Birthdate: 1905
Gender: female
Education: New York University
Columbia University
Occupations: journalist
editor, Norcross
Short biography: From Amazon: Frieda Friedman was a writer of children's literature who, from the mid-1940s to the late 1960s, published several short, illustrated novels primarily intended for preteen and adolescent girls. Her works enjoyed republication and numerous printings through the 1970s, and in some cases until the late 1980s. After earning a B.S. from New York University, Friedman entered into graduate study at Columbia University and New York University. In the course of her professional career, she was employed by New York American and several other newspapers and magazines. In 1930, she began writing poetry for the Norcross Greeting Card Company, and was eventually promoted to editor. Friedman lived in New York City, and set much of her fiction there. She wrote often about girls in supportive, working-class or middle-class families. Illustrators of Friedman's work include Valeria Patterson, Carolyn Haywood, Mary Barton, Mary Stevens, Jacqueline Tomes, Vivienne Blake, Ulrike Zehe-Weinberg, Erich Hölle, Leonard Shortall, and Emmo. On three occasions, the New York Herald Tribune Spring Book Festival recognized her work in adolescent fiction with an Honor Choice award: in 1947 for Dot for Short; in 1949 for A Sundae with Judy; and in 1956 for The Janitor's Girl.
Nationality: USA
Birthplace: Syracuse, New York, USA
Places of residence: New York, New York, USA
Associated Place (for map): New York, USA

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Young girl living in city writes poetry in Name that Book (December 2011)

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7 reviews

fuzzi 1,577 reviews

Carol by Frieda Friedman

Carol is unhappy with the way things have changed: she used to live in a house surrounded by green grass and trees, but now that her father is working in the city, her whole family has moved into a small and uncomfortable apartment. At first other children in the neighborhood want to be friends, but Carol's pouting and brooding over her current circumstances has alienated them. Will Carol stay friendless until she's old and cranky, like the downstairs neighbor, Miss Tyler, who is always show more complaining about everything, and never has anything good to say?

I liked this book, partly because of the way Carol is portrayed, as a little bit of a snob, who can't see that her own selfishness is keeping her from making friends. The author has created a character and situation that is a little deeper than many children's books, but without a "preachy" feel to it. show less

Mar 25, 20141 other review

fuzzi 1,577 reviews

Dot for Short by Frieda Friedman

Yippee! I love it when a book from my childhood turns out to be as good a read as an adult, if not better. Such is the case with "Dot for Short".

Dot is ten years old, and lives with her two sisters and younger brother on Third Avenue in NYC, circa late 1940s. Her sisters are tall and pretty, her brother is energetic and funny, but Dot is the small, "plain", insecure sibling. However, she has a caring heart. When faced with adult issues, she makes plans to help those she loves, if it means show more doing something unusual, something outside her "comfort zone".

I loved my reread of this story from my childhood: the children could be from today, with similar fears and worries. I enjoyed a look back, too, at an era before television. show less

Mar 9, 2014 (Edited)1 other review

Sasha_Doll 136 reviews

Dot for Short (TX138) by Frieda Friedman

From 1962 vintage Scholastic cover:

"She's really very pretty," Grandma said, so low that only Mommy was supposed to hear. But Dot heard, too, and almost burst with happiness. Everyone was always so busy telling how pretty Peg and Fluff were that they didn't even notice her.

Mommy smiled warmly at Dot and said, "I think this is going to be a lucky year for you, Dot. It's starting out that way, isn't it?" ----

This is a sweet story about ten-year-old Dot, short for Dorothea Ann Fleming, show more youngest sister of Peg and Fluff, who get all the attention for being so pretty. But Dot, who at first seems to think of nothing much but her short stature and general inferiority, comes to agree with her grandmother that "it's the size of the mind and the kindness of the heart that count." And anyway, Dot's plenty cute.

Dot's father desperately needs a vacation, so Dot decides to enter some limerick contests. She loses the first one with a grand prize of $10,000 dollars outright or $25 dollars a week for 10 years (imagine what riches in 1942, when the book was written). But she writes a very special limerick when she convinces her grandmother to try some "new-fangled" baking mix for muffins one hot summer evening ("I can't tell you why, but it's a matter of life and death," she tells her grandmother). The family loves the muffins, and Dot writes a very special limerick and submits it to the company's contest:

For supper we had a real treat
It was muffins, in spite of the heat.
We forgot the hot day,
And here's what we say:
"Muffin Masterpiece just can't be beat!"

Will she win with that dubious limerick?

If you enjoyed "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio," you'll want to read Dot for Short and find out. 4 stars go to this book because grade school girls (and the young at heart) will find much to enjoy, here. show less

Aug 24, 20071 other review

LynneQuan 2,993 reviews

The Janitor's Girl by Frieda Friedman

Set in New York City in the 1940s, after the war. Sue and her family are excited about moving into a new apartment but as the daughter of a building superintendent, she unexpectedly has to cope with class prejudice from the snobby girls at school.

Nov 18, 20241 other review

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