. It also included Portia’s excitement at getting to stay at Gone-Away all winter, and her younger brother Foster reminds her that their house is now called “Amberside.” As you may recall, the Blake family’s decision to remain in the country for the winter—and to name their new house Amberside—were made in the final few pages of RtGA.

My best guess is that this could be the draft of an opening to an unpublished third installment in the Gone-Away series!

RtGA was the last realistic children’s novel that Enright wrote, and it was published in 1961. Could it be that she had initially planned to write another story about the beloved Gone-Away characters? Perhaps she wondered if there would be enough material for a third story, or maybe she decided to instead work on the two fantasy stories she published in 1963 and 1965.

In any event, this scene definitely has Enright’s typical charm, such as this delightful paragraph:

“Gone-Away Lake, which truly had once been a lake but was now a great rustling swamp, bordered on one shore with the conglomeration of old decaying houses. It was hard to believe that they had once been young, lively resort houses when Gone-Away had been Tarrigo Lake and people came to spend their summers here, with children shouting, dogs barking, boats sailing, clotheslines blowing, kites flying …”

Enright’s humor is present, too—Portia is “delighted” to hear that Gone-Away winters can get excruciatingly cold. “Thirty below is better than we ever got; it’s exciting!”

And here are the Blake children’s plans for new pets: “Portia secretly planned to offer sanctuary to a kitten or two later on and possibly a parakeet, as well. In a city apartment it was hard to have a spread of pets—but in the country, well … Foster planned a fish tank.”

I’m happily intrigued by this discovery—which I’m sure the Melendy or Gone-Away children would find equally exciting. 🙂 Now I wonder if any more pages of this manuscript might exist, if indeed it was the start of a third book in the series. Could it be that more of Enright’s draft is still tucked away somewhere, waiting to be found?

As the title of this blog post explains, I’ve put together a summer reading list that includes some of my favorite vintage middle grade picks for this wonderful season. If you or your kids are in the mood for something fun, breezy, summery, and refreshingly old-fashioned – these books are for you! I’m re-reading some of these myself this summer. 🙂 Be forewarned that some of these can be hard to find, but the reward will be well worth the effort!

Gone-Away Lake (Elizabeth Enright, 1957), which features cousins exploring an old summer resort where two elderly residents still live. The sequel, Return to Gone-Away, is just as deliciously good. Check out my blog post on all of Enright’s lovely novels for even more delightful summer choices, especially Thimble Summer.

Jill’s Story (Jean Fiedler, 1965); one of my VERY favorites at age nine or so, about a 10-year-old aspiring writer whose family travels to Cape Cod for the summer. The climax – a birthday and a writing contest – is immensely satisfying.

Canadian Summer (Hilda van Stockum, 1948) is about a family who uproots to the Canadian wilderness in the post-World War II era – full of marvelous Montgomery-ish descriptions and exquisite characterization. For more info, you can read my posts here and here.

The Magic Summer (Noel Streatfeild, 1966), in which four siblings are sent to live with their eccentric great-aunt for the summer, and encounter a world of poetry, hard work, and mystery.

Jane of Lantern Hill (L.M. Montgomery, 1937). I’ve discussed this one many times on this blog before, because it’s possibly my favorite novel of all time. The story centers around Jane Stuart, who visits her father for the first time in her life one unforgettable summer. They subsequently buy a charming cottage on Prince Edward Island and all the whimsy begins.

Look Alive, Libby! (Catherine Woolley, 1962) is the charming story of a girl who has to overcome her many fears (like wild animals!) when she and her aunt go to spend the summer at a seaside cottage.

Cobblers’ Knob (Eleanore M. Jewett, 1958) was one of my favorite novels of 2019. The story centers on a brave girl who explores a supposedly haunted summer residence and makes friends with the foster child living there. The many unexpected twists kept me turning the pages!

Maggie Rose: Her Birthday Christmas (Ruth Sawyer, 1952). This one is just adorable. And incredibly well-crafted, and sweet, and poignant. Over one long summer, Maggie Rose picks all kinds of berries to sell in hopes of having a special celebration at the end of the year. Will she succeed against numerous obstacles that threaten to thwart her joyous plans?

Katie John (Mary Calhoun, 1960). Another absolute favorite from age nine or ten; an impulsive yet idealistic girl has a bunch of exciting (and humorous!) adventures in a nineteenth-century house alongside her new best friend. I think this book sparked my love of hunting down family history, because my favorite chapter was the one where Katie discovers the story of her great-aunt. The sequel, Depend on Katie John, is also terrific (I just re-read it)!

Half Magic (Edward Eager, 1954) focuses on the magical adventures that touch the lives of four children in what they thought would be a dull summer. A coin that grants them only half a wish proves more difficult than they originally suppose!

Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill (Maud Hart Lovelace, 1942) is another one of my very favorites from a young age – I think I was seven when I first read this one. It’s such a sweet story, and also perfect for young girls who will identify with Betsy and Julia’s quarrel. 🙂 The next book in the Betsy-Tacy series, Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown, is also awesome for summer (even though it’s more of a fall/winter book, LOL!) and I think I’ll re-read that one very soon!

No Children, No Pets (Marion Holland, 1957) is a book I discovered just last year, and I enjoyed it so much. The story opens when three children and their mother receive a letter informing them that they’ve inherited an old apartment house in Florida, so of course they head off to live there, with many escapades to follow!

Important note: If you like the sound of these books and know of any others in a similar vein, please leave a comment because I would LOVE to check them out! 🙂

I’ve been rereading the novels of Elizabeth Enright for the past few months, because they’re *so* re-readable and absolutely perfect for this time of year. For me, there is such a sense of delight in Enright’s familiar descriptions of summers in the countryside, of searching for butterflies and exploring old houses and finding arrowheads. The summers she spent on her uncle’s Wisconsin farm definitely influenced her writing and the way she observed nature and recorded it in both a realistic and whimsical manner.

In case you haven’t yet met her wondrous world of books, here’s an overview of her novels in chronological order of publication:

Thimble Summer (1938)

A Newbery medal winner, this slim book is perhaps the most well-known of Enright’s works. There are delicious moments like when Garnet and her best friend get accidentally locked in the library, and when Garnet goes to the county fair. A fresh breeze of a book! This is also her first novel for children.

The Sea Is All Around (1940)

A tribute to Maine and all its magic, this is a gentle story of a girl going to live with her aunt in a remote wilderness and making new friends. It has a delicate beauty to its gorgeous prose, and although it’s very hard to find, The Sea Is All Around is well worth the search!

The Saturdays (1941)

This book kicks off the Melendy Quartet series in grand style. At this point in Enright’s career, her writing was becoming a bit faster-paced, and the acceleration improves her already engaging prose. The four Melendy siblings pool their minimal allowances so that they can each enjoy a special Saturday outing of their own.

The Four-Story Mistake (1942)

The Melendys move from their New York City apartment building to a fabulous old home in the country, where they uncover a secret room that’s been boarded up for years—among other adventures! This story is even better on audio.

Then There Were Five (1944)

Here’s a quintessential portrait of a five children enjoying an old-fashioned summer—including stargazing, fruit canning, and all the glories of August—depicted with Enright’s usual stunning imagery.

Spiderweb for Two (1951)

My personal favorite of Enright’s books is this story you simply can’t put down, a gem that caps off the Melendy series. Part mystery and part ode to autumn, this book features the youngest of the four siblings on a humorous quest to unravel a mysterious string of riddles.

Gone-Away Lake (1957)

I recently revisited this classic tale of two cousins (and best friends) who discover a nearly abandoned resort community by the lake and some fascinating new friends who know all the stories of the village’s past.

Return to Gone-Away (1961)

We read this one last year as part of our Summer of Vintage Kid Lit, and I loved returning to Portia and Julian’s unforgettable adventures—this time as they explore and renovate a dilapidated mansion.

To say that I wish there were more Enright novels would be an understatement—there is just something so unique about her descriptions, metaphors, realistic characters, and settings.

I encourage you to pick up one of these in September! Summer is coming to a close, and it’s the perfect time to indulge in an Elizabeth Enright story. 🙂

Recently Read: The Kirsten series by Janet Shaw, The Meeting Place by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn, The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz

Currently Reading: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Cherry Ames: Department Store Nurse by Helen Wells

This summer, I challenged myself to read twelve vintage kidlit books for twelve weeks. (Okay, perhaps “challenged” is the wrong word. I didn’t think it was challenging at all!)

It was tremendously fun.

Each week I wrote a quick recap after I’d finished each book, and I’ve included all of my recaps here, along with some fun facts and recommendations!

Week 1/June 21, The Four Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright:

I *so* enjoyed rereading this one. There’s something infinitely comforting about the Melendy family and their delightful adventures. 🙂 The realism and authenticity of the characters and their thoughts is one of the things I love most about Enright’s novels, and you can especially appreciate that in “The Four-Story Mistake.”

I’m an enormous fan of fascinating old houses, so that’s another element I love about this book. Oliver’s exploration of the cellar (those old books!!), the cupola, and – of course – the secret room with the painting of Clarinda; all such delicious facets to a house with a “confused architectural history,” as the back of the book phrases it.

I also particularly like the details about Mona’s radio program. This aspect of the story greatly reminds me of my favorite theatrical tidbits in Noel Streatfeild’s books – especially Sorrel’s program in “Theater Shoes.”

Week 2/June 28, Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill by Maud Hart Lovelace: 

I breezed through this one over the weekend, captivated all over again by the sweet, familiar story. There are so many humorous subtleties in this book that I don’t think I fully appreciated as a child reading it 🙂 I love the drama of their determination to collect the most votes for queen, and the delightful resolution – especially the discovery of Naifi’s royal heritage!

Structurally, this is one of Maud Hart Lovelace’s strongest books. Each element of the book is woven carefully together, and the characters are just as beautifully rendered as ever.

Week 3/July 5, Canadian Summer by Hilda van Stockum:

Loved revisiting this one, it’s an absolute gem…I first read it two years ago, and what stood out most in my mind from that read was a stunning description of a scenic vista on the Mitchells’ picnic. It is still one of my favorite scenes in the book! The writing reminds me of Elizabeth Enright mixed with L.M. Montgomery and Noel Streatfeild… A+!

I also appreciate the shifting POVs…I always like it in middle grade books when there are scenes from the parents’ perspective. It just adds an extra layer of characterization and dimension.

Week 4/July 12, Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren:

As with “Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill,” I was able to breeze through “Pippi Longstocking” in just a couple of days. I enjoyed it even more than I did when I was nine and reading it for the first time! Pippi’s outlandish tales, impressive strength, and irrepressible charm make for a simply delightful book.

It’s also interesting how Pippi’s personality and characterization are so well-done and well-drawn, but her friends Tommy and Annika remain rather flat, one-dimensional characters. I wonder if Astrid Lindgren wrote them this way to show a greater contrast.

Week 5/July 19, Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell:

I really enjoyed reading this one, even more than the first time I read it. As I said in my original post, it is a perfect read for summer, and all of Trixie’s adventures are delightful. The characterizations are very well done, and I definitely prefer the original Trixie books by Julie Campbell to the later ones, which were penned by ghostwriters. I love the setting, and that’s probably due to the fact that Trixie’s home (Crabapple Farm) is based on a real place. 🙂 I always gravitate toward stories that are based on some sort of reality.

In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I went ahead and read the second volume of the series as well. The first book leads so naturally into the next!

Week 6/July 26, Return to Gone-Away by Elizabeth Enright:

Love this book! I think that on reading it a second time, I don’t find it quite as compelling as the first book because there isn’t the same sense of mystery and discovery as in book one. But that’s not to say that this book isn’t full of delightfully intriguing sections as well!

The storyline of this one – fixing up the abandoned house – is a favorite of mine, as is the humor and the oral tradition of the Gone-Away stories. Portia’s mother’s ecstatic reaction to finding the antique furniture is also a lovely moment!

Week 7/August 2, Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild:

I just read this book last year, and it still felt completely rereadable and engaging. The characters, the fascinating dynamics, the slow blossoming of Rachel’s confidence, and the theater/dance tidbits are among my very favorite aspects of this book, and in all of Streatfeild’s work.

Reading this has simply made me want to read all the others. Party Shoes! White Boots! The Gemma books! Apple Bough! The Painted Garden! I could go on. (Note: I just read The Painted Garden this week [September 13] and it was quite as good as I’d remembered! Perhaps even better.)

Week 8/August 9, Happy Little Family by Rebecca Caudill:

This is *such* a delightful story. It’s so sweet and simple, and full of the most realistic nuances. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up reading the next book in the series as well 🙂

My favorite chapter in this book is definitely the one where they search for arrowheads and try to win a particularly special arrowhead!

Week 9/August 16, The Borrowers by Mary Norton:

I so enjoyed discovering this book for the very first time! It was a lovely fast-paced read, full of humor and adventure and fun dialogue. A definite five-star book! I was hoping to find a few more favorite vintage kid’s books this summer, and I’m glad I added this to my list.

My favorite elements, I think, were the mysteriousness of Mrs. May’s story, the different families of Borrowers who lived in various nooks and crannies in the old Victorian house, and the ambiguous ending. I also appreciated the fact that the book was British, which I never knew before!

Week 10/August 23, Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary:

Beverly Cleary’s stories never disappoint, and this one was a joy to read. With her usual simplicity and humor, she once again captures childhood with vivid accuracy. Henry’s various plans and schemes to garner a paper route were so much fun. And of course, Ramona is memorable in any role!

I should really read the other Henry books I haven’t read yet, and reread the ones I have!

Week 11/August 30, Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink:

What a sweet story! I am so glad I added this to the reading challenge. Carol Ryrie Brink has such a masterful storytelling style, and her characters and plots are always a treat.

I also loved that the plot of this book mirrored the story that Chrys and Cordy write in Brink’s “Two Are Better Than One.” Since that book is somewhat autobiographical, it makes it even more fun!

Week 12/September 6, The Time Garden by Edward Eager:

This book is just so very, very funny, and I love the glimpses into history. In this one, the four children spend a summer at an old house in Boston that dates from the 1700s. One of the aspects I like best about this book is when their time (or “thyme”) travel takes them to eras in the old house’s past (Revolutionary-era, Civil War…)

A splendid conclusion to my #SummerofVintageKidLit!

If you read along with me this summer, I hope you enjoyed all of the books as much as I did! What better way to spend a summer than revisiting (or discovering) such pleasurable classic children’s novels?

I’m excited to begin week four of my #SummerofVintageKidLit! If you haven’t yet heard about my summer reading challenge, you can take a look at my recent blog post that has all the details.

Last week we read Trixie Belden and the Secret of the Mansion, and you can read my quick recap in the comments of this post 🙂

This week, we’re reading Elizabeth Enright’s Return to Gone-Away, which is the second and final book in the Gone-Away Lake series. I am such a fan of Enright’s masterful writing, and she is the only author in my reading challenge who has more than one book on this list. As much as I love the first Gone-Away Lake book, I might love the sequel a little better! It’s full of delicious discoveries inside an abandoned summer home, and I can’t wait to reread it.

I actually have two copies of this book – one is a sturdy 1990s reprint and the other is a 1960s paperback that I found in an antique store last summer. Which shall I choose to read? 🙂

Here’s a summary about this book from Goodreads:

A wish come true. That’s what Portia thinks when her parents buy Villa Caprice, a tumbledown Victorian house along the swampy edge of Gone-Away Lake. A new house is always full of surprises, but Portia is completely unprepared for the extraordinary things that happen when her family moves into a new old house.

Happy Reading! Feel free to discuss this book by leaving a comment below, or tweet about it using the hashtag #SummerofVintageKidLit! Or join my Facebook group to be alerted of all the latest posts.

I hope you will join me for a fun reading challenge! For twelve weeks this summer, I’m reading one vintage children’s book a week from this list. For this list, I’ve chosen classic kid lit published in the 1930s-50s that evokes a fun summery feel! I’ve also selected a mixture of books that I’ve read before and that are new to me; the books on this list are also relatively easy to find. If you’d like to read along, I’ll be commenting regularly on this post with updates on my reading challenge and thoughts on the books, so feel free to read and comment as well! I’d love to start an engaging conversation about all the books 🙂

So, my summer of vintage kid lit kicks off on the twenty-first of June! On that day, I will begin reading (actually, re-reading!) Elizabeth Enright’s The Four-Story Mistake. This one is so much fun, and I think it’s a great start to the challenge.

I’ll also be posting updates on Twitter with my #SummerofVintageKidLit hashtag, so if you’re on Twitter, feel free to use the hashtag so we can talk more about these books!