Not Quite Eighteen

"Not Quite Eighteen" by Susan Coolidge is a late 19th-century children's novel that follows Hester and Roger Gale as they navigate their family's financial hardships and the pursuit of unrealized ambitions through childhood adventures. The story, filled with innocence, strong family ties, and the desire for brighter prospects, interweaves fantasy with a realistic depiction of country life. We are drawn into Midsummer's Day, a magical time ripe with beauty and possibility, meeting Hiram Swift, whose passengers' curiosity about a local legend of a silver mine links them unexpectedly to the Gale's old farmhouse. Here we meet Hester, whose love for her wooden doll, Bunny, is tested when she loses it, setting off a chain of events that explores family relationships, personal dreams, and surprising revelations, ultimately showcasing the contrast between childhood innocence and the complexities of adult life during the search.