THE WORLD OF ELLEN MARCH

Ellen March, who at the age of 15 is faced with the normal problems of growing up, finds it difficult to accept the fact that her parents want to obtain a divorce. When she and her younger sister Peggy leave New York to live with their mother in Cedar City, Ellen adjusts easily to the new community, but her embarrassment at having to explain the divorce to her new friends strengthens her determination to see her parents reconciled. She and Mindy Hatfield, her best friend, devise a plan for Ellen and Peggy to stay at the Hatfield's vacation cottage until their disappearance has driven Mr. and Mrs. March frantic enough to bring them back together. The irresponsible scheme backfires badly -- Ellen loses Peggy and is herself involved in a fairly serious automobile accident. Naturally the divorce is unaffected by the fraud, but Ellen is assisted by Alex Quiner, an appealing boy from a split home, to learn to accept the situation. Adolescents faced with the shock of a divorce often do take extreme measures. This is a realistic and sympathetic account of an otherwise well-balanced girl who goes off-base when faced with this problem.