Elizabeth Gail Dobbs (called Libby in the earlier books and Elizabeth more often as she grows older) is a troubled young girl who has been taken in as a foster child by the Johnson family.  Her father abandoned her and her mother when Libby was very young, and her mother’s chief interest in her is the money she receives when claiming aid to care for her.   Her mother is abusive and neglectful, and through much of her early life, Libby is moved from place to place, in and out of foster care with different social workers handling her case.  The final straw came when her mother beat her and locked her in a closet.  Libby was then removed from her custody permanently and taken to a new foster home with the Johnson family, who own a farm on the outskirts of town.  Mr. Johnson also owns a store in town.

Because of her troubled, chaotic past, young Libby sometimes acts out and can be difficult for her new family and social worker, Gwen Miller, to manage.  It takes her some time to become comfortable with her foster family and life on their farm, but the Johnsons are very understanding people.  Along the way, Libby deals not only with her troubled past and fears about the future but issues that all young girls face involving boys, bullies, and growing up.

At the beginning of the series, Chuck and Vera Johnson, Libby’s foster parents, already have three biological children: Benjamin, Susan, and Kevin.  Later, they also take on another foster child, Toby.  The family also has a pet goose named Goosy Poosy (yes, really).

Libby’s changing life and character development are the backdrop to the mysteries that she encounters and solves.  As the stories progress, Libby makes peace with her absent father, and after his death, she receives an unusual inheritance from him.  When the Johnsons want to adopt Libby, her biological mother refuses to give her up because she still hopes to get some welfare money out of her.  At one point in the series, Libby’s mother tries to take her away from the Johnsons, but Libby’s biological grandmother intervenes and gets her daughter to agree to allow the Johnsons to adopt her.  However, she does appear once more in the series in a final attempt to regain custody of Libby.  Libby also has run-ins with a cousin named Tammy who looks very much like her, and she later learns that Tammy is actually her half-sister.  When they first meet, Tammy uses their resemblance to cause problems for Libby.  Eventually, the two of them make peace with each other as well, sharing in their father’s inheritance.

As Libby gets older, she starts using the name Elizabeth more.  Later books in the series have more romantic themes.  As the series progresses, all of the children in the stories grow up and start having children of their own.  Toward the end of the series, Elizabeth also gets married.  Elizabeth had planned to become a concert pianist, and she also marries a concert pianist.  The two of them become a team.

The books have a Christian theme.  When Libby lived with her mother, they weren’t religious, but the Johnson family is, and Libby finds their religious outlook comforting, giving her a new perspective on life.  Teaching other people about God sometimes helps Libby to bond with others.

In some ways, the series seems kind of soap-opera-like to me now, with Elizabeth’s complicated family relationships, dramatic problems, and the sort of evil-twin-like storyline with Tammy, but the stories are exciting for kids and have good messages.  Because of the discussions of abuse, even some sexual abuse, this is not a series for very young kids.  According to Wikipedia (the article has since been removed, although I don’t know why), the series was re-released in 2001 with some modifications, including new titles for some of the books.  There is also a movie based on the series.

Some of my plot descriptions are a little sparse right now because I don’t have this series right now, and I couldn’t learn much about some of the books when I was doing research on them through Amazon.  But, this site is always a work in progress, so details will be added later.  If anyone can tell me more about some of these titles, particularly the later ones in the series, please let me know!  When I was young, I only read some of the earlier books.

Books in the Series:

Elizabeth Gail and the Mystery at the Johnson Farm (1978)

Elizabeth Gail arrives at the Johnsons’ farm as an angry, abused child.  When strange things happen and are blamed on her, can Elizabeth find the true culprit before she is sent away from her new home?

Elizabeth Gail and the Secret Box (1979)

Elizabeth receives mysterious letters and an unusual inheritance from her recently-deceased father, who she has not seen since he abandoned his family when she was small.

Elizabeth Gail and the Teddy Bear Mystery (1979)

Elizabeth has to protect an elderly friend and her teddy bear (along with the secrets that the bear is hiding) from a mysterious stranger.

Elizabeth Gail and the Dangerous Double (1980)

Someone who greatly resembles Elizabeth is causing problems and blaming them on her.  Who is this mysterious stranger, and what is her connection to Elizabeth?

Elizabeth Gail and the Trouble at Sandhill Ranch (1980)

Elizabeth visits the ranch that she inherited from her father.

Elizabeth Gail and the Strange Birthday Party (1980)

Elizabeth and her friends start a business hosting birthday parties on the Johnson farm.  However, strange things are happening around the farm, and some of their guests are hiding secrets.

Elizabeth Gail and the Terrifying News (1980)

Elizabeth wants to become a concert pianist, but something terrible has happened that may prevent her dreams from coming true.

Elizabeth Gail and the Frightened Runaways (1981)

Elizabeth tries to help a pair of twins who are runaways although it causes problems with her foster family and forces her to relive some bad memories from her own past.  This is the book that mentions sexual abuse.

Elizabeth Gail and Trouble From the Past (1981)

When Elizabeth is having problems at school, an enemy from her past makes more trouble.

Elizabeth Gail and the Silent Piano (1981)

Things don’t seem to be going Elizabeth’s way, and she’s about ready to give up on one of her biggest dreams, but she finds a reason to persevere.

Elizabeth Gail and Double Trouble (1982)

Elizabeth gets a strange phone call that leads her on a terrifying adventure.

Elizabeth Gail and the Holiday Mystery (1982)

The Johnsons’ family pet, Goosy Poosy, disappears, and Elizabeth tries to find him before someone tries to make him into Christmas dinner!

Elizabeth Gail and the Missing Love Letters (1982)

Elizabeth has had a long-term crush on a boy that she could never admit to having.  Instead, she writes love letters to him and hides them in her room, not having the courage to actually send them.  Now, the letters have disappeared.  Who has taken them, and what will they do with them?

Elizabeth Gail and the Music Camp Romance (1983)

When Elizabeth attends music camp, she meets a young lifeguard with secrets and mysterious problems of his own.

Elizabeth Gail and the Handsome Stranger (1983)

Elizabeth is still focused on her goal of becoming a concert pianist.  However, a handsome stranger is distracting her from her studies on what is supposed to be a working vacation.

Elizabeth Gail and the Secret Love (1983)

It’s Elizabeth first summer after high school, and an unexpected romance is distracting her from her music.

Elizabeth Gail and the Summer for Weddings (1983)

As friends are starting to marry, Elizabeth wonders about the possibilities for love in her life as well.

Elizabeth Gail and the Time for Love (1983)

Elizabeth finds a love of her own and learns important lessons about growing up.

Elizabeth Gail and the Great Canoe Conspiracy (1991)

Elizabeth and her friends go on a canoe trip.

Elizabeth Gail and the Hidden Key Mystery (1992)

After Elizabeth finds a key hidden behind a brick in a wall of the store, she tries to discover what is it for and who put it there.

Elizabeth Gail and the Secret of the Gold Charm (1992)

When Elizabeth finds a “lucky” gold charm, it gets her and a friend involved with jewel thieves.