The Boy Next Door

by Betty Cavanna

Everyone in town took it for granted that Jane Howard was Ken Sanderson's girl, but Jane felt that they were just good "pals." The night Ken tried to show her that he was not at all happy with his unromantic role, Jane instinctively rebuffed him. When her vivacious younger sister, Belinda, began to date Ken, Jane found herself going through a period of bitterness and jealousy. But with new interests at school and an exciting young English boy, Jane finally gained a greater understanding of herself and the world in which she lived.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Coming Of Age

Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

American juvenile author (full name: Elizabeth Allen) Betty Cavanna suffered from a crippling disease, infantile paralysis, as a child, which she eventually overcame with treatment and exercise. During her convalescence, attentive adults read to her until she was old enough to read to herself, beginning a long love affair with books.

Cavanna majored in journalism at the New Jersey College for Women in New Brunswick, from where she received the Bachelor of Letters degree in 1929. She also took art classes in New York and Philadelphia. Cavanna's first job was as a reporter for the Bayonne Times. In 1931 she joined the staff of the Westminster Press in Philadelphia and over the next ten years served as advertising manager and art director. She also wrote and sold material to Methodist and Baptist publishing firms. In 1940 she married Edward Talman Headley, with whom she had a son. They moved to Philadelphia. After her husband's death, she married George Russell Harrison, a university dean of science, as well as nonfiction writer, in 1957. He died in 1979.

Cavanna became a full-time writer in 1941. Since then she has written more than seventy books under the name of Betty Cavanna as well as two pseudonyms: Betsy Allen, under which she wrote the "Connie Blair Mystery" series, and Elizabeth Headley, under which she wrote several books, including the Diane stories. As Betty Cavanna she also published the nonfiction "Around the World Today" about young people living in various countries.

Cavanna's juvenile fiction, about the difficulties of adolescenc, appealed to generations of teenage girls. Her characters confronted loneliness, sibling rivalries, divorce, and tense mother-daughter relationships. Her books, although characterized as pleasant, conventional, and stereotyped, have been extremely popular and recommended by critics for their attention to subjects which have reflected girls' interests. Going on Sixteen and Secret Passage were Spring Book Festival honor books in 1946 and 1947.

In the 1970s Cavanna turned to writing mysteries, which she termed "escape fiction," because she said she felt out of sync with the problems of modern teenagers. Two of her books have been runners-up for the Edgar Allan Poe Award: Spice Island Mystery in 1970 and the Ghost of Ballyhooly in 1972.

She died in France (2001).

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books from when I was in junior high school and one I have been searching for years to find. I could remember the story, but I could not remember the name and author of the book and finally, a couple of weeks ago, for some reason, I figured it and found a copy online for my permanent library.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 1950s teen "malt-shop" novel by Betty Cavanna, one of the queens of the genre, and easily my least favorite of her books that I've read thus far. Firstly, there was too much angst over Jane's jealousy of her younger sister (who, incidentally, was a character with no saving graces who I really wanted to slap). Secondly, the interesting English boy literally came out of nowhere. Thirdly, and most of all, I am deeply uninterested in hot-rods, a major component of the plot. So deeply uninterested. A couple of silver linings: I liked that Jane finds some fulfillment as editor of the yearbook even without a desirable guy to date, and was interested that she plays field hockey (the first time I've come across a hockey playing girl in an American book from this era).

[CLM · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many books about teens who feel out of place because their friends suddenly become boy crazy when they are not - this captures that angst as well as the confusion of suddenly realizing that you are more than casually interested in the boy next door - when he suddenly becomes captivated by your annoying younger sister. Even a charming English boyfriend who appears miraculously on the scene to save Jane's pride does not compensate for losing her best friend...

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this 1950s novel about growing up. Expecting a “candy novel” (sweet, but a little bad for you, fluff), I found a light hearted look at jealousy, resentment, first loves, and hot rods. Surprisingly well written, this contemporary fiction story really put you in the world it was written for. I would say that the biggest drawback for me was the open ending. But then, I like my endings a little more “sewn up”. A fun read in an early YA genre.

[Meg W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't decide whether to love it or hate it. No matter which you choose you'll agree Belinda is a brat.

[Amy Mable · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved books like these when I was in Junior high. I wish these were available for digital loans from the library.

[Debbie Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute teen read from the 1950's.

[Diletta Nicastro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this book in Italian, titled 'Il ragazzo della porta accanto'.
Here is my review in Italian.
__________

Betty Cavanna (1909-2001) è un’autrice americana che ho amato molto in gioventù. I suoi libri, freschi e gentili, hanno animato molte delle mie letture adolescenziali. Le sue pagine raccontano di un mondo che non c’è più, di un periodo che va dal 1946 ai primi Anni Sessanta, di una generazione che esce dalla Seconda Guerra Mondiale e di giovani che vogliono guardare al futuro con l’ottimismo tipico della loro età.
'Il ragazzo della porta accanto' era un titolo che nella collana di mia mamma mancava (non era mai riuscita a recuperarlo all’epoca) e che ho rintracciato grazie alla 'Libreria dei Passi Perduti' in provincia di Perugia. E’ stata una gioia poterlo avere tra le mani dopo tanto tempo (e dopo aver a lungo fantasticato su chi potesse essere questo ragazzo della porta accanto).
La lunga attesa non ha diminuito il piacere della lettura, ed ho goduto ogni pagina con gioia intima e silenziosa.
Mi sono sentita trasportare ancora una volta, come quando ero giovane, in un mondo al di là dell’Oceano molto, ma molto più lontano di quanto oggi possano essere gli Stati Uniti (per capirlo, basti pensare che la stessa Jane quando incontra Peter va ad aprire l’atlante della scuola per vedere dove si trova il paese inglese da cui proviene).
Ho rivisto questi adolescenti che imparano a crescere, cercando di migliorarsi e di affrontare i propri errori. Questa gioventù dove l’amore era vissuto in punta di forchetta e a volte bastava uno sguardo o una passeggiata sotto la luna per far battere i cuori. Questo mondo così leggiadro, ma non per questo non pieno di spessore e di forza emotiva.

Per la recensione completa visita il mio blog: https://dilettanicastro.blogspot.com/...

[Kirstie MacLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book to revisit from long ago. Despite the very clean 1950s white monoculture depicted here that feels almost strange from today's vantage point, I actually think it portrays very well the range of emotions familiar to any teen, and I appreciate the aspect of Jane learning to accept her own quiet unique self instead of trying to be like all the other teens in order to be "popular." The world has changed dramatically since 1956 and thank goodness we aren't confined to the gender roles of that era anymore, but there is a lot to like between these pages. Available for free from the Open Library.

[JH · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminded me, in tone, of the Beverly Cleary teen books, like “Fifteen.” An all American family in a small town set in the 60s, teenage boys interested in cars, wholesome dates to the soda shop, interesting parent-child dynamics that seem quaint and dated.

I really liked it! Like all of Betty Cavanna’s main characters, the protagonist Jane experienced personal growth over the course of the story. I loved seeing her interact with her sister and best friend, and gain confidence at school.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a youth and remember that I enjoyed it very much. I recall that I then checked out every Betty Cavanna book that our main library had and that I enjoyed many of them. Anyway, I still enjoyed the innocence of young girl’s first love back in simpler days when everything wasn’t always about sex.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A blast from the past! I read this as a young teen, and I found it just as engaging, but from an adult's point-of-view.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more the story of a young girl's first crush than first love. The main characters were cringeably immature, although they're not static characters. Not one of my favorite Cavanna books.

[Subi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a library copy from 1971. I loved all her books as a teen.

[Gort · Rating 2 out of 5]

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[Reading with Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geez...the poor kid wants a used Cadillac and everyone's acting like he's off to buy a brand new Porsche.