Wholesome Tales for Teens

Gene Stratton-Porter!
She wrote charming nature novels in the early 20th century. The sweetest and most descriptive are "Laddie," "Girl of the Limberlost," and "The Harvester" (text at http://encyclopediaindex.com/b/tharv10.htm). Plot: Boy meets girl; then boy (and girl) spend the next year honing their health and soul and talents in order to win each other's heart and hand. My guess is that the books are not representative of dating customs 100 years ago, but were actually teaching tools for youth. They promote nature appreciation, health (food combining, juicing, raw foods, cold baths, fresh air, washable carpets, sensible shoes), and self-determination for finding and developing one's strength and wisdom despite even family and peer pressure.
(Warning about one title: a much later book, "Her Father's Daughter," doesn't have the joyful sweetness of the earlier titles. Instead it warns white teens to defend their competitive place from immigrants, and comments on the genetic superiority and moral fiber of various racial and ethnic groups. I would never use this book in a classroom or as a child's gift.)
But in the other titles, the author's passion for nature detail is heartwarming. Her descriptions of plants, landscapes, and modern housekeeping go on and on for pages. Given her immense popularity at the time, I am impressed that the youth of her day had such well-developed attention spans! Even when the books are sentimental, and the dialogues are quaint sermons, they're a sweet sad tribute to a very different cultural view of gratification and the value of dedicating oneself body and soul to the pursuits and relationships that are most worthwhile.