The Radio Girls of Roselawn; or, A Strange Message from the Air

The Campfire Girls #1

by Margaret Penrose

"Showing how Jessie Norwood and her chums became interested in radiophoning, how they gave a concert for a worthy local charity, and how they received a sudden and unexpected call for help out of the air. A girl who was wanted as a witness in a celebrated law case had disappeared, and how the radio girls went to the rescue is told in an absorbing manner."

Originally published as The Radio Girls of Roselawn, and then republished as The Campfire Girls of Roselawn.

202 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1922

About the author

Margaret Penrose was a house pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book felt disjointed at times and the characters were less engaging then the books for youth that I normally enjoy.
I'm not sure where the Title Campfire Girls came from at all.

[Jaylia3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

With school out for the summer, thoughtful Jessie and her light-hearted chum Amy have time to be simply crazy about the latest technological invention—radio. This is the first in a series of four books that was originally and more accurately called Radio Girls rather than Campfire Girls. Published in the early part of the last century by the Stratemeyer Syndicate under the name Margaret Penrose, this book is somewhat formulaic but also clever, sweet, lively and fun. It reminds me of the Girl Aviator series of about the same time by Margaret Burnham with its “Girls can do it too!” attitude, allowing the girls in the story to be almost, not quite, as skilled as the boys.



In this book Jessie and Amy become experts in all things radio, putting together their own set and stringing up their own aerial wires so they can listen to bedtime stories, local news, funny talks by newspaper men, and best of all live music--orchestras and jazz bands--broadcasting from nearby towns. They also put on a radio concert and lecture to raise money for a local charity, paddle a canoe to a strawberry patch for berry picking, hide out in a deserted snake-filled house during a thunderstorm, befriend Henrietta, a young, hard working orphan girl, and after hearing a cry for help come through their radio earphones they help Henrietta find her kidnapped cousin, a girl of their own age who is needed to testify in an important legal case of Jessie’s father. In between their adventures Jessie and Amy speculate about future wonders of technology, including televisions, video phones, and for them most exciting of all, radios so miniaturized they can fit in a pocket to be carried around and listened to anytime, anywhere.

[Zora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun, from the Stratemeyer Syndicate between the wars. Teen girls build the first radio in their town, stringing copper wires, porcelain resistors, and contemplating various tubes and crystals. The girls are wealthy. They help a poor kid, witness a kidnapping, and with the help of radio solve the mystery. Very spunky, capable teen girls, and a slightly better writing style than some of the Stratemeyer books have.

Free on kindle, and probably at Gutenberg.

[Pamela Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this short series of four books. They remind us of the thrill of the development of radio and the impact on early 20th century life. These also belong in the pantheon of what I call plucky girl series from the teens and twenties. Parallel to the racing developments of science you see the quickly changing role of young American women as they drive cars, camp and build radios!
I read these under the auspices of the Radio Girls title but they lead me inevitably to the Camp Fire girls novels - which these were re-released under. Read my extended review of the series on my blog at: http://pams-pictorama.com/2021/02/27/... or by searching Pams-Pictorama.com. Camp Fire Girls novel reviews to come shortly, watch for them!

[Christi Koenig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good for a vintage book, but the plot was wrapped up at light speed after the missing person was found.

[Ejayen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title is a little misleading, but the story is great. It's super interesting to read about this era of history.

[Nate · Rating 3 out of 5]

mindless stratemeyer juvenile, has some interesting reflections on emerging radio and wild 20s slang, otherwise more or less plays out like the rest of this genre

[Jennifer Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read for the summer!

I love a light and not overly complex book. This book is the one. I like charters with a fast pace of a great dead end kids twist

[Librarian Jessie (BibliophileRoses) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute! Definitely a story I could see re-reading, but not particularly owning (Found on Gutenberg).

[ran_sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is excellent and I had a good time reading it. Regrettably, it has some prejudices from the early 20th century.