Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work
First edition
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| Author |
L. Frank Baum (as "Edith Van Dyne") |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Emile A. Nelson |
| 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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1909 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 298 pp. |
| Preceded by | Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville |
| Followed by | Aunt Jane's Nieces in Society |
Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work is a 1909 young adult novel, written by L. Frank Baum, famous as the creator of the Land of Oz. It is the fourth volume in the ten-book series Aunt Jane's Nieces, which was the greatest success of Baum's literary career after the Oz books themselves. Like the other books in the series, it was issued under the pen name "Edith Van Dyne," one of Baum's multiple pseudonyms.
The novel carries forward the continuing story of the three cousins Louise Merrick, Beth De Graf, and Patsy Doyle, and their circle. The title is somewhat misleading; it could more accurately have been called Aunt Jane's Nieces in Politics. (Uncle John Merrick tells his nieces that politics is "work," which yields the title.)
The story begins three days after the end of the previous book, Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville; the freckled and red-haired Patsy still sports a sunburn from her summer in the Adirondacks. She and Louise have received letters from their "cousin" Kenneth Forbes, the young man who inherited Aunt Jane's estate in the first book of the series. Kenneth has become involved in politics: he is running as the Republican candidate for the local seat in the New York State legislature, but thinks he is going to lose to his opponent. The family decide to go all out to help Kenneth win the election.
The cousins and Uncle John go to the rural district where Forbes's estate, Elmhurst, is located. The multi-millionaire Uncle John, the three attractive girls, and their two motorcars (rare in the district) create a sensation. Patsy campaigns among the local businessmen, Beth writes newspaper articles and press releases, and Louise concentrates on visiting the local farmers' wives. (The women cannot vote – but they will "tell their husbands how to vote.") Uncle John spreads his cash around, even buying positive coverage for Forbes in the local paper. (The fee is $250, with another $500 if and when Kenneth wins.) Kenneth's mercenary and cynical Democratic opponent, Erastus Hopkins, fights back vigorously – but, provoked by the three cousins, he intemperately takes an anti-female line that works against him. In the end, Kenneth wins easily in the normally Republican district.
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