Oh, Those Harper Girls!, Or, Young and Dangerous

The Harper Ranch is in trouble, and it's up to the Harper girls to save it from foreclosure. The five oldest sisters, frustrated at being stuck on a failing 1860s Texas ranch, yearn for marriage or the stage; the youngest, narrator Lily, 13, enjoys ranch life. The unlikely gang tries various harebrained money-raising schemes, from rustling to moonshine to banditry. They all fail hilariously, but the attendant notoriety leads to a lucrative exclusive in a New York paper and an even more lucrative and funny stage career, reenacting their infamous exploits. They save the ranch, and a triple wedding satisfactorily closes the book. Though the pioneer setting is somewhat caricatured, Karr ( It Ain't Always Easy ) tells a rollicking tale. Lily's pointed comments on growing up and the possibilities open to women at the time enrich the novel, making for a complex and engrossing story. Ages 12-up. (Apr.)