Lillian Garis 1926
Barbara “Babs” Hale, age 15, makes new friends while standing up for her beliefs and supporting those whom others belittle in this vintage novella that’s part coming-of-age story and part mystery.
This very gentle, vintage YA story popped up on my Facebook feed, as a free read from Project Gutenberg. If you liked Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, or the old Sue Barton and Cherry Ames stories you might enjoy this as well. Italians are referred to in derogatory terms, but the people making the slurs are unpleasant enough that it’s clear that the slurs are considered wrong and unfair.
As a vintage title, this story features the publisher’s encouragement to keep reading about Barbara Hale by checking out the other stories listed on the reverse of the book cover. I love that; it’s my favorite part of the book because it gives the modern reader a charming insight into publisher marketing efforts in the 1920s.
You can read the book online or download it, or send it to your Kindle, either with or without the very charming vintage illustrations.