Free Book Search Free eBooks of the Day   Today's cartoons
Recommended books  Best books of the 20's  Adventurous Books  Books about Money  Children's Books  Computer Science  
Crime & Mystery  Epic Fantasy  Horror  Humor  Philosophical Literature  Poetry  
Political Science Nonfiction  Romance  Science (Non-Fiction)  Science Fiction  Sociology  Woman  

Nancy and Plum
Betty MacDonald
"Nancy and Plum" is a children's book written by the world famous author Betty MacDonald, who wrote four popular "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle" children's books, and also the adult books, "The Egg & I", "Anybody Can Do Anything" and "Onion in the Stew".

"Nancy and Plum" was first published in 1952. It is a story Betty told her daughters, Joan and Anne, each night at bedtime, making it up as she went along. It is a delightful old fashioned Christmas story about two sisters, Nancy, 10 and Plum, 8, whose parents died in an accident. Their surviving relative is Uncle John, a wealthy bachelor with little patience or time for children. He puts the girls in Mrs. Monday's Boarding School in Heavenly Valley, persuaded by Mrs. Monday's promises and unctuous manner.

But Mrs. Monday is an ogre who pampers her niece, Maribelle, and persecutes the other girls in her custody.

Of the two sisters, Plum is the spunky one, leading Nancy on forays for food and initiating their running away. Plum like that more famous orphan, ,Annie, is brave, innovative and energetic.

There are lovely characters who are sympathetic and help the girls: Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, who find the girls on their farm and rescue them; Miss Waverly, the school teacher; Miss Appleby, the librarianl and Old Tom, the caretaker at the orphanage. For contrast their is Miss Gronk the Sunday school teacher, who shares the role of villianess with Mrs. Monday.

"Nancy and Plum" and "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle" were made into plays by the Seattle Children's Theater which were done exactly the way Betty would have wanted. They appealed to adults as well as children and are now being performed by other children's theaters throughout the United States.


Search  Find at Amazon


2024, Free Book Search