Aunt Jane's Nieces in the Red Cross facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | L. Frank Baum (as "Edith Van Dyne") |
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| Illustrator | Norman P. Hall |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Aunt Jane's Nieces |
| Genre | Young adult fiction |
| Publisher | Reilly & Britton |
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Publication date
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1915; 1918 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 256 pp. (1915) 288 pp. (1918) |
| Preceded by | Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West |
Aunt Jane's Nieces in the Red Cross is an exciting adventure novel written in 1915 by L. Frank Baum. He is the famous author who created the magical Land of Oz. This book is the tenth and final story in Baum's popular Aunt Jane's Nieces series. These books were a big hit with young girls.
L. Frank Baum used a special writing name, called a "pen name," for this series. He wrote Aunt Jane's Nieces in the Red Cross and all the other books in the series as "Edith Van Dyne." This book is special because it shows Baum's thoughts and feelings about World War I.
Contents
Why the Author Wrote This Book
The author, writing as "Edith Van Dyne," added a special note at the beginning of this book. This was unusual for the series. In this note, Baum explained why he wrote the story:
- He wanted to tell the story of three brave American girls.
- These girls gave up their comfortable homes.
- They traveled overseas to help wounded soldiers in a war.
- Baum hoped that by showing the "horrors of war," his young readers would want lasting peace.
- He wanted them to hope that deadly fighting would stop forever.
What Happens in the Story
The story begins in September 1914. We meet the main characters, Patsy Doyle and Beth De Graf. Their uncle, John Merrick, is also with them. They are reading a newspaper about a big battle in World War I. The girls are very worried about the war news. Beth especially cares a lot about the French side.
Soon, two other characters from the previous book join them. These are "Ajo" Jones and the movie star Maud Stanton. Maud Stanton takes the place of the third cousin, Louise Merrick, who is not in this final book.
Maud and Ajo come to New York. Maud is on her way to Europe to work as a nurse. She had nursing training before she became an actress. Patsy and Beth are very impressed by Maud's courage. They want to help too.
Uncle John tries to stop them, but he can't. So, he decides to support their plan. He uses his money and connections to work with the American Red Cross. Ajo Jones is also excited to help. He offers his large yacht, the Arabella, to be turned into a hospital ship. Uncle John pays for all the changes to the boat. He also buys two ambulances to carry injured soldiers.
Uncle John's money and the girls' excitement make things happen fast. By the end of September, the Arabella is ready. It is painted with big red crosses and sails to Dunkirk, France.
They have a talented surgeon named Doctor Gys on their team. He is a bit unusual and has traveled all over the world. He has been hurt in many accidents, which have changed his appearance. Doctor Gys says he is a coward. But he also seems interested in facing the dangers of the war.
The Americans also get a Belgian driver named Maurie. He drives their ambulance and often makes funny comments. He adds some humor to the book.
The main characters face many challenges. They deal with army rules and see the terrible things that happen in war. Baum described these scenes gently, keeping them suitable for young readers. Beth had some nursing training before. But Patsy is new to it and is shocked by what she sees. Doctor Gys is scared at first when he sees fighting. But his medical skills quickly take over, and he does his job well.
Near the end of the story, Patsy gets hurt but gets better. Doctor Gys is killed on the battlefield. Even though he called himself a coward, he dies bravely.
The French officials in Dunkirk lose trust in the Americans. This happens after a German prisoner they were treating escapes. As a result, fewer wounded soldiers come to their ship. It seems their help is no longer needed. After three months of service, the girls return to the United States. Uncle John tells them they did their duty. He says they "unselfishly devoted their lives for three strenuous months to the injured soldiers of a foreign war."
Changes in the 1918 Version
The first version of the book came out in 1915. At that time, the United States was not officially part of World War I. So, the book showed the American nurses treating wounded soldiers from both sides. They even met polite German officers. The characters hoped the war would end soon.
But by 1918, things had changed a lot. The United States had joined the war. Also, two of Baum's own sons were serving in the American army in Europe. Because of this, Baum and his publisher decided to release a new version of the book.
For the 1918 version, Baum wrote four new chapters. These chapters made the book's tone stronger. They changed the neutral view to one that supported the Allies. In this new version, the war was not just a waste. It was a fight between right and wrong. Uncle John Merrick says his money must be used to defeat the "Central Powers." The terrible parts of the war are described more directly. For example, an American cameraman is badly wounded and cared for by the young nurses.
The ending of the story is very different in the two versions. In the 1918 book, the girls do not go home after three months. They plan to stay as long as they can help. Doctor Gys also survives. A skilled surgeon fixes his injuries. Once he looks like his old self, he and Beth get engaged to be married. Patsy also seems to be heading towards an engagement at the end of this version.
The End of the Series
In 1915, Baum's publisher suggested that the Aunt Jane's Nieces series should end. Even though it was very successful, they felt it was time for something new. Baum agreed. He then started a new series called the Mary Louise books. He wrote these along with his last Oz books.
Aunt Jane's Nieces in the Red Cross was a good book to end the series. It was the most serious of the ten novels. It dealt with important topics like war. The story also showed the main characters growing up. Both Patsy and Beth, who were still single cousins, were moving towards adulthood and marriage by the end of the story.
