Nancy and Plum (1952)

A sweet take on the trope of orphans abandoned to a wicked headmistress. I liked how many good adults did try to help the children, and how plausible the obstacles were. And I liked the personalities of the girls - they were quite different from one another but both brave, kind, and smart in their own way. I was a bit frustrated that the situation of all the other boarders was not better developed, but I'm sure a child wouldn't fret about them - they were just 'supporting cast' after all.

I'm only giving it three stars because of how much I, personally, enjoyed it. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a five star read for you. Also, this edition has photos of the author's family, which is nice. ( )

Better than I remember from childhood because I can now appreciate the lovely descriptive language more than the heart-strings story. ( )

An old fashioned story. These children were a little more believable than the people of Roald Dahl. Still not very real. I was happy that all turned out well in the end, but the villains didn't seem to get their comeuppance and the children left at the orphanage seemed to me to still be stuck in an untenable position. Not Betty MacDonald's best. I do love Mrs Piggle Wiggle. I'll have to reread the Egg and I. I liked it a lot as a kid. ( )

When their parents die and they are left in the guardianship of a bachelor uncle, sisters Nancy and Plum are sent to board with the penny-pinching Mrs. Monday and her disagreeable niece Marybelle. Like all of the neglected children left in Mrs. Monday's care, Nancy and Plum are underfed, dressed in little more than rags, and treated harshly while Mrs. Monday lavishes toys, good food, and nice clothes on Marybelle. Nancy and Plum survive by imagining a better life for themselves -- and by a tiny bit of help from outsiders like their teacher, the town librarian, and Mrs. Monday's cowed handyman Old Tom. When life at Mrs. Monday's becomes unbearable, Nancy and Plum run away. They soon discover that they cannot make it in the world on their own . . . but will they be able to find the help they need to end up in a better situation?

I was left vaguely dissatisfied with this story. I imagine that, had I read it as a child, I would have loved it. The characters are stock figures: the plucky heroines, the evil villain, the kind teacher, the quiet old handyman. Morals are dropped in with a rather heavy hand, and the story ends in a predictably happy fashion. Children who enjoy this sort of story will eat this book up, but I found it just a bit flat ( )

Two orphaned sisters are sent to live at a boarding home run by the cruel and greedy Mrs. Monday, where they dream about someday having enough to eat and being able to experience a real Christmas.