Betty Cavanna (1909–2001)

Handed down from my mom, I have re-read this teen novel numerous times. It's like comfort food! While the story is dated, the idea of figuring out who you are is timeless. Ms. Cavana does a good job of capturing that tug between wanting to please the people you love, and also embracing the person you are becoming. I also liked the way Ms. Cavana explored the theme of romance. Kate "falls head over heels" for a young fisherman, feeling a strong attraction to Manuel. But while her attraction show more doesn't subside, she is forced by circumstances to see how her desires for other things are more important in the end. That's a good lesson no matter what the age. show less

I learned more than I ever wanted to know about the garment industry of the 1960s, but it was super fun. Shy, insecure high school graduate gains confidence and learns the nerdy boy can be more dreamy than the popular boy when she goes to work in a clothing boutique. She makes a wonderful trip to Paris. So much body shaming; not only does the MC have to lose weight because she's too fat, her legs are unevenly tanned--quelle horreur! Can't wait to read more by this classic author.
PS. This is show more the first book I’ve ever seen where the author photo is not a photo of the author. Instead it was the woman who owned the real-life Country Cousin store. She wasn’t how I pictured the glamorous young widow in the novel. show less

I don't want to hate on this book, but it really has not aged well. This was a chance find at an antique store among the books, it's funny to think of a paperback as antique, but this book was published over 60 years ago, and the age shows in the story. I think this was an ok book for its time, but it hasn't aged well, and I wouldn't really recommend it today.

Jenny is half Japanese and half American and she is constantly conflicted about this because of racist shits which in itself is show more something a lot of biracial people went through and still do. I didn't much care for this story itself, I just wish it hadn't taken a near-death experience for Jenny for people to stop being so racist to her. show less

Wonderful, sweet book. Not quite enough for me to tag it to my shelf for favorite dog books, but almost. Published in 1949, it just that wholesome attitude from the time that is very refreshing now. I will provide some excerpts from the book, and I think they will give you a feel for the book without giving anything away.

Janey must go live with her uncle’s family when her Captain in the Army father went to train for the army during wartime and her mom was going with him. janey arrives at show more her uncle’s at the same time as a new litter of cocker spaniel puppies and her and her cousin wind up with their own puppies. They each wind up taking a different path to training in puppy class with their dogs with her in obedience and him toward a field trial with unexpected finishes.

As I mentioned earlier, I liked the feeling of the age. Here is an example as she has to leave the big city to go off to the country:

‘Then she was gone and Philadelphia was a big, empty city full of memories: Rittenhouse Square in the springtime, with the children sailing boats in the low concrete pool and mother’s hair bright in the sunshine as she stood chatting with old Mr. Appleby who always fed the squirrels. Walking home from school in the winter arm in arm with Nancy James, past the smart stores on Walnut Street. Going to the orchestra for the first time, with dad, and feeling very own-up. Bringing home a new friend for dinner and being proud that the table looked so lovely. Buying a new dress at Bonwit’s ...’

I also liked how the cool girls Janey meets at high school are described:

‘The single strand of pearls and the cherry-red play shoes which completed het costume were even in Janey’s eyes, indisputably “ right.” The girls who clustered around her, too, looked a cut above the crowd which had ridden in from the outlying districts on the bus. There was a tall, rather striking brunette whose eyebrows rose in astonished peaks above gray eyes, and a plump, giggling girl with short, curly hair brushed upward. “Barby," these two called the blonde in the violet sweater, and Barby seemed to command an unquestioned position among her cohorts.’

I liked how the principal describes the program for the year that reflects the patriotic time at war:

“You've got to be able to interpret what you study in terms of tomorrow, when it'll be up to you to help to plan a lasting peace. Football’s going to mean more than a series of hard-fought games this year, It's one way to build sturdy bodies and a sense of fair play, one way to make the future America strong. Extracurricular activities are going to be different, too. They're going to be keyed to the war effort. Instead of a school play, for instance, we're going to have another scrap collection campaign.”

I loved hearing about the Cockers and their training. Those of us who have been blessed to have a puppy at some time would love to hang on to the memory like what is described here:

‘She sat stroking the puppy’s soft back with dreamy eyes. She began to experience the overwhelming joy of possessing something that can love and be loved in return. This was her dog, this warm, sweet-smelling boy. He’d come to know her voice, as Chief knew his master’s. He’d grow big, some day, and sturdy. People would say, “ What a handsome fellow! ” But she’d remember him like this, little and cuddly, falling asleep in her lap.’

Christmas time at a farm with puppies sounds great to me:

‘Papers all over the living room floor, puppies romping among them! Cricket and Wag playing tug of war on either end of a red ribbon. Mother in a flowered-challis housecoat with ruffles at the neck, and Uncle Mark grinning from ear to ear at Janey’s gift to him — a new book on training spaniels for the field.’

Nice to follow the growth and training of the two respective puppies. The obedience training sounded like it does today but maybe with more force we use now, and I like reading about training for hunting as well (although would rather hunt with a camera.)

“When you jerk your dogs, do it when they’re least aware that you are doing it. The dog should blame himself for the tug instead of you,” Mrs. Jenkins said.

“There’s all the difference in the world,” he was saying, “ between a natural hunter and a mechanical one. I like to see a dog cut out his ground with real zest; I like to see him go to birdy Places with conviction, not because he’s simply a well-trained automaton. If you can develop that spirit in Cricket, you'll have something, Steve.”

Cute book I would recommend reading or a good gift for a youthful reader. show less