Detail, Illustration by Charles Geer
Wild Geese Flying by Cornelia Meigs
The Macmillan Company, 1957

You reread the books you read when you were young, and you begin to realize where everything came from.  Ideas about the world, the right and wrong way to behave, what to expect when you get old, effective poses to strike and interesting fashion statements to make.

Cornelia Meigs (1884-1973) spent her own childhood in Keokuk, Iowa.  In 1904 she was studying at Bryn Mawr where she graduated in 1908 and where she would teach as a professor of English from 1932 to 1950.  In addition to her children's books, she wrote a biography of Louisa May Alcott which won the Newberry Medal in 1934. 

Now I recognize it's Saturday and we all have things to do so let me cut to the chase and let you, as they say, do the math: 

Favorite Authors at the Age of Twelve
Cornelia Meigs (Wild Geese Flying)
Elizabeth Enright (Gone Away Lake)
Mary Norton (The Borrowers series)

Protagonist is
Smart, good-natured, cares about animals, travel and history, not necessarily in that order
struggles to do the right thing even in the face of social ostracism,
is drawn to objets d'art, antiques, old houses, and adventure
wears striped shirts with cuffed jeans and Converse hightop tennis shoes
frequently stands arms akimbo to indicate disdain for bad behavior or when confronted, generally by the scruffier and potentially violent and/or mean but only temporarily misguided and poor youth who will ultimately become his best friend

Except of course in the case of the Borrowers stories, wherein the protagonist is actually an extremely tiny girl in Edwardian clothes named Arriety, but I think you get the point. 

I would, in other words, be very surprised if you were to read these stories again and not say to yourself, "Aha!  So that's where I got that idea!"  "This is where I learned how to cope with awkward situations and resolve conflict!" "This is where I learned about mansard roofs and the Second Empire style!"

Hello.  Mystery unveiled.  Now you know why everything's turned out the way it has. 

 

"Aren't you under age to be using firearms?" Dick asked Rob.  "Especially firearms that aren't yours?"

Rob Dale's thin face flushed.  "No, it isn't mine but I - I borrowed it."

"I don't believe you," Dick said angrily.  "And what made you want to kill our bird, anyway?"

"I could have got good money for him, and you've done me out of it," Rob said, full of resentment.  "There's a fellow up at Champlain City that stuffs and sells critters like that.  I took him two foxes and a bobcast already.  He promised me something extra special if I could get the big bird.  Well, what are you going to do about it?" he asked defiantly. 

"I don't know," Dick's voice was hesitating and miserable. No, he could not think what to do.

- Cornelia Meigs, Wild Geese Flying, p. 135.