Cinda

Cinda Hollister #1

by Janet Lambert

Fourteen year old Cinda Hollister sets out to help her third cousin Paula Marsh. Paula is deeply troubled by her mother's plans to re-marry and Cinda tries to persuade her to accept her new stepfather, Frederick Aldrich. As she plots and plans her strategies, she has plenty of time to enjoy beach parties and many good times with her family and friends. By selling a beloved boat and pooling their savings, the young Hollisters manage to buy their father a second-hand cabin cruiser! Paula sees their unselfishness at work and considers opening her mind and heart to those who love her.

Genres: Young Adult

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1954

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]

2024 reread
Just as fun and delightful as before. I like each one of the characters.

It's refreshing to read Janet Lambert's books as the siblings like each other, the parents have good relations, and they do ordinary everyday things.
Cinda is so fun and always eager to help. Even if it's helping a distant cousin see how selfish she is and trying to help her like her new step-father. Add Cinda's siblings who have nicknames like "War-Horse, Jinx, Bobo, and Buff" to the story and life can get interesting. Not to mention a dog named Down Boy and a cat named George, and a summer spend on a beach. This is the first book in the "Cinda" series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading a Janet Lambert book to take me back to when life was simpler and kinder. Her characters are always very real and I love how they grow through mistakes.

14 year-old Cinda Hollister takes a distant cousin Pauline under her wing. Pauline's mother has married a man and is off on a trip to Europe. Spoiled Pauline was raised by her mother, Aunt, and Grandmother ans resents a man taking her mother 's focus away from her. When the Hollister children pull together all their money to buy a boat for their dad, Pauline starts to learn what selflessness means and begins to grow as a person.

I'm looking forward to reading the other Cinda books.

[J.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of another series by Janet Lambert, this time about the Hollister family and friends, mostly from the POV of Cinda, who is fourteen in this book.
These books are a sweet, entertaining glimpse into the past, with solid family dynamics, friendships, and character growth. I loved watching the siblings plot to get their father the fishing boat of his dreams--with a bit of help from their mom.
And Paula, a cousin, grows from a cold character into a likable girl with help from wise-beyond-her-years Cinda and her awkwardly charming brother Lindsey.
On to book 2!

[Meg W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the dynamic of the Hollister family