Amelia Bedelia

Amelia Bedelia is the first book in the popular Amelia Bedelia children's picture book series about a housekeeper who takes her instructions literally. It was written by Peggy Parish, illustrated by Fritz Siebel, and published by Harper and Row in 1963. The idea for the book came from a former housekeeper as well as Peggy's third-grade students at the Dalton School in Manhattan who tended to confuse vocabulary, often with comic results. Amelia Bedelia has been referenced for its use of language and portrayal of gender norms. Over 35 million copies of books in the series have been sold. 2013 marked the book's 50th anniversary and commemorated its popularity with the publication of a new line of Amelia Bedelia books.