Helen Frances Weinstock was born on 29 March 1910, in Danville, Illinois, USA. Her family moved to New York City when she was about seven.
As a teenager, she studied painting at the Art Students League in New York City; she also studied music. At New York University, she became the first female editor of the school's literary quarterly. She graduated from NYU in 1934, with a major in philosophy and a minor in sociology and psychology. After graduation, she worked for a time as a social worker.
During World War II, she served as a volunteer with the State Department's Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs, escorting Latin American visitors in the United States. She traveled widely, visiting Mexico, Brazil, England, Spain, France, Austria, Israel, and several other countries.
Helen also began to write for magazines, and eventually turned to writing full-time after winning prizes in two short-story contests. After writing the first eight books of the Cherry Ames series and the first three Vicki Barr books as Helen Wells, she decided to abandon both series to write for television and radio, and Julie Tatham took over (however, both the ninth Cherry Ames book and the fourth Vicki Barr book were published as Helen Wells). Julie Tatham later returned the Vicki Barr books to Helen Wells in 1953 and the Cherry Ames books in 1955.
Helen was active in several author organizations, especially the Mystery Writers of America, and taught writing courses at the Institute of Children's Literature in Redding Ridge, Connecticut.
Helen Wells died in New York City on 10 February 1986, and was buried in Danville, Illinois. The 1986 Juvenile Series Writers Conference in Corning, New York, was dedicated to her memory.
43 works Add another?
Most Editions | First Published | Most Recent
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Cherry Ames at Hilton Hospital
5 editions - first published in 1959 -
Cherry Ames staff nurse: Book 16
4 editions - first published in 1962 -
Cherry Ames rural nurse: Book 15
4 editions - first published in 2000 -
Cherry Ames, chief nurse
4 editions - first published in 1944 Borrow -
Cherry Ames, jungle nurse
3 editions - first published in 1965 -
Cherry Ames, senior nurse
3 editions - first published in 1944 -
Cherry Ames
3 editions - first published in 1978 -
Barnum, showman of America
3 editions - first published in 1957 Borrow -
Cherry Ames, visiting nurse
2 editions - first published in 1947 -
Cherry Ames, flight nurse
2 editions - first published in 1945 -
Cherry Ames, student nurse
2 editions - first published in 1956 -
Cherry Ames, private duty nurse
2 editions - first published in 1946 -
Cherry Ames, Army nurse
2 editions - first published in 1944 Borrow -
Cherry Ames Veterans' Nurse
2 editions - first published in 1946 Borrow -
Escape by night: a story of the underground railway
2 editions - first published in 1953 Borrow -
Bird Flu, Are You Prepared?
1 edition - first published in 2007 -
Index to byelaws, 1864-1931
1 edition - first published in 1932 -
Silver wings for Vicki
1 edition - first published in 1947 -
Cherry Ames -- The Case of the Dangerous Remedy
1 edition - first published in 1972 -
Cherry Ames Nursing Series Boxed-Set (Books 9-12) Cruise Nurse, Boarding School Nurse, Department Store Nurse and Camp Nurse
1 edition - first published in 2007 -
Joan and Peter
1 edition - first published in 1940 -
Doctor Betty
1 edition - first published in 1969 -
Vicki finds the answer
1 edition - first published in 1947 -
The Case of the Dangerous Remedy
1 edition - first published in 1978 -
The Mystery of Rogue's Cave
1 edition - first published in 1980 -
A flair for people
1 edition - first published in 1955 -
Cherry Ames' book of first aid and home nursing
1 edition - first published in 1959 -
The ghost at the waterfall
1 edition - first published in 1957 -
Proceedings of the First International Symposium on the Decontamination of Nuclear Installations
1 edition - first published in 1967 -
Cherry Ames infirmière aux sports d'hiver
1 edition - first published in 1975 -
The search for the missing twin
1 edition - first published in 1954 -
Cherry Ames Boxed Set (Books 5-8): Flight Nurse; Veteran's Nurse; Private Duty Nurse; Visiting Nurse
1 edition - first published in 2006 -
The girl in the white coat
1 edition - first published in 1953 -
Jefferson County, Illinois, marriage records, September 1819-June 1874 (with a few 1875)
1 edition - first published in 1987 -
The clue of the gold coin
1 edition - first published in 1958 -
The Time machine: an invention.
1 edition - first published in 1976 -
Army Nurse: Cherry Ames, #3
1 edition - first published in 2000 -
Adam Gimbel, pioneer trader
1 edition - first published in 1955 -
Man Who Could Work Miracles an Adaptation
1 edition - first published in 1980 -
Life and Pursuit of Successful Living: By Homer R. Wells (Practicing Disciplined Coping & the (Co) American Dream)
1 edition - first published in 1992 -
Introducing Patti Lewis, home economist
1 edition - first published in 1956 -
The mystery of the vanishing lady
1 edition - first published in 1954 -
A city for Jean
1 edition - first published in 1956 Borrow
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Alternative names
- Helen Frances Weinstock
- Helen Wells
- Francine Lewis
History Created April 1, 2008 · 6 revisions
| November 12, 2011 | Edited by E-Romance | Added new photo |
| November 12, 2011 | Edited by E-Romance | Edited without comment. |
| November 12, 2011 | Edited by E-Romance | merge authors |
| September 7, 2008 | Edited by RenameBot | fix author name |
| April 1, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | initial import |