Gypsy Breynton is the heroine of an eponymous series of books written by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward, born Mary Gray Phelps, was an American author and an early advocate of clothing reform for women, urging them to burn their corsets.- Biography :...

. The books were written in 1866-7 for Sunday school

Sunday school

Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...

s and so are of an improving nature. Gypsy, as the name indicates, is an impetuous tomboy

Tomboy

A tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...

who lives a chaotic life lacking a system. Her development and experiences provide the basis for the restrained moralising of the stories.
The four books in the series are

1. Gypsy Breynton
2. Gypsy's Cousin Joy
3. Gypsy's Sowing and Reaping
4. Gypsy's Year at the Golden Crescent