Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | L. Frank Baum (as "Edith Van Dyne") |
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| Illustrator | Emile A. Nelson |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult fiction |
| Publisher | Reilly & Britton |
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Publication date
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1907 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 347 pp. |
| Preceded by | Aunt Jane's Nieces |
| Followed by | Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville |
Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad is an exciting adventure novel written by L. Frank Baum. He is the famous author who created the magical Land of Oz. This book is the second in a series of ten novels called Aunt Jane's Nieces. It was one of Baum's most popular series, right after his Oz books. Like the other books in this series, Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad was published under the pen name "Edith Van Dyne." This was one of several different names Baum used for his books.
Contents
When Was It Published?
Even though the first edition of Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad says "1906" as its publication date, it actually came out a bit later. The book was truly published in late 1907.
How the Story Was Created
When L. Frank Baum wrote this book, he wanted to make a great follow-up to his first successful novel. He added many real-world details and interesting facts from his own travels. Baum and his wife went on a long trip to Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea in early 1906. He used everything they saw and experienced on that trip to make the story come alive.
For example, the Baums saw the famous volcano Mount Vesuvius erupt on April 7, 1906. Baum made this eruption a big event in his novel. The characters in Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad even visit some of the same places in Italy and stay in the same hotels that the Baums did!
What the Story Is About
This second book in the Aunt Jane's series continues right after the first one ended. The main character, Uncle John Merrick, is a rich and unique man. He decides to take his three beloved nieces on an exciting trip to Europe. His nieces are Patsy Doyle, Elizabeth de Graf, and Louise Merrick.
The girls' parents have different ideas about the trip. But they all agree to let their daughters go. Louise's mother, Mrs. Merrick, wants to go along as a chaperone. But Uncle John quickly says no to that idea. Still, Mrs. Merrick lets Louise go. She hopes the trip will separate Louise from Arthur Weldon, a young man who likes her. Mrs. Merrick wants Louise to marry someone very rich. Arthur's father is wealthy, but Arthur and his dad are having problems. His father even threatens to cut him off from his money.
Uncle John and the three cousins start their journey to Europe by ship. On board, they meet new people. One of them is a mysterious man named Victor Valdi. He seems both polite and a bit wild. Patsy tries hard to get him to talk and be friendly.
The group arrives in Italy. There, they witness the volcano Vesuvius erupting! They deal with people's fears and a layer of ash covering the streets of Naples. They think about changing their plans, but decide to bravely continue their adventure. They meet a local nobleman, the Count of Ferralti, who is interested in Louise. However, the clever Uncle John quickly realizes that Ferralti is not a real count. John warns Louise about him. But he still lets them spend time together, especially after Ferralti bravely helps them during a dangerous moment on the road.
In Taormina, the travelers meet Victor Valdi again. He seems even more mysterious in his home country, where people call him "Il Duca." There is a lot of talk about the danger of "brigands" in Sicily. Brigands are like bandits or robbers. But the local people keep saying, "There are no brigands" in Sicily, which is a bit funny because it's not true.
Soon enough, both Uncle John and Ferralti are captured by Valdi. It turns out Valdi is the main local brigand! He makes money for his family by kidnapping tourists and asking for ransom. Uncle John learns about Valdi's strange setup. It includes his tough mother and his daughter, Tato. Tato pretends to be a boy to help her father.
At first, Uncle John doesn't want to pay the ransom for his freedom. But his nieces and friends refuse to give in to the bandits. They bravely plan and carry out a rescue mission for Uncle John and Ferralti. During the rescue, it's revealed that the false Count Ferralti is actually Arthur Weldon! He came to Europe in disguise to be with Louise. Uncle John lets Louise and Arthur continue to see each other. But he says they can't talk about marriage yet. News arrives that Arthur's father has passed away, and Arthur is now very wealthy.
A few days later, Valdi and Tato surprise the Americans by showing up at their hotel. While Tato was helping with the ransom plan, she and Patsy became friends. Patsy is very kind and doesn't blame Tato for her family's actions. Now, Valdi asks the Americans to take care of Tato for a while. Valdi wants to stop being a brigand and start an honest life. The cousins, being a bit naive, agree to take Tato in. They enjoy buying her new clothes and teaching her good manners.
They are surprised again when Tato runs away with the ransom money! She takes $50,000 of Uncle John's money and $30,000 of Arthur Weldon's. Tato leaves a cheerful but teasing letter behind. In it, she explains that it was all a trick.
Having learned their lesson, the travelers finish their tour through Italy, Switzerland, and France. They are very happy to finally return home.
How the Characters Grow
To make the sequel good, Baum needed to make his characters more interesting. In the first book, Louise was willing to follow her mother's wishes about finding a rich husband. But in this book, she prefers Arthur Weldon even when he might lose his inheritance. This shows she is more sincere, thoughtful, and independent.
Beth is the most determined of the cousins. She carries a small gun and is a very good shot. However, during the big fight with Valdi, she faints when a bullet she fires hits Valdi's finger and makes him bleed. After that, she promises she will never fire a weapon again. This shows a softer side to her personality. Even Kenneth Forbes, the cousin who inherited Aunt Jane's money in the first book, shows unexpected bravery and spirit in this adventure.
