Helen Grant's Schooldays

"HELEN GRANT'S SCHOOLDAYS" by Amanda M. Douglas is a story about a young girl named Helen Grant, who is fourteen years old and full of dreams, living in a time when girls weren't always encouraged to pursue big goals. The book starts at the end of the school year, where it’s obvious Helen is smart and wants to keep learning, even though her family thinks she should focus on housework instead. You see Helen grappling with what others expect of her versus what she wants for herself, like becoming a teacher and seeing more of the world; it’s a classic coming-of-age story set in the countryside. She has to figure out how to balance her ambitions with the opinions of her aunt and uncle, who have more traditional ideas about what girls should do. The story promises a journey of challenges and growth as Helen strives to achieve her dreams.