The Bluebird Books is a series of novels popular with teenage girls in the 1910s and 1920s. The series was begun by L. Frank Baum using his Edith Van Dyne pseudonym,[1] then continued by at least three others, all using the same pseudonym. Baum wrote the first four books in the series, possibly with help from his son, Harry Neal Baum, on the third. The fifth book is based on a fragment by Baum and written by an unknown author. The last five books were written by Emma Speed Sampson. The origin of the title is uncertain, but the books were all published in hardcover with blue cloth.
The books are concerned with adolescent girl detectives[2] — a concept Baum had experimented with earlier, in The Daring Twins (1911) and Phoebe Daring (1912). The Bluebird series began with Mary Louise, originally written as a tribute to Baum's favorite sister, Mary Louise Baum Brewster. Baum's publisher, Reilly & Britton, rejected that manuscript, as they felt the heroine was too independent for a female.[3] Baum wrote a new version of the book; the original manuscript is lost.
The title character is Mary Louise Burrows. In the first books of the series, she is a fifteen-year-old girl with unusual maturity (though the other girls in her boarding school find her somewhat priggish). She confronts the fact that her grandfather is suspected of treason against the United States. With her friends' help, she reveals her grandfather's innocence and uncovers the truth. The novel features federal agent John O'Gorman with assistance from his daughter Josie, whom he trained to be an investigator. (Josie O'Gorman, despite preceding Nancy Drew by more than a decade, is much less traditionally feminine.)[4]
Subsequent novels in the series bring changes on this basic formula. The second book, Mary Louise in the Country, involves the then-contemporary struggle for Irish independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Josie O'Gorman, tougher and less ladylike than Mary Louise, has a more prominent role, and eventually takes over the series. Sampson relented and named the last few books after this character.
Marie Louise in the Country contains a passage bearing upon the question of racism in Baum's works. Baum draws a contrast between the crude racist attitude of a local shopkeeper with the more egalitarian attitudes of Marie Louise and her grandfather.[5]Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls is concerned with the strong anti-German sentiments in the United States during World War I.[6]
Books in the seriesedit
Mary Louise (1916)
Mary Louise in the Country (1916)
Mary Louise Solves a Mystery (1917)
Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls (1918)
Mary Louise Adopts a Soldier (1919)
Mary Louise at Dorfield (1920)
Mary Louise Stands the Test (1921)
Mary Louise and Josie O'Gorman (1922)
Josie O'Gorman (1923)
Josie O'Gorman and the Meddlesome Major (1924)
Referencesedit
^Peter E. Hanff, "Bibliographia Pseudonymiana — Edith Van Dyne: The Bluebird Books," The Baum Bugle, Vol. 18 No. 3 (Winter 1974), pp. 12-13.
^Bobbie Anne Mason, The Girl Sleuth, Athens, GA, University of Georgia Press, 1995. ISBN0-8203-1739-X
^Katharine M. Rogers, L. Frank Baum, Creator of Oz: A Biography, New York, St. Martin's Press, 2002; pp. 219-20. ISBN0-312-30174-X
^A poster on The Ozzy Digest once wrote, "Compared to Josie O'Gorman, Nancy Drew's a girly-girl." — John W. Kennedy in The Ozzy Digest, 21 December 2003.
The Bluebird Books public domain audiobook at LibriVox
January 01, 1970
bluebird, books, series, novels, popular, with, teenage, girls, 1910s, 1920s, series, begun, frank, baum, using, edith, dyne, pseudonym, then, continued, least, three, others, using, same, pseudonym, baum, wrote, first, four, books, series, possibly, with, hel. The Bluebird Books is a series of novels popular with teenage girls in the 1910s and 1920s The series was begun by L Frank Baum using his Edith Van Dyne pseudonym 1 then continued by at least three others all using the same pseudonym Baum wrote the first four books in the series possibly with help from his son Harry Neal Baum on the third The fifth book is based on a fragment by Baum and written by an unknown author The last five books were written by Emma Speed Sampson The origin of the title is uncertain but the books were all published in hardcover with blue cloth The books are concerned with adolescent girl detectives 2 a concept Baum had experimented with earlier in The Daring Twins 1911 and Phoebe Daring 1912 The Bluebird series began with Mary Louise originally written as a tribute to Baum s favorite sister Mary Louise Baum Brewster Baum s publisher Reilly amp Britton rejected that manuscript as they felt the heroine was too independent for a female 3 Baum wrote a new version of the book the original manuscript is lost The title character is Mary Louise Burrows In the first books of the series she is a fifteen year old girl with unusual maturity though the other girls in her boarding school find her somewhat priggish She confronts the fact that her grandfather is suspected of treason against the United States With her friends help she reveals her grandfather s innocence and uncovers the truth The novel features federal agent John O Gorman with assistance from his daughter Josie whom he trained to be an investigator Josie O Gorman despite preceding Nancy Drew by more than a decade is much less traditionally feminine 4 Subsequent novels in the series bring changes on this basic formula The second book Mary Louise in the Country involves the then contemporary struggle for Irish independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Josie O Gorman tougher and less ladylike than Mary Louise has a more prominent role and eventually takes over the series Sampson relented and named the last few books after this character Marie Louise in the Country contains a passage bearing upon the question of racism in Baum s works Baum draws a contrast between the crude racist attitude of a local shopkeeper with the more egalitarian attitudes of Marie Louise and her grandfather 5 Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls is concerned with the strong anti German sentiments in the United States during World War I 6 Books in the series editMary Louise 1916 Mary Louise in the Country 1916 Mary Louise Solves a Mystery 1917 Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls 1918 Mary Louise Adopts a Soldier 1919 Mary Louise at Dorfield 1920 Mary Louise Stands the Test 1921 Mary Louise and Josie O Gorman 1922 Josie O Gorman 1923 Josie O Gorman and the Meddlesome Major 1924 References edit Peter E Hanff Bibliographia Pseudonymiana Edith Van Dyne The Bluebird Books The Baum Bugle Vol 18 No 3 Winter 1974 pp 12 13 Bobbie Anne Mason The Girl Sleuth Athens GA University of Georgia Press 1995 ISBN 0 8203 1739 X Katharine M Rogers L Frank Baum Creator of Oz A Biography New York St Martin s Press 2002 pp 219 20 ISBN 0 312 30174 X A poster on The Ozzy Digest once wrote Compared to Josie O Gorman Nancy Drew s a girly girl John W Kennedy in The Ozzy Digest 21 December 2003 Rogers p 272 Rogers pp 221 2 External links edit nbsp The Bluebird Books public domain audiobook at LibriVox Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Bluebird Books amp oldid 1171837710, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
