Marieken De Bruin: Somewhere In Belgium

[from Mary Crosson's "No Frills" Juvenile Series Book Information Site (UMKC)]

Martha Trent's popularity with the girls of the country is well established, and these Somewhere stories will establish even more securely her place in their hearts. This series of books tells of the fascinating lives of typical girls of America, Belgium, France, England, Italy and Canada. -- Goldsmith advertisement

HELEN CAREY, SOMEWHERE IN AMERICA -- illustrated by Charles Wrenn. 1918. Barse. Goldsmith.

MARIEKEN DE BRUIN, SOMEWHERE IN BELGIUM -- "A Belgian girl risks her life to help English prisoners escape from the German soldiers occupying her village." -- illustrated by Charles Wrenn. 1918. Barse. Goldsmith.

ALICE BLYTHE, SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND -- "Wanting to do something to aid the war effort, an English girl goes to France to help in an army hospital." -- illustrated by Charles Wrenn. 1918. Barse. Goldsmith.

VALERIE DUVAL, SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE -- illustrated by Charles Wrenn. 1918. Barse. Goldsmith.

LUCIA RUDINI, SOMEWHERE IN ITALY -- "An Italian girl discovers plans of an impending enemy attack and tries to find a way to warn the army." -- illustrated by Charles Wrenn. 1918. Goldsmith.

PHEOBE MARSHALL, SOMEWHERE IN CANADA -- illustrated by Charles Wrenn. 1919. Goldsmith.

I ordered Marieken and several of her international sisters having no idea they were a children's book series. I mean, look at the picture on the cover. Does that look like a 14 year old?

In digging around online after I had them in hand, I found a couple of academic references (1 2) to the series, discussing primarily children's experiences, and their portrayals, during the first World War. Otherwise, there's precious little information about them to be had, as far as I can tell, anywhere.

I feel like I would have enjoyed Merieken De Bruin quite a lot as an elementary school-aged reader. Marieken, innkeeper (since her father's war death) in a small Belgian village under occupation by the German army, is smart (speaks three languages), clever (runs circles around the German command), cheerful, strong, determined, and incredibly courageous. She's fully a part of the war effort, saving the day for the allies, and the lives of many soldiers and villagers, repeatedly and at great personal risk. When a young English Tommy she's been hiding bids her farewell, he shakes her "by the hand as though she were a man and a comrade", and, later, as she sleeps -- exhausted and wounded -- two officers pin their VC and Cross of King Albert on her "soiled black smock". It's a very positive imagining of a girl -- a child -- with intelligence and agency, even if we might, today, quibble with some of the more propagandistic bits. There's not necessarily a lot to recommend this one to an adult reader, but a history-loving girl around 9 or 10 might really enjoy.

An incredibly mild maybe-in-the-future romance for Merieken and a more full-fledged one for her adult cousin.