Under the Lilacs (by Louisa May Alcott)

(Amazon UK link)

After my lengthy marathon reading of 'Drums of Autumn', I decided to pick up something light and easy. I opted for Louisa M Alcott's 'Under the Lilacs'. Of course this author is best known for her series starting with 'Little Women', but I enjoy her other children's and teenage work just as much.

This particular story is intended for children. It features two sisters called Bab and Betty, who are ten and nine respectively. They meet a boy called Ben who is twelve and who has run away from a circus, looking for his father. The girls' mother takes him in and he finds work locally, gradually making friends and settling down to get an education.

It's old-fashioned, of course, and based in America. But the language is simple enough that I would expect many girls of around eight or nine to enjoy it, and perhaps some boys too, since Ben is actually the hero of the book.

There are a few places where the author makes comments, as tended to happen in previous centuries. I also felt that there was an over-emphasis on formal education and learning poetry or facts by heart, something which I might have found annoying a few years ago and which would seem odd to modern children. However, knowing about this kind of thing is important from the social history perspective.

On the whole 'Under the Lilacs' is a delightful story. It's quick to read with a couple of very moving moments that brought tears to my eyes, even though I had read the book some years previously. 

Now out of copyright, this book can be found free at Project Gutenberg as well as published in many independent editions online. Easily found second-hand.