Cousins

by Evan Commager

Set in the South in the priod following the First World War, this is the story of a romantically intriguing Search for a Lady. While rummaging in the attic one day, ten-year-old Margaret Kendall and her cousin, Debbie, find a cryptic letter in the pocket of their grandmother's wedding dress. The mystery unfolds from there. Illustrations by N. M. Bodecker are charmingly humorous and portray the fun and warmth of the story.

Genres: Young Adult

270 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Evan Commager was married to historian Henry Steele Commager, and lived with him in Amherst, Massachusetts. She wrote four books for children, and her Southern upbringing is reflected in her writing. She also spent summers in Vermont which she loved as much as her native South Carolina.

Reviews

[CLM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this in the Chappaqua, NY library, and believe what first caught my eye was the N.M. Bodecker cover, which I recognized from my frequent rereading of Edward Eager.

I desperately need a dust jacket for my copy.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small southern town in the 1920s and 30s is the vividly realized setting for three young cousins who attempt to solve the mystery of a lady named Felicity. One of my comfort reads.

[JKR · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather humdrum story which some witty dialogue and even the classic illustrations can only save to a certain extent.