Nancy and Plum

February 1, 2011

Gr 3-6-Living at Mrs. Monday's Boarding School is truly torture, but orphaned Nancy and Plum make the best of their situation. While they tackle their seemingly never-ending list of chores, from cleaning windows to mending socks, their imaginations set them free. The sisters daydream about the perfect Christmas, having a family, and how their lives could be different, perhaps even wonderful. Eventually, they become fed up with Mrs. Monday and they make plans to run away. Once they escape, Nancy and Plum contact their uncle, spend the night in a haystack, and eventually find the family of their dreams. Originally published in 1952, this edition preserves the charm of MacDonald's writing and is a great choice for fans of her "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle" series (HarperCollins). GrandPre's detailed illustrations enhance the story and help to capture the time of horse-drawn carts, working farms, and pinafores. The rich description draws readers in, inviting them back to a simpler time. Nancy and Plum are lovable characters whom readers will be drawn to and their colorful adventures keep things moving along. However, the book is rather slowly paced until the girls decide to run away. With a simple plot and well-developed characters, this title is a good choice for a wide range of readers, especially those who enjoy MacDonald's imaginative stories.-Mary-Brook J. Townsend, The McGillis School, Salt Lake City, UT

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2010
Grades 3-5 If the name Betty MacDonald sounds familiar, its because she is the author of the beloved Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books. This title, originally published in 1952, isnt in that category, but it still has its own charm. Like characters in so many childrens books, Nancy and her sister, Plum, are orphans. Their only relative, Uncle John, doesnt really know children, so he ships the girls off to Mrs. Mondays Boarding Home for Children, a place where the girls get little to eat, nothing new to wear, and dont even receive the few letters and gifts their uncle sends. But Nancy and Plum have spunk, and in the course of the story, they find a way to turn things around, though not without ruffling the feathers of Mrs. Monday and her annoying niece. Old-fashioned in the best sense of the word, this is a return to the stories of authors like Eleanor Estes and Elizabeth Enright. The plot sags in the middle, and there may be too much adult help for contemporary readers, but this has a sweetness to which kids will respond.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)