Lucy Johnston Sypher facts for kids
Lucy Johnston Sypher (born in 1907, passed away in 1990) was an American author. She wrote a series of four popular children's books. These books were inspired by her own childhood. She grew up in a small prairie town called Wales, North Dakota. Her books include The Edge of Nowhere (published in 1972), Cousins and Circuses (1974), The Spell of the Northern Lights (1975), and The Turnabout Year (1976).
Lucy's Adventures in Her Books
Lucy Sypher's books tell stories about her early life in Wales. In the books, her father, George Henry (called Harry), was the town banker. Her mother, Caroline, was a church organist and music teacher. Caroline came from a well-educated family in a big city.
The stories feature an eleven-year-old Lucy. She goes to a small country school. There, she becomes friends with three sisters from an English family. They also have a brother who is a bit spoiled. He is nicknamed "The Prince of Wales." This is a funny play on words. It refers to the town's name and how easily he would cry.
Lucy also visits her cousins who live in a big city. She sometimes gets annoyed by her older brother, Amory, who loves to play tricks. The last book, The Turnabout Year, talks about a difficult time. Lucy's mother gets sick after her younger brother, George, is born. The book also describes Lucy's decision to go to high school in Minneapolis.
Lucy Sypher shared that the events in her books were mostly made up. She used her real-life experiences as a starting point. But she added many fictional details to make the stories exciting.
About Lucy Sypher's Life
Lucy Sypher grew up in Wales, North Dakota. Her parents were George and Caroline Gale Johnston. She went to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota. She graduated from there in 1927. Later, she earned her master's degree from Tufts University in 1929.
Before she started writing her children's books, Lucy taught English and history. She worked at Lasell Junior College in Auburndale, Massachusetts for several years.
In 1929, Lucy Johnston married Wylie Sypher. She and her husband lived in Massachusetts. They raised their family there.
- Johnston, Lucy Sypher, The Edge of Nowhere, Atheneum, 1972
- Johnston, Lucy Sypher, Cousins and Circuses, Atheneum, 1974
- Johnston, Lucy Sypher, The Spell of the Northern Lights, Atheneum, 1975
- Johnston, Lucy Sypher, The Turnabout Year, Atheneum, 1976
