Margaret Vandercook facts for kids

Margaret O'Bannon Womack Vandercook (born January 12, 1877 – died February 7, 1958) was an American author who wrote many popular books for young people. She is best known for her exciting adventure stories, especially those about the Camp Fire Girls.

Her Life Story

Margaret was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She went to both public and private schools in her hometown. In 1900, she married John Filkin Vandercook. Her husband later became the first president of the United Press Association, which was a very important news organization. Sadly, he passed away in 1908.

Margaret and John had one son named John Womack Vandercook. After her husband's death, Margaret spent her summers in Leonardo, New Jersey, and her winters in Gramercy Park, New York. During her husband's life, she also lived in Europe for several years.

Her Writing Career

Margaret Vandercook didn't start writing professionally until after her husband died. She became very famous for her books, especially those about the Camp Fire Girls. People even called her the "queen of Camp Fire writers." She wrote 21 novels in this series!

She wrote these books under her own name, Margaret Vandercook. She also used a pen name, which is a fake name authors sometimes use. Her pen name was "Margaret Love Sanderson." Another author, Emma Keats Speed Sampson, also used this same pen name.

Besides the Camp Fire Girls series, Margaret wrote other popular book series for girls. These included the Ranch Girls series, the Red Cross Girls series, and the Girl Scouts series. Her stories were often about adventure, friendship, and girls working together.

Margaret also wrote short stories, articles, and poems. These appeared in many different magazines, such as Harper's Bazaar, Delineator, and Pearson's Magazine. She was also a member of the Louisville Kentucky Authors' Club.

Her Books

Margaret Vandercook wrote many books, especially in popular series for young readers.

The Camp Fire Girls Series

• The Camp Fire Girls at Sunrise Hill (1913)
• The Camp Fire Girls Amid the Snows (1913)
• The Camp Fire Girls in the Outside World (1914)
• The Camp Fire Girls Across the Seas (1914)
• The Camp Fire Girls' Careers (1915)
• The Camp Fire Girls in After Years (1915)
• The Camp Fire Girls on the Edge of the Desert (1917)
• The Camp Fire Girls at the End of the Trail (1917)
• The Camp Fire Girls Behind the Lines (1918)
• The Camp Fire Girls on the Field of Honor (1918)
• The Camp Fire Girls in Glorious France (1919)
• The Camp Fire Girls in Merrie England (1920)
• The Camp Fire Girls by the Blue Lagoon (1921)
• The Camp Fire Girls at Half Moon Lake (1921)

The Ranch Girls Series

• The Ranch Girls at Rainbow Lodge (1911)
• The Ranch Girls' Pot of Gold (1912)
• The Ranch Girls at Boarding School (1913)
• The Ranch Girls in Europe (1914)
• The Ranch Girls Home Again (1915)
• The Ranch Girls and Their Great Adventure (1917)
• The Ranch Girls and Their Heart's Desire (1920)
• The Ranch Girls and the Silver Arrow (1921)
• The Ranch Girls and the Mystery of Three Roads (1924)

The Red Cross Girls Series

• The Red Cross Girls in the British Trenches (1916)
• The Red Cross Girls on the French Firing Line (1916)
• The Red Cross Girls in Belgium (1916)
• The Red Cross Girls with the Russian Army (1916)
• The Red Cross Girls with the Italian Army (1917)
• The Red Cross Girls Under the Stars and Stripes (1917)
• The Red Cross Girls Afloat with the Flag (1918)
• The Red Cross Girls with the U.S. Marines (1919)
• The Red Cross Girls with Pershing to Victory (1919)
• The Red Cross Girls at the National Capital (1920)

The Girl Scouts Series

• The Girl Scouts of Eagle's Wing (1921)
• The Girl Scouts in Beechwood Forest (1921)
• The Girl Scouts of the Round Table (1921)
• The Girl Scouts in Mystery Valley (1923)
• The Girl Scouts and the Open Road (1923)

Other Books

• The Loves of Ambrose (1914)
• Poems Past and Present (1948)