The Dorrance family live together in a boarding house, in which the four children feel stifled and repressed. When a perilous financial situation upsets the familyâs summer holiday plans, the children decide to spend their holiday living in the familyâs old hotel, where adventures ensue. A charming short story from popular childrenâs author Carolyn Wells.
Carolyn Wells (1862-1942) was a prolific American novelist and poet, best known for her childrenâs literature, mystery novels and humorous verse. Born in New Jersey, following school Wells worked as a librarian where she developed her love of reading, and her first book âAt the Sign of the Sphinxâ was published in 1896. From 1900 Wells dedicated herself to her literary career, writing over 170 novels in total across a range of genres. Some of her most loved works include the âPatty Fairfieldâ and âMarjorie Maynardâ series for girls, as well as the âFleming Stoneâ mystery series for adults. Wells is also well-known for her humorous nonsense verse, and was a frequent contributor of verse to magazines. She published an autobiography âThe Rest of my Lifeâ in 1937. Wells died in New York City in 1942.