Lois Lenski Books In Order

Publication Order of American Regional Books

Publication Order of Davy Books

Publication Order of Debbie Books

Publication Order of Historical Books

Publication Order of Mr. Small Books

Publication Order of Roundabout America Books

Publication Order of Seasons Books

Publication Order of Children’s Books

Publication Order of Collections

with Clyde Robert Bulla

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Clyde Robert Bulla Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

Lois Lenski was an American illustrator of picture books and author of children’s books. Lenski’s published 98 books, with some getting published posthumously. She was an avid reader from childhood, born in 1893 in Springfield, Ohio. She attended Ohio State University, was trained as a teacher and took the opportunity to study many arts short courses, which saw her become the art editor for the university yearbook. After graduating, Lenski never ventured into teaching but became an art student in New York as she prepared to launch into a fine art career. During this time, she met Arthur Covey, a famous painter who she married in 1921.

For more than ten years, between the 1930’s-the 1940s, Lois wrote several books in different genres: historical fiction books for young adults and picture books for pre-readers and early readers. Some picture books included the Mr. Small series, inspired by play-time conversations between Lenski and her son, Stephen. In 1941, Lois Lenski published Indian Captive, one of her most famous books. The book won Newbery Honor Award in 1942 and has been in print ever since. Lenski illustrated more than 100 books for children of different ages.
Lois Lenski’s most famous novel, Indian Captive, is a children’s biographical book first published in 1941. It’s a classic retelling of the life of Mary Jemison with some added twists to the main plotline. However, the story flows along the lines of Mary Jemison’s true life. Mary Jemison, famously known as the “White Woman of the Genesee,” was a colonial frontierswoman in New York and Pennsylvania. Lenski authentically retells the beautiful story of Mary Jemison’s abduction, flight, and the early years she lived with the Seneca Indians. It’s no doubt that Lenski had an array of special talents for research, writing, and creating vivid descriptions.

Mary Jemison was taken away from her family by the Indians as a young girl in 1758 and spent her years growing up in the Seneca Nation. She lived for 90 years and never returned to her people, opting to identify herself with the Seneca people. The story opens up with Mary getting abducted from her farm by a group of French and Indian soldiers. Her mother informs her that she would most likely never see her again, and her parting words to her emphasize the importance of saying her prayers and remembering her true identity. Her kidnapper’s hand over Mary to two Indian women who immediately initiate her to the Indian tribal ways. Over time, she learns about Indian food gathering techniques, crafts, cooking, and religious beliefs.

All along, Mary is torn, wanting to escape her new home and live with white people. But as the days pass, she slows and accepts that her home is with the Seneca Indians. After several unsuccessful attempts to escape, she can finally leave if she wants to. It’s a traumatizing decision for her, but Mary decides to stay with the Seneca people after discovering that she would never be truly happy if she went back to live with the “pale faces.”

On so many levels, Indian Captive does share similarities Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It’s the tale of America’s frontier life but narrated from a much darker perspective. Mary is a victim or collateral damage of the white frontier expansion. Upon her capture, she learns the sad reality of war and why the native Indians retaliate. Mary Jemison’s story by Lois Lenski is not a Disneyfied depiction of American history. There are hard facts to be learned along the journey, most notably that Mary’s family has been murdered, rendering Indian Captive a tale filled with tragedy and fortitude.

Published in 1945, Strawberry Girl is the story of Birdie Boyer, the tale of a farmer who relocates his family to Florida from North Carolina to grow strawberries.

The story opens at the Slater’s home, where we meet 7-year-old Essie, informing her father about their new neighbors. The rest of the story is narrated from 10-year-old Birdie’s point of view- a child in Slater’s new neighbor’s family. The Boyers are good people, especially when it comes to an understanding and forgiveness. For example, when Mrs. Slater and her two girls visit the Boyers’ one of the little girls is curious about an item hanging on the wash shelf. Birdie realizes the girls have never seen a comb and she doesn’t hesitate to show them how it works by combing them.

At first, Birdie and her family are too friendly towards their neighbors, the Slaters, but their friendship is met with cruel suggestions that their farm crops would likely fail and that they should return to North Carolina. As time passes, the rivalry escalates, with Mr. Slate becoming more violent until his family begins to suffer.

The Strawberry Girl is an enjoyable read. Besides just being a story about a girl and their strawberry farm, this is also a story driven by anger, frustration, and competition from the competing farmers and ranchers. The author makes fascinating use of local colors and writes every single dialogue in the region’s dialect. The plot is also exciting, revolves around everything from illness to fire, and doesn’t leave out everyday details such as shopping trips and church picnics. No rod is spared in this book. Surprisingly, not only the parents who whipped their kids but also other adults wouldn’t hesitate to do so. Whip discipline wasn’t abusive, but this old-fashioned method of discipline may sound unsettling to some people.

There is a mutual and strong connection between Birdie and Slater’s son, Shoestring- it’s a standard connection between kids too young to understand the complexity of their mature feeling. But since this is a children’s book, no more details are shared about this love/hate relationship. Although the story shares more about farm life and growing up things, the author shares other themes that a kid can relate to. For example, a kid’s first day at school experiences seen through Birdie during her first day in the new school.