SOME STORIES FOR GIRLS,
IN comparison with the great number of boys' story books issued by the publishers, those designed specially for girls are few and, it must be admitted, less excellent in quality. (It is probable, indeed, that the boys' books find among their readers almost as many girls as boys.) Nevertheless, most of the volumes before us can be received with hearty approval, and one or two reach a high level of excellence. We will begin by mentioning the school stories, four of which are in the batch we are dealing with. The first of these, A Ripping Girl; is a very good specimen of its class. Its scene is laid in Dorsetshire, and there are some vivacious incidents at a by- election in a Wessex country town, as well as a good picture of school life. The whole story is attractively told, and we may particularly mention an amusing account of a mistresses' meeting. The Girls of St. Cyprian's2 portrays with much • (1) A Ripping Girl. By May Baldwin. London : W. and B. Chambers. [510—(2) The Girls of St. Cyprian's. By Angela Brazil. London: Blackie and Son. [Ss. 6d.]—(3) Headmistress Hilary. By Kathlyn Rhodes. London : James Nisbet and Co. [3a. 6d.]—(4) Girls of the Hamlet Club. By.Elsie Oxenham. London : W. and B. Chambers. [Ss. 6d.]—(5) Mrs. Trlley's Visitor,. By Ethel Weigall. London: The Sunday School Union. [2a. (6) The Daughter in Possession. By Rosa Mulholland (Lady Gilbert). Lon on : Mackie and Son.[6s.1-17) A Girl of High Adventure. By .L. T. Meade. London: W. and R. Chambers. [6s.)—(8) Schoolgirl's Diary. By May Baldwin. Same publishers. [3s. 6d.]—(9) Helen of the Black Mountain. By Bessie Merchant. London: Black's and Son.[Se. 6d.]—(10) Captain Nosey. By Dorothea Moore. London; James Nisbet and Co, [8s. OM.] realistic detail life in a day school in a musical manu- facturing town of the North of England. Much of the book is occupied with a description of a series of competitions between the different schools of the town, in which SL Cyprian's gains especial distinction in music. The heroine, however, who is a real musical genius, does not win a place in the competition, and only comes into her own at a public concert given by the Professor's pupils at the Town Hall.—The third of these school stories, Headmistress Hilary,' is less true to life than the first two, and the position of injured innocence in which the heroine is constantly finding herself is apt to become a little irritating. The book, however, is crowded with incidents, including an escape from drowning, an adventure with a cinema troupe, and a rescue from a burning house. A Pekingese, Mr. Wu, plays an important part in the story.—Lastly, we have Girls of the Hamlet Club,* a story of a school in the Chilterns. The author shows herself to be a true lover of Nature and a thorough appreciator of the beautiful Buckinghamshire scenery. She displays, moreover, an agreeably light touch in her writing.—Passing from the school stories, we may mention Mrs. Trigley's Visitors,' a story of a seaside lodging- house, which is designed for somewhat younger children.-- For more grown-up girls, on the other hand, we may recom- mend The Daughter in Possession." This tale is full of interest, and traces the career of a little street-girl who saves the life of a wealthy singer, and is consequently adopted by him as his child. The character-drawing shows considerable distinction, and the book will be welcomed by the admirers of its popular writer.—A Girl of High Adventure 7 was the production of another well-known author, from whom unfortunately we may not hope to see any more works. This last of Mrs. Meade's books, which describes the adventures of a girl with an Irish mother and a French father, shows all the skill and sympathy that made her such a favourite with girls.—In A School- girl's Diary 8 the narrator is supposed to relate her experiences on a long voyage to Australia and South Africa. The book is amusingly written, but contains rather too much senti- mental interest to be a satisfactory girls' story, in spite of some exciting adventures.—On the other hand, Helen of the Black Mountain' is almost purely an adventure story—and an excellent one too, with many hairbreadth escapes and much highly convincing Montenegrin local colour.—Finally, we must mention an adventure story of another sort, Captain, Nancy,'" which is an historical novel dealing with the Young Pretender and the 'Forty-five.
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