Aunt Jane's Nieces in the Red Cross

L. Frank Baum

1915 • 152 pages

Ratings1

Average rating3

From the book:What's the news, Uncle? asked Miss Patricia Doyle, as she entered the cosy breakfast room of a suite of apartments in Willing Square. Even as she spoke she pecked a little kiss on the forehead of the chubby man addressed as "Uncle" - none other, if you please, than the famous and eccentric multi-millionaire known in Wall Street as John Merrick - and sat down to pour the coffee. There was energy in her method of doing this simple duty, an indication of suppressed vitality that conveyed the idea that here was a girl accustomed to action. And she fitted well into the homely scene: short and somewhat "squatty" of form, red-haired, freckle-faced and pug-nosed. Wholesome rather than beautiful was Patsy Doyle, but if you caught a glimpse of her dancing blue eyes you straightway forgot her lesser charms.

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Series

Featured Series

7 primary books

#10 in Aunt Jane's Nieces

Aunt Jane's Nieces is a 7-book series with 7 released primary works first released in 1906 with contributions by L. Frank Baum and Edith Van Dyne.

Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville

Aunt Jane's Nieces and Uncle John

#10

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Summary
War has broken out in Europe, and Maud Stanton, with nurse's training, has determined to do something to help. Soon, Beth and Patsy are on board as well, with the substantial help of Uncle John and their wealthy friend Ajo.

Review
Much as Baum tied his real-world film experience into a book in the previous, ... Out West book, he turns to World War I for the final episode in the Aunt Jane's Nieces series. Well-intentioned, and written before the US entered the war, the result is awkward and the conceit of rich, idealistic, and charming girls taking a hand is hard to swallow. While Baum makes a valiant attempt to humanize both the Germans and the Allies, the light-hearted fun of the series isn't a good fit with the serious complexities of war.

Note that I read the original 1915 version. According to Wikipedia, there was a 1918 revision that substantially changed both the ending and the treatment of the war. In the original, though, the ending is a bit of a disappointment; it ends on a bit of a down note, unlike other books in the series, and doesn't tie off the loose ends of the series – chiefly the futures of the three nieces. (The 1918 version resolves some of these.) The Major is also oddly missing from the one book in which his military background might play a role.

All in all, something of a letdown for the series. It might be better to stop after book 9.