Aunt Jane's Nieces

Aunt Jane's Nieces and Uncle John is the sixth installment in L. Frank Baum's 'Aunt Jane's Nieces' series, offering a glimpse into early 20th-century American life through an adventurous road trip. Cousins Patsy Doyle and Beth De Graf, accompanied by their eccentric Uncle John and a new puppy, embark on a journey from New York to Southern California. Their travels take them through the stunning landscapes of the American Southwest, including Denver, the Grand Canyon, and Native American reservations. A central plot point is their encounter with Myrtle Dean, a 14-15 year old orphan abandoned by her aunt, whom they take in as their protégé. The book explores themes of kindness, found family, and resilience as Myrtle's health and spirits improve. While offering a charming adventure, parents should be aware of prominent racial insensitivity in its depiction of Native Americans, reflecting attitudes of its time. There are also mild themes of peril, implied suicidal ideation, and abandonment. It is best suited for late elementary to middle school readers, offering rich historical context for discussion.

From the book:Professor De Graf was sorting the mail at the breakfast table. "Here's a letter for you, Beth," said he, and tossed it across the cloth to where his daughter sat. The girl raised her eyebrows, expressing surprise. It was some-thing unusual for her to receive a letter. She picked up the square envelope between a finger and thumb and carefully read the inscription, "Miss Elizabeth De Graf, Cloverton, Ohio." Turning the envelope she found on the reverse flap a curious armorial emblem, with the word "Elmhurst." Then she glanced at her father, her eyes big and somewhat startled in expression. The Professor was deeply engrossed in a letter from Benjamin Lowenstein which declared that a certain note must be paid at maturity. His weak, watery blue eyes stared rather blankly from behind the gold-rimmed spectacles. His flat nostrils extended and compressed like those of a frightened horse; and the indecisive mouth was tremulous. At the best the Professor was not an imposing personage. He wore a dressing-gown of soiled quilted silk and linen not too immaculate; but his little sandy moustache and the goatee that decorated his receding chin were both carefully waxed into sharp points - an indication that he possessed at least one vanity.