Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville 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 Detective fiction Satire Comedy |
| Publisher | Reilly & Britton |
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Publication date
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1908 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 306 pp. |
| Preceded by | Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad |
| Followed by | Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work |
Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville is an exciting young adult novel from 1908. It was written by L. Frank Baum, who is super famous for creating the magical Land of Oz. This book is the third story in the popular "Aunt Jane Series." It follows Aunt Jane's Nieces and Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad. These books were very successful, almost as popular as his Oz stories! L. Frank Baum used the pen name "Edith Van Dyne" for this series.
Contents
What Kind of Story Is It?
This book is a young adult novel. It's perfect for readers aged 12-15. The "Aunt Jane" books tell different kinds of stories. The first book was about family money. The second was about travel adventures. This third book is a small-town drama. It shows the fun differences between old-fashioned country life and new, rich city people.
The story also has a detective feel! L. Frank Baum later wrote many "girl detective" books. He first tried out this idea in some of the "Aunt Jane" books. In Millville, the three cousins try to solve a mystery. They get ideas from detective novels they've read. But their detective work doesn't always go as planned! The book gently makes fun of their attempts.
A Story with Humor
L. Frank Baum also uses humor in this book. He makes fun of popular books from his time. One character loves reading "paper-covered novels." These were like today's paperback books. One funny title mentioned is The Angel Maniac's Revenge. The book also gently pokes fun at small-town life.
What Is the Story About?
Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville continues the adventures of three cousins. Their names are Patsy Doyle, Beth De Graf, and Louise Merrick. The story starts soon after they return from Europe. This happened in the previous book, Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad.
Their kind and quirky Uncle John is a millionaire. He loves to use his money to help others. Patsy's father, Major Doyle, helps him manage these efforts. Sometimes, these plans don't work out perfectly. For example, Uncle John and Major Doyle loaned money to a young inventor. His name was Joseph Wegg. He was developing a new invention.
A Farmhouse Adventure
Joseph Wegg lost a lawsuit about his invention. So, Uncle John now owns a farm that was used as a guarantee for the loan. This farm is in a quiet part of New York State. Uncle John decides to take his nieces to this farm. He wants them to escape the city heat during the summer. He arranges for the farmhouse to be ready. He even ships furniture there without seeing the place first!
Uncle John and the three nieces travel north. They find the farmhouse surprisingly nice. The people in the tiny nearby village are very curious about the new arrivals. They call Uncle John "the nabob," which means a very rich person.
Solving a Mystery
The girls quickly become interested in the family who lived there before. Joseph Wegg's father was a retired sea captain. He was a bit of a loner. His close friend, Will Thompson, became very sad when Captain Wegg died. Both of their fortunes mysteriously disappeared.
The girls meet Ethel Thompson, Will's daughter. She is the local schoolteacher, and they become friends. The cousins, especially Louise, decide that Captain Wegg was murdered and robbed. They start looking for clues and suspects.
They try to find out about the past, but it's hard. Things start to become clearer when Joe Wegg returns home. He is recovering from a car accident. The girls are disappointed to learn there was no murder or robbery. But Uncle John solves a real mystery! He figures out what happened to the Wegg and Thompson fortunes. He finds a missing paper that helps Joe Wegg and Ethel Thompson get married and live comfortably.
Fun Connections to Other Books
Some parts of Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville connect to L. Frank Baum's other books. They even connect to his own life!
A Familiar Character
The servant at the Wegg farm is named Tom Hucks. He is described as: "A tall man, much bent at the shoulder and limping in one leg from an old hurt aggravated by rheumatism. His form was as gnarled as the tree-trunks in the apple orchard, and twisted almost as fantastically."
If you've read the Oz books, you might recognize him! He is a bit like Dr. Pipt in The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1913).
A Love for Chickens
The Millville book mentions Plymouth Rock poultry many times. L. Frank Baum really loved Hamburg poultry. He even wrote a book about them in 1896!
