I’ve been enjoying a lot of reading this month, because the weather is finally feeling fall-ish, and what’s better than autumn reads with blankets and candles?

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the books I loved best in October:

Ferris is Kate DiCamillo’s latest middle grade novel, and this was such a joy to read. I have read and loved Because of Winn-Dixie since I was ten years old, but I honestly think I loved Ferris even more–because even though it has some sadness in it, there’s also so much humor that balances the book and made it feel lighthearted to me.

Glad and Golden Hours by Lanier Ivester, illustrated by Jennifer Trafton. This Advent and Christmas companion was a complete delight, and I loved all of Lanier’s lovely memoir-type stories mixed in among crafts and recipes for the entire month of December (and a little bit beyond)!

Spiderweb for Two by Elizabeth Enright. I’ve discussed this book so many times before, because it’s one of my all-time favorites! I read it this month for my Patreon book club, which has been so much fun.

The Star That Always Stays by … me! Yes, I actually just re-read TSTAS for the first time in actual print book form! The last time I’d read the entire story was during the last proofreading stage in early 2022, and that was on my computer. It was a lovely experience! Although my brain kept prompting certain lines to be read that way they’d originally been written. (Like autocorrect: “Did you mean THIS phrase”?) LOL!

Moominpappa at Sea by Tove Jansson. I’m a seasonal reader, and I read the first half of this book last summer (because I knew it was a summer story) and then never finished it. But I wanted to read Moominvalley in November IN November, so I thought I would finish the second half of this one to continue reading in chronological order. Turns out, the second half of Moominpappa at Sea takes place in autumn! That was a pleasant surprise, and the second half of the story was much more engaging than the first and had a sweet ending.

The Automobile Girls at Newport by Laura Dent Crane was first published in 1910, and I read a recent reprint copy. 1910s girls’ series books are *always* fun, and this was no different!

What Katy Did at School by Susan Coolidge is a book I have read truly countless times, and I just enjoy it so hugely every time I return to it.

What did you read in October? Leave a comment below!

With September (my favorite month of the year!) starting tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to list a few books that I think would make ideal September reads.

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall
This delightful second book in the Penderwicks series takes place mostly in October, but it opens at the very end of September, which would make it a perfect read for the end of the month! (The Penderwick sisters’ plan to stop their widowed father from dating makes for a hilarious and heartfelt story.)

Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
Pretty much any of the Ramona books would be perfect for September with their back-to-school themes, but I think Ramona and Her Father is probably one of the best—it begins in September, when Ramona is already busily working on her Christmas list, until she learns her father has lost his job.

What Katy Did at School by Susan Coolidge
I’m going to be reading this story (one of my longtime favorites) in September—it’s such a fun book, featuring Katy and her sister Clover heading off to a strict boarding school for the first time.

Apple Bough by Noel Streatfeild
This lesser-known novel of Noel’s (often titled Traveling Shoes) has always struck me as just right for fall. It follows the Forum family as they travel from one country to the next so that second-eldest child Sebastian can pursue a career as a violinist—but all the siblings want is a home!

Around the Hearth by L.M. Montgomery
This recently-edited collection of short stories from L.M. Montgomery is absolutely lovely and has a wonderful autumnal feel–many of the stories are centered on home and family, as the title would suggest. My favorite story in this volume is Miss Curtis Comes!

What are you reading this September? Leave a comment below!

If you’re like me, you probably are a longtime fan of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. Maybe you’re hoping for a book that has a similar feel, but you’re not sure where to look. In this post, I’m going to be sharing a few fun vintage titles that I hope will be new to you!

– If you love the strong friendship and mischievous adventures that Anne and Diana have, try Katie John by Mary Calhoun.

– If you’re a fan of the stunning imagery and nature descriptions throughout Anne, try Maggie Rose: Her Birthday Christmas by Ruth Sawyer. (Hard to find but if you can, it’s fabulous!)

– If you’re looking for another story set in Canada and written in the 20th century, try One to Grow On by Jean Little.

– If you’re in the mood for a coming-of-age story about a young woman from a small town, try Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace.

– If you’re on the hunt for another episodic book where each chapter is its own mini story, try The Saturdays or The Four-Story Mistake by Elizabeth Enright.

– If your favorite aspect of AOGG was the Anne and Gilbert subplot, try Pat of Silver Bush, one of Montgomery’s lesser-known books that features a Gilbert-like hero (Jingle)!

– If you’d like to read another heartwarming story about an orphan finding a wonderful new home, try Runaway Alice by Frances Salomon Murphy.

– If you want another lengthy girls’ classic that isn’t as well-known as Anne, try What Katy Did at School by Susan Coolidge.

What books would you recommend to Anne fans? Leave a comment below!

Are you looking for a lovely classic children’s novel to read? In this post, I’m introducing you to the story of the Carr family, which is told in What Katy Did and its four sequels. When I reread the first two books a few years ago, I was very happy to discover that I liked them just as much as ever. These novels were published in the late nineteenth century, and the series focuses on a large, happy New England family.

The first two books are absolutely wonderful. The initial book is Katy’s coming-of-age story and chronicles how she changes from a rambunctious little girl to a poised young woman throughout many challenges and setbacks. When What Katy Did was first published in 1872, The Boston Globe wrote of the novel: “The story belongs to that class of children’s books in which an attempt  is made to represent children as they really are, and at the same time, to introduce such incidents as give, on the whole, a good direction to their impulses and wills.”[1]

I find it interesting that I found the books so readable and rereadable when I was nine or ten years old—because at that time, I was a very slow reader, and it was hard for me to get through books that were written in a more old-fashioned style. But that wasn’t a problem at all with these books!

I actually read them out of order—my first introduction to Katy was in the second volume of the series, What Katy Did at School. I was nine years old and fascinated by the regulated (but terribly sophisticated!) boarding school that Katy and her sister Clover attend. They’re just so much fun—the characters seem so real, and the dialogue is excellently written (and seems much more modern than it is).

The last three books in the series are not my absolute favorite, but they do contain some fun elements as well. The third book follows Katy as she sails to Europe, goes sightseeing, and, naturally, meets a handsome lieutenant. And of course, you’re going to want to read the entire series to know who marries who, and where all the family members end up living. I will not divulge any spoilers, but let me say that the Carrs are a well-traveled family.

Here’s a little something about the author: Susan Coolidge was the pseudonym for Sarah Chauncey Woolsey, who wrote many short stories and poems and also edited a book of Jane Austen’s letters. She grew up in New England, and at the time she wrote the Katy books, she was living in New Jersey. I do a lot of genealogy, so I looked up some records about Susan and discovered a passport for her. The date of this record was 1872, which is fourteen years before she wrote What Katy Did Next. When I read What Katy Did Next, I was struck by the amazing details in the book, and I thought that the author had to be writing from experience to be able to describe everything so well. So now I think that she probably did go to Europe, as the passport would suggest, and possibly referred to letters or diaries from her trip to help write the third Katy book. (I also found her census enumeration in 1900, and her occupation is listed as “authoress!”)  🙂

I was listening to the first two on audio recently (I downloaded the Librivox versions read by Karen Savage). One thing that I found interesting when I was listening to What Katy Did at School for the first time was that the story takes place in 1868. And so I started doing some figuring and I realized that the first volume of the series is supposed to be set in 1863. So What Katy Did is supposed to be taking place about the same time as Little Women. And I don’t get that feeling at all reading it—I would have thought the Katy books were contemporary to the 1870s, which is when the first two novels were published. Perhaps this is because Susan Coolidge set out to write a book based on her family, and she grew up in the 1830s and 40s. And I wonder if the fact that she was reminiscing about an earlier era when she wrote them might have contributed to the sort of timelessness of the books (and consequently, the lack of an authentic 1860s feel).

Speaking of Little Women, I read that Susan Coolidge’s publisher, Roberts Brothers, was also Louisa May Alcott’s publisher. And I believe I read that like Louisa, Susan was inspired to write about a family that was modeled after her own. So while What Katy Did did not end up enjoying the amazing success that Little Women did, it has had a lasting impact on me and—I am sure—many other readers. I invite you to check out the books for yourself—because basically, if you love Little Women and Anne of Green Gables, you do not want to miss out on these! Happy Reading!

[1] The Boston Globe, December 4, 1872, pg. 1

Springtime is such a glorious time of year—the first chirps of returning birds, the sprouting of long-dormant flowers, the happiness in the air. For the final installment of my seasonal blog series, I’ve compiled some books that I feel complement the splendor of spring!

Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace
One of my all-time favorite novels is this marvelous coming-of-age story. Set in 1912 and starring an introverted but whimsical heroine, this book focuses on an orphaned girl who longs to go to college but cannot leave her beloved grandfather. But Emily eventually finds the courage and inspiration to make a special life for herself right where she is—and essentially blooms where she is planted.

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
This is another great favorite of mine, and a highly underappreciated classic novel. Although the essence of the Pollyanna story is well-known—a cheerful girl who teaches others how to be glad—the real book features so much more; it’s a layered tale with beautiful life lessons and fascinating characters.

What Katy Did at School by Susan Coolidge
I first read this novel the spring I turned nine years old, and I’ve always loved its delicious account of life at a nineteenth-century boarding school. Katy Carr and her sister Clover leave their small town to attend school in a bustling city, where they must contend with a feisty new friend, snobbish classmates, and a teacher who seems determined to make trouble for the Carr sisters.

The Sea is All Around by Elizabeth Enright
Elizabeth Enright is one of my favorite authors—she’s well-known for her Melendy Quartet series and Gone-Away Lake—but sadly, this marvelous story is out of print and is hard to find. However, it’s well worth the effort to obtain a copy, as The Sea is All Around is flavored with truly remarkable prose, an endearing young heroine, and all the beauty and majesty of life by the sea.

The Clue of the Stone Lantern by Margaret Sutton
The twenty-first volume of the Judy Bolton mysteries, Stone Lantern was published in 1950 and is one of the best books of this series. As Judy begins her preparing her flower garden for the spring, an uncanny coincidence leads her on a thrilling search to establish the unknown identity of a mysterious little girl.

Magic for Marigold by L.M. Montgomery
I just finished re-reading this lesser-known novel by Montgomery, and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the hilarious escapades of Marigold Lesley, whose imagination and flights of fancy continually get her into mischief. While the book has very little plot—it was originally a set of short stories—it’s a lovely read, and the opening of the story (in which the sprawling Lesley clan gathers to decide on a name for baby Marigold) is simply delightful.

Kilmeny of the Orchard by L.M. Montgomery
Another special book by Montgomery that has never received the recognition of the Anne or Emily novels is Kilmeny of the Orchard. It’s the tale of a schoolteacher named Eric who comes to Prince Edward Island intending to remain a short while—only to fall in love with an isolated girl named Kilmeny. One of Montgomery’s earliest works, this novella has a sweet fairy-tale tinge and a very happy ending!

Spring Begins in March by Jean Little
This is actually the second book in the Copeland family series by Jean Little—so I might recommend reading the first book, Mine for Keeps, before diving into this one! Of course, I read them out of order, so it can be done. 😉 This is the heartwarming story of Meg, a girl determined not to get along with her grandmother, who has recently come to stay. (My favorite scene in this book is when Meg’s grandmother reads aloud from Anne of Ingleside!)

Don’t forget to check out the previous posts in my seasonal series!

The Best Books of Summer
The Best Books of Autumn
The Best Books of Winter