Nancy Blake Copywriter, A Career Story for Older Girls

New York: Cupples & Leon Company, 1942. VERY RARE title in this girl's book series. Near Fine condition in a Near Very Good full color pictorial dust jacket. SEE PHOTOS. The jacket has moderate edge wear and small chips at the spine ends. It is protected by a removable Brodart clear-plastic sleeve. Clean, square and tight. NO owner's name or bookplate. Pages are clean and unmarked. Probable First Edition, with 1942 copyright. Cupples & Leon firsts are notoriously difficult to positively identify, but as suggested by McBride's GUIDE TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF FIRST EDITIONS, we have examined internal evidence (i.e. all 9 titles advertised on the jacket's rear panel). All of those books were first published before 1942. This book features Nancy Blake, an inspiring role model for career oriented "older" girls of the 1940s. The story takes place as large numbers of men are being drafted to fight in World War II, thus opening up many job opportunities for women, including in advertising. Nancy lands a great job as copywriter for an advertising agency. All is well until she is accused of selling confidential information to a rival agency. Together with her friends Nancy works to successfully clear her name. At the same time she gives "invaluable assistance" to the U.S. "in the dark hours following that tragic Sunday, December 7, 1941" when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. "Infantile paralysis (polio) is also involved in the story line. This novel, set and published in 1942, offers insight into American spirit and values as the country enters into World War II. Illustrated by Roberta Paflin. From a review by Kelli Harmon: "We've come a long way, ladies. [NANCY BLAKE COPYWRITER] has everything... It flips between a thinly veiled advice on how to behave and how to get a job, buying war bonds to support our country's troops, to the heroine foiling a Nazi plot. There's even a catty high school girl villain and an awkward love story. I knew what I was getting into when I started reading, and it did not disappoint." From Goodreads: "Betty Baxter… was the author of 20 books for teenage girls, most of which were part of her career series. Her books were unusual for the time because she put the lead female characters in traditionally male type roles... She wrote under the names Betty Baxter, Betty Baxter Anderson, and Alice Anson." Top edge tinted blue, as issued. Bound in the original red boards, stamped in black on the spine and front cover. Complete with dust jacket. SEE PHOTOS.. 1st ed? (No additional printings listed). Hardcover. Near Fine condition/Near Very Good dust jacket. Illus. by Paflin, Roberta. 8vo. vi, 248pp. Great Packaging, Fast Shipping.