Here's Marny

Tippy Parrish #8

by Janet Lambert, Virtual Voice (narrator), Image Cascade Publishing (publisher)

Mrs. Peter Jordon, formerly Tippy Parrish, finds her heart captured by a foster child named Marny. Marny Alexander is a shy and pretty fifteen-year-old who is a ward of the State of Georgia when she comes to the Jordon home as a baby sitter.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Janet Lambert, born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, was a popular girls' story author from 1941 through 1969 (and beyond to today). She wrote 54 books during that time about a number of different girls and their families. Her most popular series were about the Parrishes and the Jordons. These stories, and many of her other series, became entwined as the various characters met each other, married, and then had children of their own!

Janet, having an interest in both the theater and writing, decided to write her own plays in which to act. She did achieve her goal and appeared on Broadway. When she married a career Army officer, her life on stage came to a close, but her stories were still flowing. Knowing well the "life of the Army," many of Ms. Lambert's books are set on Army posts throughout the United States.

Legend has it that her stories started as bedtime stories for her children while they were overseas. Each night, the author would tell the next "installment" of the series. Later, after her kids were grown, she penned one of her stories (Star Spangled Summer) and—according to legend—it was sold to a publisher the very day after she sent it to them.

Reviews

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

2026 Reread
I wanted to hug Marny and Tippy and Peter!

I just love this story. Marny is so sweet. This is the last in the Tippy Parrish series and it takes place about 8 years after the last book. Seeing Peter and Tippy as a couple with children is rather fun. I also enjoyed getting to see the rest of the Parrish clan, and General Jordan. I even liked Bobby! There is just something sweet and charming about this little orphaned girl and the family who opens their hearts to her.

There are euphemisms and perhaps a couple swear words. This is not a Christian book, but there are a couple prayers and the mention of reading the Bible.

[Karen Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this was a happy and sad thing -- sad because it's the last of the Parrish family/Jordon family books, but happy because it's really good reading. This is also the last of the Tippy Parrish Jordon books. Tippy, Peter and their two children are living around Atlanta, Georgia, where Peter is stationed and they have gotten word that Peter is to be sent to Vietnam so Tippy and the kids will be moving back to New York to be around their large and loving family, which will ease Peter's mind as he serves overseas. One of the problems is that Tippy wants to take their 16 year old babysitter with them... Marny Alexander is a foster child and she just perfectly fits in with the Jordons. They all adore her and when Tippy discovers more about Marny's unhappy past, she is determined to take over foster care of this shy, lovely girl and take her along to New York.. Marny can barely believe that this might happen and she'll be part of a real family again, and Tippy exerts all her efforts to move the mountains of paperwork that are in the way and her goal to add Marny to her little family. In the end, Tippy works a miracle and they all head off to New York.

It's just such a lovely story of a young girl who's never had much who suddenly has a home and a family and is making friends. Of course, it was great to "visit" all of the Jordon and Parrish families again. My only regret is that the series didn't continue after this... there's so much I want to know: does Davy marry Bitsy? Does Peter get back from Vietnam safely? Does Parri ever really grow up? After reading all of these books, these people just seem like friends and I want to know what happens to them all.

[Meg W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a bittersweet read. I enjoyed meeting Marny (who reminds me of sweet Alcie), but it marks the end of the Parrish/Jordan series. Every time the Parrish/Jordan family clan gets together it's wonderful, each character an old friend, helping each other out and living daily life. The sad part is we don't get certain questions answered, such as: Does Peter come back safely from Vietnam? Do Davy and Bitsy get married? Whatever happened to Gwen? Does Parri fair well with her parents in Hollywood? and it would've of been nice to see Marny grow up with her new family.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have finished all the Lambert series that I wanted to re-read. It's been an interesting walk down memory lane but the books do not hold up very well, I'm sorry to say. Still, I am happy to have had the opportunity to revisit them.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prior to reading this book I was a bit confused how someone named Marny fit into the Parrish-Jordan families. Well, Marny is a foster child whom no one really wants. She's a teenager who babysits for Tippy and Peter Jordan's two children in Georgia. When Peter receives orders to go to Vietnam and he sends his family home to their families in New York state, Tippy decides to petition the state of Georgia to allow them to take Marny with them. Marny is ecstatic to join Tippy and Peter's vast friendly family but has to learn to fit in with people her own age at school.

What makes me very very sad is that this is the last book that Lambert every wrote and the last glimpse we get of the Parrish and Jordan sagas.

[Carolynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tippy and Peter have two children of their own when they are transferred to New York state, but (Spoiler ahead!) they decide to adopt their favorite babysitter, orphaned Marny. The state of Georgia, where they are living, balks at an out of state adoption, but the way is finally cleared for Marny to go with them. Then she finds she must adapt to a new life and new friends.