Childhood Classics Revisited

Thursday’s Child
By Noel Streatfeild
Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks (October 12, 2021)
Paperback: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0008244057
ISBN-13: 978-0008244057
Reading age: 9 - 12 years
Grade level: 4 - 6
 
Publisher’s Blurb:

Margaret Thursday was named after the day she was found on the church steps as a baby. But she isn’t really an orphan – each year a bag of gold coins is left at the church for her keep. However, when Margaret is eleven years old, the money suddenly stops and her guardians have no choice but to send her away to an orphanage.

 The orphanage is worse than they could have imagined. The children are poorly treated and barely fed, and fearless Margaret soon makes herself the enemy of the evil matron who runs it. Vowing to protect her new friends, Peter and Horatio, Margaret plans their daring escape . . . but she’ll have to outwit Matron at every turn.

 Margaret’s action-packed adventure, set in turn-of-the-century England, takes her from orphanage to canal boat to the world of the theatre. Through it all, Margaret is propelled by her unwavering sense of self and determination.

Far to Go
By Noel Streatfeild
Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks (March 8, 2022)
Paperback: 160 pages
ISBN-10: 0007349610
ISBN-13: 978-0007349616
Reading age: 9 - 12 years
Grade level: 4 - 6

Publisher’s Blurb:

When Margaret Thursday lands a role as a child actress at a well-known London theatre, becoming famous almost overnight, news of her success reaches her bitter enemy, the matron of her old orphanage.

 Margaret knows that Matron is set on revenge, but she keeps her head held high, focusing on the play. But Matron’s evil plans are well prepared, and Margaret is going to need her wits about her – and the help of her friends – if she is to escape unharmed…

 My Thoughts:

Streatfeild was a part of my childhood. I particularly enjoyed her Gemma books, which did not get as much play in the U.S. as the “Shoe” books. It’s good to see reissues of these classic works of children’s literature.

 That said, they probably are not for every modern child. They are set more than 100 years ago, and sometimes that time and place context can be a challenge for today’s young readers. Likewise, the language in books of that era is often more complex. However, for those children who are willing to tackle those things, these books are wonderful fun, with their plucky heroine and colorful supporting cast. These books are fairly short and the pacing is quick, so they are not a daunting read otherwise.

 Margaret lives with loving foster parents, but when the financial support she has received yearly stops coming, they no longer have the means to care for her. Her life in the orphanage is miserable, but she is bright and courageous, and makes her escape. The adventures that come next help her to become stronger—physically and emotionally. She finds good people. She also finds not-so-good ones. The first book resolves tidily, but wait…there’s more!

 The second book focuses on Margaret’s work in a London theatre company. I find her desertion of the theatre troupe from the previous book to be a bit abrupt. Margaret finds a large “family” in the theatre. Her intelligence and flair for the dramatic serve her well. But her adventures are not yet over, simply because she’s found stability! No, a baddie from her past is on her trail.

 Possible Objectionable Material:

Lying, running away, deception, perilous situations.

 Who Might Like These Books:

Those who like books set in the past, plucky heroines, and adventurous stories. Definitely appropriate for the suggested age range, given the caveats I mention above.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing ARCs in exchange for my opinion. It was fun to revisit these stories!