“Patty’s Summer Days” by Carolyn Wells

For readers and collectors of vintage girls’ series books, here is a charming piece of early twentieth-century childhood.

Patty Fairfield is a bright, well-mannered girl who wants to graduate from school ahead of schedule, and she studies so hard that she wears herself out. Her doctor orders a long vacation, and Patty heads off on a summer motor holiday with her friends, the Farringtons. What follows is a lively mix of travel, friendship, and the gentle adventures that fill a summer on the road, told with the warmth and good humor Carolyn Wells was known for.

First published in 1906 by Dodd, Mead, this is the fourth book in the Patty Fairfield series, and Wells wrote more than 170 books in her career, including mysteries for adults. It’s a window into an era when a motor trip was a real adventure, and it makes a lovely addition to a shelf of vintage children’s classics.

This is a vintage hardcover in good condition, without its dust jacket. It has the look and feel of a book that has been loved for a long time. You can find it at Dead Tree Dreams.