The Cherry Ames series is about a young woman, Charity Ames, called “Cherry” as a nickname, who studies and trains to be a nurse. The series follows her through her career, as she takes different nursing jobs in different locations and solves mysteries in these locations. Because the series began during WWII, the war is a part of the books, and Cherry becomes an army nurse. After the war ends, she takes other, civilian nursing jobs.
Cherry Ames is primarily a career woman. She occasionally dates men, but she never marries during the course of the series. When the series was being written, women typically left their jobs to raise children after getting married, so having Cherry get married would probably have ended the series. Cherry Ames continues working as a nurse in different settings through all of the books.
She has a twin brother named Charles, called Charlie. Charlie begins studying engineering at the same time that Cherry leaves home to study nursing. People sometimes comment that it’s hard to believe that the two of them are twins because Charlie is blonde, and Cherry has very dark hair.
The series started during WWII and was set contemporary to the time it was written, so Cherry actively takes part during the war.
The first books and the last ones in the series were written by Helen Wells. Some of the books in the middle of the series were written by Julie Campbell Tatham, who created the Trixie Belden series.
Books in the Series:
Cherry Ames, Student Nurse (1943)
Cherry Ames begins her nursing studies.
Cherry Ames, Senior Nurse (1944)
Cherry Ames, Army Nurse (1944)
Cherry Ames joins WWII.
Cherry Ames, Chief Nurse (1944)
Cherry Ames, Flight Nurse (1945)
Cherry Ames, Veterans’ Nurse (1946)
Cherry Ames, Private Duty Nurse (1946)
Cherry Ames, Visiting Nurse (1947)
Cherry Ames, Cruise Nurse (1948)
Cherry Ames, At Spencer (1949)
Cherry Ames, Night Supervisor (1950)
Cherry Ames, Mountaineer Nurse (1951)
Cherry Ames, Clinic Nurse (1952)
Cherry Ames, Dude Ranch Nurse (1953)
Cherry Ames, Rest Home Nurse (1954)
Cherry Ames, Country Doctor’s Nurse (1955)
Cherry Ames, Boarding School Nurse (1955)
Cherry Ames, Department Store Nurse (1956)
Cherry Ames, Camp Nurse (1957)
Cherry Ames, At Hilton Hospital (1959)
Alternate title: The Case of the Forgetful Patient.
Cherry Ames, Island Nurse (1960)
Cherry Ames, Rural Nurse (1961)
Cherry Ames, Staff Nurse (1962)
Cherry Ames, Companion Nurse (1964)
Cherry Ames, Jungle Nurse (1965)
Cherry Ames: Mystery in the Doctor’s Office (1966)
Cherry Ames: Ski Nurse Mystery (1968)
Jestress's Forgotten Books and Stories 