 Pictorial boards from the first edition, (1920), of the book which gave its name to the whole series | |
| Author | Elsie J. Oxenham |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Arthur A. Dixon |
| Cover artist | presumably also Arthur A. Dixon |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Abbey Series |
| Genre | Girls' Novels |
| Publisher | Collins |
Publication date | 1st edition 1920 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 320 |
| Preceded by | The Girls of the Hamlet Club |
| Followed by | The Girls of the Abbey School |
The Abbey Series of British novels by Elsie J. Oxenham comprises 38 titles which were published between 1914 and 1959. The first title, Girls of the Hamlet Club set the scene for the school aspects of the series, but it is the second title, The Abbey Girls, that introduces The Abbey – almost a character within the series in its own right – a romantic ruin that inspires love for it as a quiet, peaceful place, and creates the wish to behave in the public-spirited tradition of the early Cistercian monks. These qualities go some way towards explaining the popularity of the series.