Dobra kućanica: za žensku mladež

The Good Housewife – for the Female Youth is a pedagogical work by the Croatian teacher, pedagogue and writer Davorin Trstenjak (1848–1921), first published in 1880 in Zagreb (Croatian Pedagogical-Literary Society), with later revised and supplemented editions (1886, 1890, 1897). The copy on offer is the "fourth, completed edition". The book was part of the "Library for the Youth" series and was intended primarily for girls and young women, with an emphasis on preparation for the role of wife, mother and housewife in the 19th century.

Trstenjak, known for his practical pedagogical writings (such as The Young Teacher), in this book provides concrete advice on everyday household management. It covers topics such as: household organization, hygiene, cooking and food storage, saving money and resources, caring for children and family, and maintaining order and cleanliness with limited means. Special attention was paid to economy and practicality for girls from poorer families, who were preparing for independent life.

In addition to practical instructions, the book also contains moral-educational elements: it promotes the values ​​of work, honesty, modesty, responsibility and Christian ethics in the family. Trstenjak sees the household as the foundation of society and emphasizes the importance of educating girls for this role, which reflected the pedagogical ideas of his time in the Habsburg Monarchy. The work was influential in the context of girls' education in Slavonia and Croatia in the second half of the 19th century.

The style is clear, instructive and accessible, with examples from everyday life, advice and lessons. Today the book is read as a historical source on gender roles, home economics and upbringing in the 19th century, and antique copies are sought after among collectors. It represents an early Croatian handbook for housewives that combines practicality with ethical upbringing, reflecting Trstenjak's engagement in education and the promotion of useful knowledge among young people.