Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (by Kate Douglas Wiggin)

(Amazon UK link)

'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm' is something of a children's classic, written around the end of the 19th century by Kate Douglas Wiggin. I had heard of it in several contexts over the years. However I had never previously read it.

So when we acquired a paperback edition of this book, I thought it might make a good read-aloud for my sons, who were 10 and 12. They both read extensively themselves, of course, but liked me reading aloud to them too. And it was a good way to introduce them to books they might never have picked up otherwise.   

It's the story of a vivacious and outspoken 10-year-old girl called Rebecca who goes to live with two spinster aunts. She's one of a large family living in impoverished circumstances, and although her aunts would have preferred one of her sisters, Rebecca is sent. 

The opening of the book seems almost reminscent of 'Anne of Green Gables'. There are some unexpected moments of humour, and I had high hopes for it. One of the aunts turns out to be kind and generous, the other strict and demanding. 

But, as Rebecca grows up, the plot rather vanishes. The middle of the book goes into a lot of detail about different people Rebecca meets, rather than having any story.  There's also rather a lot of moralising and detailed descriptions. 

I did finish reading it, although there were times when we nearly gave up. Perhaps it would have been better to skim it on my own. Still, we thought the ending was satisfying, even though we could easily have missed out several chapters in the middle. 

I gather there are film versions of this book, which may well make it more interesting.