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#PersephoneClub
I can‘t decide how I felt about this one. On the surface, it‘s a fun adventure similar to The Boxcar Children. I loved the way the children worked together to take care of themselves and fend off the dreaded DV and other “do-gooders”. The “Rules of the Barn” and refusal to take charity/handouts were admirable and smart. ⬇️

This was a good reminder that children are often much more resourceful & capable than we think, although they shouldn‘t have to be, of course. I enjoyed this one, and empathized with Sue, who carried most of the responsibility. Her going on strike certainly has given me ideas. I‘m fascinated by the haybox cooking, & recalled hearing about modern versions - the Wonderbag is one such. I‘d like to make one, just to try it out. 😄
#PersephoneClub

Another enjoyable read from the persephone catalogue. Some great villains from Miss legge threatening to separate the children, to the dreadful DV, but strangest of all the curious Miss Blake + companion who Alice visits. All in all, Sue was remarkable. Good fun.
@LeahBergen @Cathythoughts @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @Tamra @CarolynM @sisilia @Caryl @daena @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Bookbuyingaddict @julieclair @willaful #persephoneclub

Up the Dunnets! Fun and charming read. I‘m sure my young, eldest of four, Boxcar Children-loving self would have adored it. I liked their “rules of the barn”and all the housekeeping (barnkeeping?) details. I had to look up bully (canned corned beef?) and found the haybox fascinating. The adults in this book (including the parents) were an odd bunch. If I were Sue, I think I‘d be put off a conventional life/future as wife and mother after this!

Well, this wasn‘t the fun adventure I was expecting. It was all rather grim really. Poor Susan! No wonder she went on strike. I‘d like to think there was a little subversive intention behind the way that turned out, but probably not😆
I was glad to see the dastardly DV thwarted and I hope the Pearls got more than warm thanks. Had anyone heard of a hay-box or Solomon‘s rabbit cooking method?

#PersephoneClub

A couple of my current reads:

My #FolioSociety edition of Ruth for the #PemberLittens #hashtagbrigade readalong. #foliofreaks

The tagged book for the #PersephoneClub

The 1st thing that struck me as I started this book was whether I had gone back in time and was picking up my mums old secret seven books when visiting my nanas. Then I looked up the illustrator and went down a worm hole reading about Mary Gernat.
@LeahBergen @Cathythoughts @rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @Tamra @CarolynM @sisilia @Caryl @daena @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Bookbuyingaddict @julieclair @willaful #persephoneclub

This #Persephone was not a romp of childhood fun & almost a so-so. When the parents disappear while traveling, the kids are resourceful taking care of themselves & with the help of kinder adults in town, keep together in the face of the adults trying to send them off to an orphanage.
While an image of 1930s-ish village-life, there were just SO many chores & eldest Susan had SO much work to do as The Girl. That plus the meddling ladies angered me.

It‘s now August so that means it‘s time for one of our #PersephoneClub reads!

@rubyslippersreads ‘ pick for us this month is The Children Who Lived in a Barn by Eleanor Graham. This is a casual buddy read; read and comment on each other‘s posts and reviews as you see them. We usually aim to finish by the middle of the month but that‘s not written in stone. 😉 And anyone is welcome to read along with us, of course!

This was not the lighthearted romp I expected, with scrappy kids living joyously free of adult rule. Instead our protagonist Susan had to balance cooking all the meals and doing the washing, mending, and cleaning with going to school and managing the adults in her community who wanted to break up the family, keeping "Orphanages, Homes, and Adoptions" at bay. Still, I loved this book and imagine I'd have loved it more as a child. Highly recommend!

Starting this month's #PersephonePick tonight and loving it. I'm sad I didn't read this when I was a kid (I already predict it would have been a favorite), but glad to be reading it now! Thank you, #PersephoneBooks. ❤️ #Persephone

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