Little Bessie, the Careless Girl, or, Squirrels, Nuts, and Water-Cresses: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
Little Bessie, the Careless Girl, or, Squirrels, Nuts, and Water-Cresses: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

Little Bessie, the Careless Girl, or, Squirrels, Nuts, and Water-Cresses is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Franklin, Josephine.
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"Little Bessie, the Careless Girl, or, Squirrels, Nuts, and Water-Cresses" by Josephine Franklin is a children's fiction story written in the mid-19th century. This engaging tale follows the spirited and often mischievous Bessie, a young girl living with her widowed mother, as she navigates her daily adventures, friendships, and the challenges of growing up with a sense of carelessness and innocence. The narrative highlights her close bond with another girl, Nelly, and their various escapades, including nut-gathering outings and interactions with nature. At the start of the story, we are introduced to Bessie and her mother, who are facing hard times due to the mother's illness and the family's poor circumstances. Despite this, Bessie's vivacious spirit shines through as she embarks on a nutting expedition with Nelly, where they encounter a squirrel and other woodland wonders. The opening chapters explore their playful banter, insights into Bessie's character—her carelessness in both play and study—as well as her longing to help her mother and earn money by collecting watercress, an endeavor that promises potential financial relief for her family. Overall, this portion sets the stage for Bessie's journey of self-discovery and moral growth amidst the backdrop of everyday childhood adventures.
Book and edition facts
- Title: Little Bessie, the Careless Girl, or, Squirrels, Nuts, and Water-Cresses
- Author credits: Franklin, Josephine
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
- Children and death -- Juvenile fiction
- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction
- Country life -- Juvenile fiction
- Friendship -- Juvenile fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Children & Young Adult Reading
- Category: Novels
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


