Betty Gordon at Bramble Farm; Or, The Mystery of a Nobody

"Betty Gordon at Bramble Farm; Or, The Mystery of a Nobody" by Alice B. Emerson is a novel for children written in the early 20th century. This story follows the life of twelve-year-old Betty Gordon, an orphan who has just lost her mother and is waiting for her uncle to arrive and take her to live with him. As she navigates her feelings of loss, she is full of dreams and expectations about her future adventures but is soon confronted with the stark realities of her new living situation at Bramble Farm with the Peabodys, who appear to be anything but welcoming. The opening of the book introduces us to Betty's current circumstances living with Mrs. Arnold and her two sons, Ted and George, as they wait for Uncle Dick's arrival. Betty's fondness for gardening and her longing for her uncle’s companionship quickly become evident. When Uncle Dick finally arrives, he suggests that Betty stay with Mrs. Peabody for the summer, a plan that Betty initially embraces, imagining a world of adventure awaiting her. However, upon her arrival at Bramble Farm, she meets a less than delightful reality. The Peabodys are unyielding and strict, particularly Mr. Peabody, who enforces an austere household. Betty's fiery temperament surfaces when confronted with the injustices of her new life, setting the stage for her quest for independence and belonging in a world that seems unkind. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Alice B. Emerson is a pseudonym used by the Stratemeyer Syndicate for the Betty Gordon and Ruth Fielding series of children's novels. The writers taking up the pen of Alice B. Emerson are not all known. However, books 1-19 of the Ruth Fielding series were written by W. Bert Foster; books 20-22 were written by Elizabeth M. Duffield Ward, and books 23-30 were written by Mildred Benson.