MICHELLE J. SMITH is an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her research on British girls' literature, culture and empire has been published in a range of journals and edited collections. She is currently working on colonial Australian girls' print culture and maintains a blog at http://www.girlsliterature.com.au

• List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction: Imperial Girls in British Literature and Culture Shaping the 'Useful' Girl: The Girl's Own Paper , 1880–1907 Developing Pedagogy and Hybridised Femininity in the Girls' School Story Adventurous Girls of the British Empire: The Novels of Bessie Marchant Fantastic and Domestic Girls and the Idolisation of 'Improving' Others Be(ing) Prepared: Girl Guides, Colonial Life, and National Strength Microcosms of Girlhood: Reworking the Robinsonade for Girls Conclusion Bibliography Index

'...Smith's book is a well-written study that brings together a range of texts not previously discussed comprehensively in the context of the British Empire. A helpful index keeps the wealth of material accessible.' -Jochen Petzold, Regensburg, ZAA