A series of novels written by Susan Coolidge in the 1800s about the life of Katy Carr and her family.The books are:
What Katy Did - Katy is a girl on the cusp of adolescence. She has all kinds of plans for what she wants to do when she grows up and ways she can be a good person and a credit to her family, but when it comes to implementing them in her day to day life she generally just gets into trouble. After an accident leaves her bed-ridden, Katy is forced to rethink her ambitions and her relationship with her family.
What Katy Did At School - A covalescent Katy is told by her aunt that her accident has made her grow up too fast. She and her sister are sent away to boarding school for a chance to continue their education and just spend some time being normal teenagers.
What Katy Did Next - After doing a favor for a neighbour, Katy is given the chance to go on a grand tour of Europe. She's happy just to be seeing the places she spent her childhood reading about and then a dashing young naval captain shows up...
Clover - Phil, the youngest Carr child, falls ill and it's decided that he should go to Colorado to recover. As Katy is now married, Clover is the one to accompany him and finds herself falling in love with both the location and a certain young man there.
In the High Valley - Siblings Imogen and Lionel Young move out to Colorado from England, and find themselves living alongside Clover and Elsie, who have since settled down there with families of their own.
An Aesop: Downplayed. Katy would have never fallen from the swing and become paralyzed if she hadn't disobeyed Aunt Izzie's order to not use the swing. However, it is suggested that Aunt Izzie is also at fault for not explaining that the swing was unsafe and expecting the children to obey without question.
Coming of Age Story: For Katy in the first three books, and arguably Clover and Elsie at the same time.
Consummate Liar: Imogen Clark, a school friend of Katy's who tells many tall tales about herself (including one about being kidnapped by a brigand). Katy is initially infatuated with her but grows disillusioned.
Cool and Unusual Punishment: Dr. Carr punishes the three younger children for eating forbidden gooseberries by making them swallow a spoonful of salts.
Green-Eyed Monster: Katy initially gets jealous when Elsie becomes close to Cousin Helen.
Elsie herself is jealous of Katy, Clover and Cecy.
Have a Gay Old Time: The Carr children get up to all manner of 'gay' things.
From What Katy Did At School;
She (the baby) was used to it, and submitted with perfect good nature to being kissed, trotted, carried up and down, and generally made love to.
Heroic BSOD: Katy has one when she first becomes sick in What Katy Did
Huge Schoolgirl: Katy is described as being this; she comes up to her father's ear when she's just fourteen.
I Am Not Pretty: Katy has shades of this in What Katy Did; the author does mention that once Katy grows into her features, she will look stunningly pretty.
Ill Girl: Katy becomes one in What Katy Did when she falls from a swing and damages her back.
Cousin Helen has been one for years, and is even described as a 'cripple'.
Amy in What Katy did Next becomes very sick while travelling around.
Incorruptible Pure Pureness: Cousin Helen. When she first become sick, however, she was bitter and withdrawn until her father gave a What the Hell, Hero?? speech that she herself gives to Katy later.
Karma Houdini: Elsie, the evening the children play the forbidden game Kikeri. Lampshaded by the author who notes that Elsie was the only child who didn't get the scolding or punishment she deserved that night.
Scenery Porn: The author has a talent for describing the various buildings and rooms Katy and her family find themselves in, it's really easy to picture them, despite the books being written so long ago.
Sibling Rivalry: While there's initial spats here and there, the six Carr children get on very well. Elsie is left out at the start of What Katy Did as she is too young for Katy and Clover to play with, yet too old to join in with the younger children.
The Story Teller: Katy who often entertains her siblings with thrilling tales.
The Thing That Would Not Leave: When she was younger, Katy had a habit of bringing home 'new friends' with her. One such friend was Imogen, a girl from school, who while was very nice in class, put on airs and graces at the Carr household which made her come across as selfish and petty. Katy and Clover even comment that it felt like ages before she left.
Later, Mrs. Worrett an obese, talkative neighbor who settles into a rocking chair and stays the entire afternoon.
What the Hell, Hero??: Cousin Helen gives a gentle version of this speech to Katy, after Katy falls into despair after her accident. Helen tells Katy that an invalid's life need not be an empty one if one makes an effort to be useful and doesn't push others away.
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