Cherry Ames
Encyclopedia
Cherry Ames is the central character in a series of 27 mystery novels with hospital settings published by Grosset & Dunlap
between 1943 and 1968. Helen Wells
(1910-1986) wrote volumes #1-7 and 17-27, and Julie Campbell Tatham
(1908-1999), the creator of Trixie Belden
, wrote volumes #8-16. Wells also created the Vicki Barr
series. During World War II
, the series encouraged girls to become nurses as a way to aid the war effort. Cherry Ames original editions are prized by collectors and fans. The series generated a few spin-off items including a Parker Brothers board game; some titles have been reprinted.
-solving nurse in the Nancy Drew
mold, named Cherry Ames. Cherry (short for Charity) hails from Hilton, Illinois (based on Wells' hometown of Danville, Illinois
), and was steered into nursing by Dr. Joseph Fortune, an old family friend. Cherry's training at the Spencer Hospital School of Nursing is chronicled in the first two books. There, she meets the classmates who become lifelong friends.
With the third book in the series Army Nurse, Cherry joins the Army Nurse Corps, and, after the war, she moves to Greenwich Village
. Whenever Cherry isn't working with the Visiting Nurse Service, Dr. Joe sends her on assignments in various parts of the country. Unlike other nurses of girls' fiction, such as Sue Barton, Cherry remains single throughout her career, although occasional boyfriends crop up, such as Dr. "Lex" Upham.
and Julie Tatham and published in the United States by Grosset & Dunlap
between 1943 and 1968. They were extensively printed in the United Kingdom
in the 1950s and 1960s. Beginning in 2005, the Cherry Ames series was licensed to the Springer Publishing Company and are currently being re-printed. In addition, a new edition of Cherry Ames, Student Nurse was released by the Palm Healthcare Foundation, Inc., through its Palm Publishing LLC subsidiary. Proceeds from the sale of the books were used to support nursing scholarships.
2. Cherry Ames, Senior Nurse (1944)
3. Cherry Ames, Army Nurse (1944)
4. Cherry Ames, Chief Nurse (1944)
5. Cherry Ames, Flight Nurse (1945)
6. Cherry Ames, Veterans' Nurse (1946)
7. Cherry Ames, Private Duty Nurse (1946)
8. Cherry Ames, Visiting Nurse (1947)
9. Cherry Ames, Cruise Nurse (1948)
10. Cherry Ames, At Spencer (1949)
11. Cherry Ames, Night Supervisor (1950)
12. Cherry Ames, Mountaineer Nurse (1951)
13. Cherry Ames, Clinic Nurse (1952)
14. Cherry Ames, Dude Ranch Nurse (1953)
15. Cherry Ames, Rest Home Nurse (1954)
16. Cherry Ames, Country Doctor's Nurse (1955)
17. Cherry Ames, Boarding School Nurse (1955)
18. Cherry Ames, Department Store Nurse (1956)
19. Cherry Ames, Camp Nurse (1957)
20. Cherry Ames, At Hilton Hospital (1959)
21. Cherry Ames, Island Nurse (1960)
22. Cherry Ames, Rural Nurse (1961)
23. Cherry Ames, Staff Nurse (1962)
24. Cherry Ames, Companion Nurse (1964)
25. Cherry Ames, Jungle Nurse (1965)
26. Cherry Ames: The Mystery in the Doctor's Office (1966)
27. Cherry Ames: Ski Nurse Mystery (1968)
In 1959, Cherry Ames' Book of First Aid and Home Nursing was published by Helen Wells for adolescents as a companion volume to the series.
Also in 1959, Cherry Ames' Nursing Game
was published by American board game
titan, Parker Brothers Inc.
. Designed for 2 to 6 players, the game consists of a center-seamed, illustrated game board depicting various rooms in a hospital, 6 colored tokens, 36 colored rings, 20 directional cards, and a spinner. The object of the game is to travel about the board, gather six rings, and then leave the board at the space marked 'graduate.'
Grosset & Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap is a United States book publisher founded in 1898.The company was purchased by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1982 and today is part of the British publishing conglomerate, Pearson PLC through its American subsidiary Penguin Group....
between 1943 and 1968. Helen Wells
Helen Wells
Helen Wells was the author of nurse Cherry Ames books, a series for young teens. She wrote volumes #1-7 and #17-27. She was also the author of the first four Vicki Barr books and possibly the last Vicki Barr book.- External links :***...
(1910-1986) wrote volumes #1-7 and 17-27, and Julie Campbell Tatham
Julie Campbell Tatham
Julie Campbell Tatham was a US Children's novels writer, who also wrote for adults, especially on Christian Science. As Julie Campbell was the creator of the Trixie Belden series and the Ginny Gordon series...
(1908-1999), the creator of Trixie Belden
Trixie Belden
Trixie Belden is the title character in a series of 'girl detective' mysteries written between 1948 and 1986. The first six books were written by Julie Campbell Tatham, who also wrote the Ginny Gordon series, then continued by various in-house writers from Western Publishing under the pseudonym...
, wrote volumes #8-16. Wells also created the Vicki Barr
Vicki Barr (books)
Vicki Barr is a popular mystery series for girls published by Grosset & Dunlap from 1947 to 1964. Helen Wells wrote volumes #1-4 and 9-16, and Julie Campbell Tatham , the creator of Trixie Belden, wrote volumes #5-8...
series. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the series encouraged girls to become nurses as a way to aid the war effort. Cherry Ames original editions are prized by collectors and fans. The series generated a few spin-off items including a Parker Brothers board game; some titles have been reprinted.
Character
The series stars a job-hopping, mysteryMystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
-solving nurse in the Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew is a fictional young amateur detective in various mystery series for all ages. She was created by Edward Stratemeyer, founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate book packaging firm. The character first appeared in 1930. The books have been ghostwritten by a number of authors and are published...
mold, named Cherry Ames. Cherry (short for Charity) hails from Hilton, Illinois (based on Wells' hometown of Danville, Illinois
Danville, Illinois
Danville is a city in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is the principal city of the'Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Danville and Vermilion County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 32,467. It is the county seat of...
), and was steered into nursing by Dr. Joseph Fortune, an old family friend. Cherry's training at the Spencer Hospital School of Nursing is chronicled in the first two books. There, she meets the classmates who become lifelong friends.
With the third book in the series Army Nurse, Cherry joins the Army Nurse Corps, and, after the war, she moves to Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
. Whenever Cherry isn't working with the Visiting Nurse Service, Dr. Joe sends her on assignments in various parts of the country. Unlike other nurses of girls' fiction, such as Sue Barton, Cherry remains single throughout her career, although occasional boyfriends crop up, such as Dr. "Lex" Upham.
Evolution of character
Cherry's early adventures are set during World War II. In these early adventures, Cherry solves problems and captures criminals when men in authority have failed to do so, "demonstrating that women can succeed in the public, working world."Books
The books were written by Helen WellsHelen Wells
Helen Wells was the author of nurse Cherry Ames books, a series for young teens. She wrote volumes #1-7 and #17-27. She was also the author of the first four Vicki Barr books and possibly the last Vicki Barr book.- External links :***...
and Julie Tatham and published in the United States by Grosset & Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap is a United States book publisher founded in 1898.The company was purchased by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1982 and today is part of the British publishing conglomerate, Pearson PLC through its American subsidiary Penguin Group....
between 1943 and 1968. They were extensively printed in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the 1950s and 1960s. Beginning in 2005, the Cherry Ames series was licensed to the Springer Publishing Company and are currently being re-printed. In addition, a new edition of Cherry Ames, Student Nurse was released by the Palm Healthcare Foundation, Inc., through its Palm Publishing LLC subsidiary. Proceeds from the sale of the books were used to support nursing scholarships.
Titles
1. Cherry Ames, Student Nurse (1943)2. Cherry Ames, Senior Nurse (1944)
3. Cherry Ames, Army Nurse (1944)
4. Cherry Ames, Chief Nurse (1944)
5. Cherry Ames, Flight Nurse (1945)
6. Cherry Ames, Veterans' Nurse (1946)
7. Cherry Ames, Private Duty Nurse (1946)
8. Cherry Ames, Visiting Nurse (1947)
9. Cherry Ames, Cruise Nurse (1948)
10. Cherry Ames, At Spencer (1949)
11. Cherry Ames, Night Supervisor (1950)
12. Cherry Ames, Mountaineer Nurse (1951)
13. Cherry Ames, Clinic Nurse (1952)
14. Cherry Ames, Dude Ranch Nurse (1953)
15. Cherry Ames, Rest Home Nurse (1954)
16. Cherry Ames, Country Doctor's Nurse (1955)
17. Cherry Ames, Boarding School Nurse (1955)
18. Cherry Ames, Department Store Nurse (1956)
19. Cherry Ames, Camp Nurse (1957)
20. Cherry Ames, At Hilton Hospital (1959)
21. Cherry Ames, Island Nurse (1960)
22. Cherry Ames, Rural Nurse (1961)
23. Cherry Ames, Staff Nurse (1962)
24. Cherry Ames, Companion Nurse (1964)
25. Cherry Ames, Jungle Nurse (1965)
26. Cherry Ames: The Mystery in the Doctor's Office (1966)
27. Cherry Ames: Ski Nurse Mystery (1968)
Spin-offs
Between 1957 and 1964, the Cherry Ames Girls Annual was printed and distributed in the UK, usually before Christmas. Each annual had two original Cherry Ames short stories by Helen Wells, and additional stories by other authors.In 1959, Cherry Ames' Book of First Aid and Home Nursing was published by Helen Wells for adolescents as a companion volume to the series.
Also in 1959, Cherry Ames' Nursing Game
Cherry Ames' Nursing Game
Cherry Ames' Nursing Game, or Cherry Ames: A Nurses' Training Game is a 1959 Parker Brothers roll-and-move track board game for 2 to 6 players. It was based on the Cherry Ames juvenile series of mysteries written by Helen Wells and Julie Campbell Tatham, and published by Grosset & Dunlap...
was published by American board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
titan, Parker Brothers Inc.
Parker Brothers
Parker Brothers is a toy and game manufacturer and brand. Since 1883, the company has published more than 1,800 games; among their best known products are Monopoly, Cluedo , Sorry, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Ouija, Aggravation, and Probe...
. Designed for 2 to 6 players, the game consists of a center-seamed, illustrated game board depicting various rooms in a hospital, 6 colored tokens, 36 colored rings, 20 directional cards, and a spinner. The object of the game is to travel about the board, gather six rings, and then leave the board at the space marked 'graduate.'