I so enjoyed reading this book in grade school (mid to late 1960’s). It was about a young girl whose mother or grandmother had a large boardinghouse with many renters. The story’s timeline may have been in the 1940’s or 1950’s (it could have been during WWII). I don’t think it was based on a true story.
There was either an elderly gentleman or an elderly woman who the little girl was fond of. Naturally, she interacted with many of the boarders. I remember thinking that this house was quite large with many rooms and as a child, I wished my house was that big. I believed she had a friend that she walked to school with. Her mother may have been a WWII widow, as I don’t recall her having a father.
I don’t know what it was that drew me into this story as much as it did, if it was the story-line or the many characters or if it was the girl herself, I’m not sure. What I do know is that fifty years have passed and even now, at age 57, I still think about this little girl and her boarders. It must have been a wonderful tale for me to still think about it after all these years and more importantly, to ask for help – to help me solve this mystery, as it is.
Thank you in advance!
Could this be Mary Calhoun’s ‘Katie John’ (1960) or the sequel, ‘Depend on Katie John’ (1961)?
YES, that’s the book!!!! Thank you so much! This book has been in the back of my mind for so many years. Thank you so very much Ann and thank you Morgan! The mystery has been solved. 😉
Just an update, since Ann replied (back in April) to my above query, I have ordered the following books:
Katie John
Depend on Katie John and
Honestly, Katie John!
I am deliriously happy to be reading once again these stories from my childhood in the 1960’s. Mary Calhoun who penned these books so many years ago, had such an easy going style in the way she wrote makes me want to write also. She writes with such interesting details, it’s easy to imagine what she’s describing as you get lost in the story. It’s no wonder that I fell in love with reading at such a young age. Thank you Mary Calhoun, wherever you are. Thanks again Ann for recognizing what I posted. And thank you Stump the Bookseller for doing what you do!
Norma B
One of my favorite characters – so glad you found her again!