Books by Susan Coolidge

The 'What Katy Did' trilogy was first published in the late 1800s, but was there ever such a modern girl as wild, irrepressible Katy? One of the first realistic portraits of a child in literature, the character was groundbreaking and the book is as enjoyable today as when it was first published.

Susan Coolidge's What Katy Did is a lesson in the value of good humour and perseverance against the odds for young readers. Beautifully illustrated by Sue Hellard, this is a poignant and timeless story that every child should read.

The 'What Katy Did' trilogy was first published in the late 1800s, but was there ever such a modern girl as wild, irrepressible Katy? One of the first realistic portraits of a child in literature, the character was groundbreaking and the book is as enjoyable today as when it was first published.

Katy Carr can hardly believe it when she is invited to spend a whole year in Europe with Mrs Ashe and Amy. Although a year seems like a long time away from her beloved family, living in the small American town of Burnet, Katy embarks enthusiastically on her greatest adventure. This charming story, first published in 1886, is the third of Susan Coolidge's three hugely popular Katy books.

"To-morrow I will begin, thought Katy." Twelve-year-old Katy Carr desperately wants to be good. But being a wild and hot-headed tomboy, it seems so much easier to start being good tomorrow than it does today. Even when her kind and patient invalid cousin comes to visit, Katy‘s resolution to change only lasts a few hours. But soon she will have much more in common with her cousin than she wished and it will confine her to her room perhaps forever. Will it make her finally able to uphold her promise? Author Susan Coolidge‘s `What Katy did‘ (1872) was published by the same publisher as `Little Women‘ by Louisa May Alcott, and speaks to the same audience of people who enjoy well-written girl characters. The most recent film adaptation saw Alison Pill, Michael Cera and Megan Follows (`Anne of Green Gables‘), and the book has made its mark on popular culture too, lending its name to a The Libertines song and two episodes of the hit show `Lost‘.Susan Coolidge (1835-1905) was an American children‘s‘ book author, best known for her novel `What Katy Did‘ (1872), which was inspired by her own childhood. She started writing after working as a nurse during the American Civil War.