More today for our Library Project series and then probably none until after the holidays — you are pretty busy and I am down to the wire with ovens not quite operational, fridge not installed, and many bits & bobs left to deal with in this endless kitchen thing.
Above is a photo from last year, waaah… Don't put the Christ Child in yet! But I will leave it like this because this post will be up until after Christmas Day.
(By the way, I keep wondering how much to post about kitchen doings. I don't want to turn this into a kitchen-obsession blog! Let me know how much you want to read about it!)
Not quite foreseen is how messy all the other rooms are. So I have to tackle that as well, in hopes of putting up the tree, at least!
“Habibti*, is the village out under the piano?” was the question… no… there's nothing. Not a thing.
*this is what my grandchildren call me — Arabic for “dearest” — often used for grandmothers (Habibi for grandfathers! As you know, my father was Egyptian.)
But I inadvertently came up with another last-minute gift list when I posted a meme on Instagram about how much children love stories about orphans! Well, girls do, and to some extent, maybe not as much, boys — what do you think about this? What is your observation? In this list there are many that would appeal to boys!
I asked people to share their favorite classic orphan stories and books, and they certainly did! Many are books we've recommended here before, but there were some that were unknown to me.
It branched out into some sharing their memories of playing orphans in hilarious ways. I will try to make all that a highlight on my IG profile so you can go through it.
If you are a bit frustrated with your children's lack of imaginative play, you might want to step up the used-and-abused-with-happy-ending part of their book lists! If you could provide a handy abandoned train car out in the back, you might start to see results!
Here is the list! It includes some not technically orphan characters — we allow for those quite separated from parents in some way. Please comment with anything I've missed!
(I will provide an affiliate link for the first one and maybe one at the end, but I'm not going to the trouble of doing that for each one. You can open an Amazon tab with that first link and anything you purchase (anything!) for the next 24 hours will result in a small amount of bling-a-ching coming to me, at no cost to you. As always, it's not at all necessary for you to do this, and I encourage everyone to seek out used copies of these older books — they are usually so pleasingly made, with much more charming illustrations than we get today.)
The Adventures of Perrine (affiliate link — I get a little cash when you buy — thank you for using the link for your shopping! [I have to say this every time, sorry] This particular volume might be found cheaper from a used book dealer, or keep your eye out at library sales) by Edith Malot
American Twins of 1812 by Lucy Fitch Perkins
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink
The Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner
A Brother for the Orphelines by Natalie Savage Carlson
The Chalet School series by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat
Children of the Oregon Trail by Anna Rutgers van der Loeff
The Christmas Doll by Elvira Woodruff
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster.
Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott
A Family Apart by Joan Lowery Nixon (Orphan Train)
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
The Famous Five by Enid Blyton
Five for Victory by Hilda van Stockum
Freckles by Gene Stratton Porter
Good Night Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian
Heidi by Johanna Spyri (unabridged!)
Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden
Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan
The Little Duke by Charlotte M. Yonge
The Little Kidnappers (movie)
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
Little Orphan Annie (movie)
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Madeleine by Ludwig Bemelmans
Mandy by Julie Andrews
The Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright
Miss Happiness and Miss Flower by Rumer Godden and Gary Blythe
My Side of the Mountain by Jean George
Nancy and Plum by Betty McDonald
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter (also the 2003 movie, highly recommend)
The Railway Children by E. Nesbit (also the 2000 movie, highly recommend)
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
The Shoe Books Series by Noel Streatfield
Sir Gibbie by George McDonald
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana Jr.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken (affiliate link — a little cash comes to me when you buy within 24 hours of opening the link!)
So there you have it! Some of these books, as I say, we have discussed already in the LMLD Library Project, which I encourage you to peruse!
On to our links! Merry Christmas!
bits & pieces
- One follower sent me this funny IG reel of a gal demonstrating “how adults thought little girls played at sleepovers vs how we actually played” and it could not be more spot on! She gets all the fine points of orphan imagination!
- We attended Lessons & Carols at the seminary in Boston and one of the motets was by the composer Nicholas Lemme. I encourage you to follow him! Another was by Paul Jernberg, our old friend — ditto!
- When we awaken to the spiritual life within, many questions arise. For those living in the world (not tucked away in a convent or monastery), the big issue is with the seeming conflict between the real necessity to make a beautiful and orderly place here on earth and the need for austerity and detachment from worldliness! People can err one way or another. I think Peter Kwasniewski examines the problem with a lot of delicacy and insight about balance in true devotion in this post: Ascensional or Incarnational Spirituality: Threading the Needle. It's long but I encourage you to read it to the end, maybe over a few days. It's a good last-days-of-Advent meditation!
- An important and, sorry, upsetting look at what gender clinicians say to each other — and what they don't allow anyone to say. We have to pull back the curtain on the propaganda — that's literally attacking children. The one thing left out of this article: every person at the conference stands to gain financially from their position on the subject. So what do we expect them to say and think?
- I was interviewed by the gracious Helen Roy of the Girlboss Interrupted podcast. We had a good discussion about how fear of the work at home keeps feminism alive, but once we overcome the fear and resolve to gain competence for the sake of others, we are truly set free to make something the world truly needs!
- Another posting of mine on Facebook led to a lively discussion about the grammatical errors committed when using the verbs to lie and to lay — errors sadly heard among homeschooling parents all too often, because we, or our toddlers, are the ones most likely to need to
lay downtake a nap! A friend posted this excellent article about the horrifying gaffe committed by a major news outlet in their reporting of a high-profile funeral — they ought to all resign in shame!
from the archives
- Advent is for making. This last week will be more fulfilling if we spend it focused on making and preparing, and less on rushing about and partying before it's time to do so! Planning on a little time to sit peacefully with children, helping them prepare simple gifts for loved ones, makes the best memories. It's not easy at all, but it's worth it. Now is the time to get out the wood burning kit, the potholder maker, the pinecones, and the scraps of paper for simple ornaments, which everyone appreciates so much! Not to mention cookie baking and so on! Remember, there are twelve days of Christmas to celebrate — and beyond!
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Anna says
When my girls were little I overheard this conversation with another little friend in the pool with them: “Let’s pretend we’re twin dolphins . . . and we’re teenagers . . . and we’re ORPHANS!.” I thought that about summed up everything!
Sarah says
Andries by Hilda Van Stockum published by Bethlehem Books
Sarah says
Oops I didn’t meant to post this as a reply just to add to the wonderful book list about orphans!
Sarah says
This was lovely! Thanks so much for the recommendation. It had both orphans and big families! A lovely mother too.
Leila says
If you got this post in your email, click on it and view on the web! I added a few things and fixed a few things 😉
That often happens, so do check back in with me!
Caroline says
Thank you for this wonderful book list! Funnily enough, I always think of your blog when the topic of children’s obsession with orphans comes up. “Anne of Green Gables in the Library Project” really sheds some wonderful light on why precisely these orphan stories are so appealing to children!
Leila says
You’re welcome!
M says
Laughing so hard because most of these books were a HUGE part of my childhood! I used to pretend I was in the Wolves of Willoughby Chase during the long cold car ride to school every morning…
Always with the orphans. And hiding from Nazis.
Leila says
Yes! or kidnappers…
Maggie ODriscoll says
Ian Serralier’s The Silver Sword has children, for all intents and purposes, orphans for most of the story. Also a great add to your collection of WW2 stories like Number the Stars and The Winged Watchman, which I bought and read, on your recommendation, for my nieces and nephews this Christmas.
Leila says
Thanks for that recommendation!
Donna L. says
Auntie Leila~ I love the glimpses into your new kitchen–is that a soapstone countertop I spy? Simply stunning! So delighted to see your kitchen renovations and all the ideas behind the choices you made, and are still making! If you ever feel like you must not post kitchen renovation ideas, instead, set your post full of it, and let people know that if it is NOT their thing, to just zip on by! Kitchens are the heart of the home, and I adore and am inspired by how you have made such a prayerful life whilst making do! Love it! May God richly bless you all!
Frances says
Ditto, we love hearing about the kitchen!
Leila says
🙂
Leila says
Thank you, Donna — you are so encouraging 🙂
And I in my turn wish simply to encourage!
Blessings to you too!
Murielle says
Trying again this week to see if I can leave a comment!
I wanted to say I sell greeting cards and Christmas cards on my Etsy shop. It’s a little late now to get them by Christmas, but just so you know! I am hoping to offer more actually lovely, tasteful, Catholic cards for occasions like baptism, ordination, wedding, First Eucharist, etc. in the next year or two, but I don’t have a lot of money to put into my hobby (we are a family of 8 on a teacher’s salary! Thanks Auntie Leila for all your tips on thriftiness!). So if you make a purchase it helps me keep it going!
Here’s the link if you would like to take a look, and thank you! 😉
https://desertshipofbeauty.etsy.com/
As to kitchen renovations, it looks beautiful. The thought that keeps coming back to me as I enjoy the pictures is that you will get to start over in a kitchen that is so CLEAN. Mine is large and beautiful, but the wood trim under the cabinets was done poorly so I know there’s a lot of gunk behind there that I can’t really get to.
God bless! And merry Christmas!
Leila says
Thanks for sharing your site!
Yes, I am looking forward to the clean slate and the tight materials. For so long things were just a little tired and hard to clean. Your situation sounds like it could maybe be remedied by addressing that one element? I am not sure what you mean by trim, but I have seen a lot of videos where people take OFF trim and replace it, or just leave it off… if what is behind it is sound.
Ellen says
I love seeing your kitchen. Give us more! We are planning a kitchen reno ourselves soon but even without that, it is just interesting cause… i don’t know why. It’s the heart of the home, we all have one, they are so often super functional and really ugly, or all for show. It’s neat to see you build a kitchen that is beautiful and well planned for real work.
Leila says
Thank you!
Auntie Sue says
Have you read The Little Silver House by Jenny Lundquist? Even Nancy Drew was motherless and wasn’t the father in Swallows and Amazons at sea? There’s the old Horatio Alger series where every single boy is an abandoned orphan who sets out to seek his fortune. I used to pretend I was Annie Oakley because I had read her biography. She wasn’t exactly an orphan but she was kidnapped and her family thought she had died.
Leila says
Oh wow, good additions!
Michelle says
So true! As children, my sisters and brothers and I played orphan all the time! Our mom was always willing to be the kind lady who fed us fresh bread or other snacks (or occasionally the mean lady who made us do chores then begrudgingly let us have crackers and a bit of cheese (our favorite snack). 😀
To add to your list, also appropriate for Advent/Christmas: This way to Christmas by Ruth Sawyer. Our mom read it to us almost every year, and now I am reading it to my own children. (Orphan (ish), fairy tale and Christmas all in one glorious story!)
Dandelion says
I’m not sure the appeal is orphans specifically so much as kids being competent and doing for themselves without supervision, that is so appealing.
My kids enjoyed Children of the New Forest, which has orphans, and also are huge fans of Swallows and Amazons, where none of the kids are orphans, but they are almost totally unsupervised for the entire book. We’ve also read Little Britches and some of its companion books, memoirs of a man whose father died when he was young, and who was quite independent at an early age. Orphans or not, they share some themes that are popular with the kiddos.
Carol Kennedy says
These three are big favorites in our house!!
Dixie says
Boarding school stories are another extremely attractive genre to children, and related in that the stories happen outside of the home/parental context! The British are so good at these. Enid Blyton wrote several books along this line; but my favorite in the genre is Susan Coolidge’s “What Katy Did at School.”
Sarah says
I love the Katy books! Have you read her other ones? The ones later on about her sister Clover are just lovely.
Dixie says
Oh, yes, I’ve read them all over and over! But What Katy Did At School is my absolute favorite. THe Christmas box!!
Catherine says
What a great list! I am actually listening to the Anne series again right now.
A new-to-our-family book that we just finished is The Black Fox of Lorne (twins’ father dies and they think their mother also may have perished).
Many fairy tales feature orphans; my daughter and I are currently reading The Wonder Clock, but also love all of the classics
Sarah says
Thank you, Auntie Leila, for all these fun books! I gobbled up Perrine (found on Internet Archive while nursing a baby) and am in the middle of the Chalet School. I love orphan books. Another favorite is The Belgian Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins, mostly for the wonderful character of the granny who feeds and comforts them when lost. Such a brave lady.
I dearly love the kitchen pictures and I’d enjoy many more. They set me thinking. One thing I love about yours – the surfaces look nice to touch. And the corners don’t look like they’re out to get you. A favorite house I visited once had silky wood and rounded corners – always made an impression on me.
Wishing you a blessed Advent!
Catherine says
Ballet Shoes!!
Auntie Leilia’s explanation of what a good husband and father is, provider and protector, really helped me understand why it’s so fun for kids to pretend they don’t have one and need to fend for themselves.
My “big” kids (8 and 6) recently suggested we could all take in sewing work if something happened to Daddy. I guess they’re reading the right books!