Books by Gene Stratton-Porter

Laddie is told by "Little Sister", the youngest child of a "Stanton" family of 12 children, and centers around her experiences as the older ones grow up, fall in love and marry. Little Sister loves being outside more than anything - except her big brother Laddie, her hero and favorite sibling. Laddie''s and Little Sister''s mother and father love each other and their children with all their hearts and who love God most of all. Their main Christian precept is that God is Love and they show their love to their family, their friends, their neighbors, and even the strangers who come to live and resist becoming part of the community. Laddie is considered Stratton-Porter''s autobiographical novel. The title character is modeled after author''s deceased older brother, Leander, whom Stratton-Porter nicknamed Laddie. As in Stratton-Porter''s own family, Laddie is connected with the land and identifies with their father''s vocation of farming.

Freckles knows what it¿s like to struggle. Raised in a Chicago orphanage, he learned to navigate life with one hand while suffering abuse for his flame-red hair and accent. Searching for work, he finds his way to the Limberlost Swamp, where he joins a lumber crew and hopes to prove himself. Freckles is a novel by Gene Stratton-Porter.

For better or worse, the Comstock family is tied to the Limberlost Swamp. Though it provides them food and shelter, the swamp will forever be connected to the death of Katharine¿s husband, who drowned in quicksand while his wife was pregnant. Now a teenager, Elnora yearns for a normal life. A Girl of the Limberlost is a novel by Gene Stratton-Porter.

Gene Stratton-Porter was a naturalist and fierce conservationist as well as an author, and one of the areas she held dearest was the Limberlost swamp. Indeed, she spent her income and life endeavouring to protect it. In "Moths of the Limberlost," she shares her lifelong love of its moths, and describes through a series of charming personal anecdotes and with vivid detail each stage of their life cycles. This texts offers an incomparable window into the mind of the author, with glimpses from her own life, as well as offering a beautiful description of the natural area she so loved. Gene Stratton-Porter (1863-1924) was an American writer, wildlife photographer, naturalist, and one of the first women to form a movie studio and production company. She wrote for several national magazines in the United States, and many of her novels went on to become bestsellers and have been widely translated. She used her position and income to support the conservation of Limberlost Swamp and other wetland areas in the state of Indiana. She is remembered for novels such as "Freckles," "Laddie," and "Michael O’Halloran." Her novel "A Girl of the Limberlost" was adapted four times as a film, most recently in 1990 in a made-for-TV version. Her "The Keeper of the Bees" has also been adapted four times to the silver screen.

"Laddie" is Gene Stratton-Porter’s most autobiographical novel, and is titled after her brother, who drowned as a teenager. It is the story of Pamela Pryor and Laddie Stranton. Whilst she is rich, Laddie is but a poor farm boy. Her father opposes the match, and Pamela tries her best to change his mind. This classic romance mixes pastoral childhood, beautiful nature, and heartbreak. It was adapted to the silver screen three times: in 1926, 1935, and 1940.Gene Stratton-Porter (1863-1924) was an American writer, wildlife photographer, naturalist, and one of the first women to form a movie studio and production company. She wrote for several national magazines in the United States, and many of her novels went on to become bestsellers and have been widely translated. She used her position and income to support the conservation of Limberlost Swamp and other wetland areas in the state of Indiana. She is remembered for novels such as "Freckles," "Laddie," and "Michael O’Halloran." Her novel "A Girl of the Limberlost" was adapted four times as a film, most recently in 1990 in a made-for-TV version. Her "The Keeper of the Bees" has also been adapted four times to the silver screen.

"The Harvester" is a gentle love story, made up of a fondness for nature, high moral ideals and an engaging plot. It is the story of young David Langston, who lives in the countryside with his dog, growing medicinal herbs he then sells in the city. One evening, he has a vision of his Dream Girl and goes searching for her, and in so doing changes the course of his life forever. Gene Stratton-Porter (1863-1924) was an American writer, wildlife photographer, naturalist, and one of the first women to form a movie studio and production company. She wrote for several national magazines in the United States, and many of her novels went on to become bestsellers and have been widely translated. She used her position and income to support the conservation of Limberlost Swamp and other wetland areas in the state of Indiana. She is remembered for novels such as "Freckles," "Laddie," and "Michael O’Halloran." Her novel "A Girl of the Limberlost" was adapted four times as a film, most recently in 1990 in a made-for-TV version. Her "The Keeper of the Bees" has also been adapted four times to the silver screen.

This is the story of plucky, optimistic newsboy Michael O’Halloran. Michael was orphaned at a young age and asks nothing of the world but to "Be Square!" In this a warm and joyous story, he makes life sunnier for those around him, bringing joy to all who know him, and to readers everywhere. The novel offers a unique view of America in the 1910s and was turned into a movie three times: in 1923, 1937 and 1948.Gene Stratton-Porter (1863-1924) was an American writer, wildlife photographer, naturalist, and one of the first women to form a movie studio and production company. She wrote for several national magazines in the United States, and many of her novels went on to become bestsellers and have been widely translated. She used her position and income to support the conservation of Limberlost Swamp and other wetland areas in the state of Indiana. She is remembered for novels such as "Freckles," "Laddie," and "Michael O’Halloran." Her novel "A Girl of the Limberlost" was adapted four times as a film, most recently in 1990 in a made-for-TV version. Her "The Keeper of the Bees" has also been adapted four times to the silver screen.

Freckles & A Girl of the Limberlost are set in the Limberlost Swamp area of Indiana and describe this impressive wetland region, greatly reduced by heavy logging, natural oil extraction and drainage for agriculture. "Freckles" is an adult orphan, with bright red hair and a freckled complexion. His right hand is missing at the wrist, and has been since before he can remember. Exhausted after days of walking and looking like a hobo, he applies for a job with a lumber company in the Limberlost Swamp. Freckles gets hired by owner McLean to be on the watch for those who steal the timber. McLean''s chief worry is Black Jack Carter, who has sworn to smuggle several priceless trees out of the swamp. When a recently fired lumberman named Wessner tries to bribe Freckles so the Black Jack''s gang of thieves steal a prime tree next to the trail, Freckles gets into a fist fight with him and, although severely pummeled, chases him off. The next afternoon, while Freckles is recovering from beating, a lovely girl appears looking for him. Freckles falls in love with her while she helps him recover. She becomes his guardian angel as the Black Jack''s gang seeks revenge. "A Girl of the Limberlost" - Elnora Comstock, is an impoverished young woman who lives with her widowed mother, Katharine, on the edge of the Limberlost. Elnora faces cold neglect by her mother, a woman who feels ruined by the death of her husband, Robert Comstock, who drowned in quicksand in the swamp. The Comstocks make money by selling eggs and other farm products, but Mrs. Comstock refuses to cut down a single tree in the forest, or to delve for oil. Elnora is beginning high school and she is determined to earn an education. She has a valuable specimens box which her friend Freckles left for her, and a desire to succeed in her enterprising scheme to gather and sell artifacts and moths from the Limberlost. Elnora is smart and witty; her heart aches for returned love and for support of her disapproving mother.

"Freckles" is an adult orphan, just under twenty years of age, with bright red hair and a freckled complexion. His right hand is missing at the wrist, and has been since before he can remember. Raised since infancy in a Chicago orphanage, he speaks with a slight Irish accent. Exhausted after days of walking and looking like a hobo, he applies for a job with the Grand Rapids lumber company, guarding timber in the Limberlost Swamp. McLean, part owner of the large company, enthralled with the Limberlost, hires him to be on the watch for those who aim to steal the expensive timber. McLean''s chief worry is Black Jack Carter, who has sworn to smuggle several priceless trees out of the swamp. Initially terrified of the wilderness after a lifetime in an urban environment, Freckles first conquers his fears, aided by exploration of the Limberlost, and falls in love with the swamp. When a recently fired lumberman named Wessner tries to bribe Freckles so the Black Jack''s gang of thieves steal a prime tree next to the trail, Freckles gets into a fist fight with Wessner and, although severely pummeled, chases him off. The next afternoon, while Freckles is recovering from beating, a lovely girl about sixteen years of age appears looking for him. Freckles falls in love with her while she helps him recover, and she becomes his guardian angel as the Black Jack''s gang seeks revenge.

"A Girl of the Limberlost" - Elnora Comstock, is an impoverished young woman who lives with her widowed mother, Katharine Comstock, on the edge of the Limberlost. Elnora faces cold neglect by her mother, a woman who feels ruined by the death of her husband, Robert Comstock, who drowned in quicksand in the swamp while Katharine gave birth to their daughter and could not come to his rescue. The Comstocks make money by selling eggs and other farm products, but Mrs. Comstock refuses to cut down a single tree in the forest, or to delve for oil, as the neighbors around them are doing. Elnora is just beginning high school and she is determined to earn an education, which her mother derides as useless. She has a valuable specimens box which her friend Freckles left in the swamp for her, and a desire to succeed in her enterprising scheme to gather and sell artifacts and moths from the Limberlost. Elnora is smart and witty, and she loves the outdoors; her heart aches for returned love and for support of her disapproving mother.

David Langston is the harvester - a recluse, twenty-six year old man whose best friend is his dog. He lives alone in the Medicine Woods, where he cultivates and harvests plants, wild barks, roots, leaves, herbs, edible and medicinal fungi which are used for medicines. David''s life changes when he meets a woman of his dreams. He finds her in the clutches of her malicious uncle and he must rescue her and gain her trust.

Kate Bates is the youngest of sixteen children. Daughter of a rich but miserly and controlling father she defies his plans for her and leaves home at eighteen, looking to make her own way in life and find a man, a farm and a family. Living in a man''s world, Kate is more than ready to do a man''s work in order to achieve her dreams. She becomes a teacher but doesn''t give up the ambition to own and run a farm. Kate is courted by two gentlemen and, as she marries one, her life seems to be heading the right way. However, one after another disaster plagues Kate and her family testing her unbreakable will, but she continues to plough through, never losing her determination to live her life her own way.

Michael O''Halloran, or simply Mickey, is a spunky 10-year-old orphan boy who lives alone in the streets of a big mid-western city, hiding from the Children''s home. Mickey works as a newsboy to support himself, following the rules his mother gave him before she died. One day, Mickey runs into a poor, little crippled girl called Peaches sobbing because her abusive granny has died and the Children''s Home will be coming after her. Mickey takes her to his home, cleans her up, and claims her as his family. He takes upon himself to raise the money so he can send her to cure her back. Sweet and honorable Mickey continues to spread good values as him and Peaches find new family and friends. Effects of his small good deeds reach far, influencing and helping many people around him.

"The Song of the Cardinal" is a fascinating story of the life of a redbird, or Kentucky cardinal, as it is popularly called, who is born in the valley of the Wabash. The author possesses the soul of an artist and a poet, which enables her to invest the story with the charm of a rich and vivid imagination; while her knowledge of the habits and peculiarities of the redbird and the love she feels for the cardinal family impart a living interest to her work that makes the reader enter into the joys and tribulations, the triumphs, failures, and final victory of the hero, with much the same personal interest one feels in the leading figures of a well-told romance of life. Into the web and woof of the story the author has also woven a beautiful picture of an old man and woman who through the song and the presence of the cardinal are brought again into the loving, sympathetic nearness to each other that marked the golden days of their early married life.

This charming story is told by "Little Sister" a young girl who loves to learn, but has no patience with schools. Her ideal classroom is nature itself. Join her as she learns about the world and her place in it.

Gene Stratton-Porte was an American author, amateur naturalist, wildlife photographer, and one of the earliest women to form a movie studio and production company. She wrote some of the best selling novels and well-received columns in magazines of the day.