The Testing of Janice Day

In 1915, a girl waits for her father. He's been gone two years, working a mine in Mexico, and the letters and gifts he sends are her only connection to him. When Janice Day learns his latest surprise is an automobile, Polktown takes notice. A car in that era meant something: freedom, modernity, the rattle of a world shifting into motion. Janice is no ordinary girl. She's spirited and responsible, capable of navigating both her relatives' expectations and the open road. As she learns to drive, she meets Frank Bowman, a civil engineer whose presence hints that this story is about more than just a vehicle. It's about testing oneself against new circumstances. It's about a father who loves from a distance and a daughter who must grow up in his absence. The automobile becomes the instrument of her transformation, carrying her into friendships, responsibilities, and a version of herself she didn't know existed. For readers who love vintage children's fiction, this offers a window into girlhood at a moment when girlhood itself was changing.