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Candy Kane #2
Whoa Matilda
Candy Kane is 16 and still in the shadow of her impatient mother and whiny sister, and even her best friend Barton is quite unreliable. The family is living in a crowded DC hotel while Colonel Kane works for the government. Barton turns up with an old coupe named Matilda, which he begs Candy to adopt since he cannot keep the old jalopy once he is in the Army.
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1944
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About the author
Janet Lambert
155 books42 followersJanet 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 14, 2021
Another adorable story set during WWII, about a military daughter and her family and friends left behind while their fathers and husbands are fighting in North Africa. Candy is a lovable character, and her budding romance with Barton is amusing and believable. He is so *not* a Mr. Perfect, and he has much to learn about how to treat his childhood buddy like the lady she is becoming, but that clumsy ignorance is part of his charm. Nice to see the mean-sister character mature into a more likable person while her husband is away at war. And "Matilda" herself plays a strong role in the story (Barton's beater-car that he "sells" to Candy for safekeeping).
These books remind me of early Deanna Durbin movies, and I can easily see her playing the part of Candy. I highly recommend this short series to anyone who wants a taste of Janet Lambert books.
These books remind me of early Deanna Durbin movies, and I can easily see her playing the part of Candy. I highly recommend this short series to anyone who wants a taste of Janet Lambert books.
April 1, 2015
My book is not either of the ones pictured. It is the Grosset & Dunlap hardcover version with a dust jacket. I loved this second book in the Candy Kane series as much as I liked the first one. Lambert's characters are so real. I never thought that I'd like reading about World War II years at an Army base but I do- the books are so enjoyable. The only thing that I found rather incongruous is that all of the guys in this book are together fighting in Tunisia, except that Colonel Kane is with General Patton.
The Kanes are living in a Washington DC hotel, minus Leigh who has married her soldier off-story and lives in California. When Colonel Kane's orders come through and he is sent to the War, Candy and her mother Marcia, along with Leigh, whose husband has also gone off to War, move to Fort Benning, Georgia where book #1 took place. They move in with Candy's old friend Jane from the first book. Jane's husband, Dirk, has also gone to Tunisia and he is in the same unit as Leigh's husband. Candy's old friend Barton Reed is also a soldier. He can't keep his old jalopy Matilda with him so he sells her to Candy. The book is full of the usual Janet Lambert magic. At the end, when Dirk comes home, the girls decide to move to their farm in Connecticut for the summer and leave Jane and Dirk alone.
The Kanes are living in a Washington DC hotel, minus Leigh who has married her soldier off-story and lives in California. When Colonel Kane's orders come through and he is sent to the War, Candy and her mother Marcia, along with Leigh, whose husband has also gone off to War, move to Fort Benning, Georgia where book #1 took place. They move in with Candy's old friend Jane from the first book. Jane's husband, Dirk, has also gone to Tunisia and he is in the same unit as Leigh's husband. Candy's old friend Barton Reed is also a soldier. He can't keep his old jalopy Matilda with him so he sells her to Candy. The book is full of the usual Janet Lambert magic. At the end, when Dirk comes home, the girls decide to move to their farm in Connecticut for the summer and leave Jane and Dirk alone.
July 19, 2008
Book 2 in Janet Lambert's "Candy Kane" series. Very enjoyable, although I liked the first better. The war continues and Barton and Candy fall in love.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews