ChildrensClassic

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Douglas Wiggin

so-so

The first half of this book was a pick. The second half really fell off and felt like Wiggin couldn't really decide where she wanted to take the story so it didn't go much of anywhere. However, I was glad to finally read this classic and enjoyed discussing its influence on Anne of Green Gables with the #KindredSpirits Is it plagiarism if you write it a million times better than the original? 😂

@TheBookHippie @BarbaraJean

TheBookHippie 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💚💚💚💚💚 I do so agree!!! 4d

BarbaraJean Hahaha—improvement is not plagiarism! I love that copy of this!! 😍 4d

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BarbaraJean

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Wiggin

pick

A soft pick for Rebecca! With all the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead and #ChildrensClassicRead2024 discussion, I don‘t have a whole lot more to add. 😊 This is charming and sweet, and Rebecca as a character is delightful. However, the second half of the book was underdeveloped, and the ending felt rushed. Even so, I‘m glad I finally read this classic—it brought me joy (and it was fun to discover and goggle at all the Anne of Green Gables similarities!)

TheBookHippie I agree 💯. 6d

tpixie Great cover! I agree with your review!! 4d

39 likes2 comments

BarbaraJean

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Wiggin

“In the actual—this painful kingdom of time and chance—are Care, Canker, and Sorrow; with thought, with the ideal, is immortal hilarity—the Rose of Joy; round it all the Muses sing.”

I remember LMM quoting and discussing this Emerson quote somewhere, maybe in a letter to MacMillan? Now I need to track it down! It‘s interesting to see it referenced here, in a children‘s book that LMM almost certainly read. #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads, lauraisntwilder, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

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BarbaraJean

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Wiggin

How did you feel about how the story wrapped up: with “Mr. Aladdin,” with Rebecca‘s aunts, and with Rebecca‘s family at Sunnybrook?

Would you want to read sequels to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, or a series about Rebecca?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent #ChildrensClassicRead2024

rubyslippersreads, TheBookHippie, lauraisntwilder, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

TheAromaofBooks Just as an aside, this graphic is the same as the last one, so not everyone may realize that you actually asked a different question haha

I actually would be interested in reading sequels to Rebecca. I think the whole book would have been better if it had been two separate books and we could have devoted more time to her at school. I would totally read another book about her teaching adventures (if she has some). Apparently, Wiggin's nephew ⬇ 1w

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Hahahaha—thank you!! Changing the graphic now!! 1w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) or someone rewrote the book/added stuff/created a sequel, although the GR reviews seem to agree it's terrible 😂 So I'll probably take a pass. 1w

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lauraisntwilder I would not want to read a sequel. In the absence of literally any other options, I have a feeling Rebecca would end up marrying Mr. Aladdin and I'm not interested in that. 1w

lauraisntwilder Oh, and I thought the ending, especially the actual last lines, was a letdown. It felt very much like the book didn't go anywhere. "There once was a family with too many kids, but then a aunt died and left them a house and they were all fine. Also, one of the kids went to school, but I'm not telling you about it." 1w

lauraisntwilder *aN aunt. 🙄 1w

rubyslippersreads I‘m actually reading the next book in the series, but I wouldn‘t call it a sequel. So far, it‘s just more stories set in the same time frame as the original.

New Chronicles of Rebecca

rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks I think I saw those. They seem to be retellings of the book with an emphasis on religion. I‘ll pass too. 1w

rubyslippersreads @lauraisntwilder I agree about Dean Priest, oops, I meant Mr. Aladdin. 🤣 1w

TheAromaofBooks @rubyslippersreads - It's weird because while this book felt as religious as most books of that era (that is to say, the characters go to church, believe in God, and try to live up to “Christian morals“) it didn't feel like Rebecca was an especially church-focused character. So that seemed like an odd direction to go since it seems like you would have to kind of rewrite her character?? 1w

tpixie I knew Rebecca would end up with ‘ Mr Aladdin‘ , but it felt kind of creepy to me… 6d

tpixie I loved the evolution of Aunt Miranda- and the story of her crush dating and marrying her sister- how sad and brave she was to help her get ready for the dance. 6d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I agree that if the second half had been fleshed out more, I would have liked the book better. So much of this needed more depth & development! But I'm not interested in the “sequels“ that do exist! @lauraisntwilder Yeah, the book made every indication she would end up with Adam. But I'd read the heck out of a sequel where Adam realizes he should be with Miss Maxwell and Rebecca goes on to have a brilliant teaching career. 6d

BarbaraJean @tpixie Yes, I loved being able to see a glimpse of Aunt Miranda's past and a little of what had made her who she was. It just felt like too little, and tacked on at the end instead of real character development through the novel. Honestly, all of the threads of the ending felt rushed and tacked-on! 6d

tpixie @BarbaraJean I totally agree with that rushed feeling of the ending. 6d

26 likes15 comments

BarbaraJean

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Wiggin

Any further thoughts on parallels between Rebecca and LMM‘s Anne and Emily books?

And because I‘m super interested in everyone‘s thoughts: how does Adam Ladd compare/contrast with Dean Priest in the Emily books?

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

rubyslippersreads, lauraisntwilder, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

BarbaraJean I have been waiting until I finished Rebecca to listen to this 2-part episode of the Gibson Girl podcast, which discusses the similarities between Rebecca and Anne of Green Gables. Check it out if you‘re interested! https://www.gibsongirlreview.com/season-1-episode-10/ 1w

lauraisntwilder Dean Priest and Adam Ladd both give me the creeps. Dean is definitely worse, Mr. Aladdin made me cringe every time he showed up in the second half. 1w

TheAromaofBooks I definitely think that LMM was influenced by this book. There are too many scenes that overlap for it to be coincidental. However, I don't think she just rewrote this story. So much of Anne is unique, and while she and Rebecca have some similarities, I'm not convinced that LMM based her actual character on Rebecca as much as she borrowed some of Rebecca's circumstances and gave them to Anne. I saw a few GR reviews link to this article ⬇ 1w

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TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) http://canadianicon.org/table-of-contents/mirror-images-anne-of-green-gables-and... and while I agreed with some of it, I also felt like some of their “mirrors“ were a bit of a stretch. For instance, yes Rebecca and Anne both “like nature“ but I never felt like that was an inherent and critical part of Rebecca, while it's hugely a part of Anne - which I think in turn is a reflection of LMM's own passion for trees⬇ 1w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) and the outdoors. I also didn't actually think that Emma Jane and Diana are much alike, beyond a basic “secondary character“ vibe. Emma Jane literally just feels like Rebecca needs a friend, so here she is, while Diana, once again, is an important part of Anne herself and her character development. The same with Matilda and Marilla - both grumpy old women, I guess, but wildly different in their relationship with the main character and in⬇ 1w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) the way they each develop (that is to say, Matilda doesn't). I definitely felt like the second half of the book is where Anne and Rebecca really diverge, with Anne having actual purpose, direction, development, and growth, while Rebecca continues to just be the same little girl she was all along - which is part of what adds to the creepiness of Adam Ladd tbh. There are parallels to Dean and Adam, although interestingly I actually found ⬇ 1w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) myself comparing Adam more to “Daddy Long-Legs“ - a book I do love, but have always felt like Daddy pulled the strings in the background to put Judy into situations where she would be maneuvered into falling in love with him. Dean's grooming feels much more active, with a personal correspondence and regular visits/discussions/etc. Adam is more in the background creating scenarios where Rebecca will be obligated/grateful/admire him. 1w

sblbooks @lauraisntwilder yep! 1w

rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks Diana is much more of a kindred spirit to Anne than Emma Jane is to Rebecca. 1w

rubyslippersreads @lauraisntwilder I agree. Although when I first read these two books (probably at about age 10), any idea of possible “romance” with the older men went right over my head. (Thank goodness!) 1w

TheAromaofBooks @rubyslippersreads - I agree! I don't feel like we ever see a real bond between Rebecca and Emma Jane beyond them being the same age and going to school at the same time, while Anne and Diana are genuinely involved and interested in each other's lives. And Anne definitely has a deep love for Diana that Rebecca never seems to show for Emma Jane. 1w

TheAromaofBooks @rubyslippersreads @lauraisntwilder - I feel like if I had read this book at a younger age I wouldn't have thought of Adam as a love interest. The signs are there as an adult reader, but he seems much more subtle of a character than Dean. 1w

rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks @lauraisntwilder I think the times were much different then, too. A wealthy husband would probably have been thought an excellent “catch” for Rebecca. The age difference might have even been considered a plus, because Rebecca was so “flighty.” 😏 1w

rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks @lauraisntwilder Dean Priest isn‘t subtle at all, and he gets creepier as the story goes on. Aunt Nancy warned Emily, “Never marry a Priest.” 😂 1w

lauraisntwilder @TheAromaofBooks @rubyslippersreads As a kid, I definitely wouldn't have picked up on Adam Ladd as a love interest, which makes it even creepier to me as an adult. Meanwhile, yes, bless Aunt Nancy, Dean was overtly interested in Emily. So gross. 1w

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks The influence of Rebecca on Anne is undeniable! But I agree, LMM didn‘t just rewrite it. I like the idea that LMM borrowed some of Rebecca‘s circumstances & gave them to Anne. That early drive with Mr. Cobb/Matthew has so many similarities, but Anne & Rebecca are still distinctly different personalities. The podcast I linked above talks about how Anne is more impulsive and acts out of emotion, while Rebecca tends to be more ⬇ 6d

BarbaraJean (Cont'd) reflective & considers her responses. Anne‘s “scrapes” are not at all like Rebecca‘s—I think that‘s one of the reasons why. I saw that “Mirror Images” article, too! Definitely, Anne‘s feelings for nature are SO different from Rebecca‘s. Their sense of home & place is different, too. Anne literally mourns the loss of beloved places. Rebecca saying goodbye to Sunnybrook is a very casual farewell compared to how it would have felt for Anne! 6d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks @rubyslippersreads I did see some parallels with Emma Jane and Diana in that they both kind of get dragged along into their main-character friend‘s escapades. They‘re not the instigator, they‘re not imaginative, but they‘re loyal to their more passionate, dynamic, front-and-center friend. But the emotional impact of Diana in Anne‘s life is FAR different. Partly because Anne actually grows and changes!! 6d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks I like the Daddy Long-Legs comparison! Still ooky, but far different from the grooming and emotional manipulation we see with Dean. Adam is a LOT more subtle, but it's also that he seems more considerate of what‘s appropriate because of Rebecca‘s age. I appreciated how he always includes Emma Jean so he‘s not singling out Rebecca. That‘s FAR different than Dean‘s possessiveness. 6d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks @rubyslippersreads @ lauraisntwilder Like all of you, I wouldn‘t have seen Adam as a love interest if I‘d read this as a kid. But it bothers me now!! I get that the times were different, but I just can‘t be OK with a 30-something man looking at a 10 or 12-year-old kid and thinking “heeeeeyyy, wife material.” 6d

22 likes20 comments

BarbaraJean

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Wiggin

Please join us to discuss the second half of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm! #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent #ChildrensClassicRead2024

What did you think about the second half of the book, focusing on Rebecca‘s school years in Wareham? Any favorite scenes or quotes?

What growth and change do you see in Rebecca during her time at Wareham? (Or does she change?)

rubyslippersreads, TheBookHippie, lauraisntwilder, sblbooks, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

lauraisntwilder The second half moved too quickly. It felt like we were rushing to the end. And I didn't particularly like the ending! 1w

TheAromaofBooks I definitely liked the first half better than the second. The second half felt a lot choppier and less cohesive. I actually usually really enjoy school stories, but it almost didn't even feel like Rebecca was at school half the time?? It felt weird that all this time and money was spent without much of a goal (I guess so she could be a teacher) and then she just comes back and starts nursing various family members instead of using the education ⬇ 1w

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) that the aunts sacrificed so much for?? I don't know, it was just kind of odd. I also definitely like Adam should be marrying the teacher instead of waiting for Rebecca to grow up, ick. There were parts and characters that I enjoyed, but overall the second half felt jumbled and rushed, and the ending seemed really abrupt. Like @lauraisntwilder I didn't really care for the ending. 1w

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sblbooks @lauraisntwilder @TheAromaofBooks I agree. The ending did feel rush they tried to pack too much into one book this could have been a series for sure. The "age gap"romance in these books...why is that a thing? ? 1w

rubyslippersreads I wanted Adam to marry the teacher too. I agree that the first half of the book was better than the second. 1w

BarbaraJean @lauraisntwilder I thought it moved too quickly as well. It skips her whole 2nd year! @TheAromaofBooks The 2nd half felt both disjointed and “thin“ to me. I felt like the ending wanted to show her willingness to sacrifice her bright prospects out of gratitude for all the aunts had done for her/love for her family. But the emotional connection wasn't there because we didn't really see her school accomplishments or a deep connection to her family! 7d

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks @rubyslippersreads @sblbooks I hadn't thought about Adam marrying the teacher, but that would have been SO much better and less creepy!! I get that the age gap was far more common/acceptable at the time, but it's the “Oh I'll wait for her to grow up“ idea that bothers me so much!! The age gap wouldn't be as creepy if they'd met later. 7d

TheAromaofBooks @BarbaraJean - That's the thing about the age gap to me, it's the “I have met this literal child and will now mold her into the wife I want to have in the future“ - more so in Emily, but a bit here as well. The actual difference in age wouldn't feel as bad if they met when the girl was already an adult. 7d

sblbooks @TheAromaofBooks @BarbaraJean Exactly! I guess the proper term would be grooming rather than age gap. 7d

TheAromaofBooks @sblbooks - Yes!! My husband and I are actually ten years apart and we get along great. But we didn't meet until I was 27, had dated other people, graduated from college, had a job, etc. - I was already my own person. This idea of molding a child so she turns into the ideal wife is pretty creepy. 7d

tpixie @rubyslippersreads @TheAromaofBooks totally agree - the teacher & Adam are much more appropriate- and the ending was rushed. 6d

24 likes11 comments

lauraisntwilder

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Douglas Wiggin

so-so

I don't know about this one. The beginning was really cute and there were some nice moments throughout, but it felt like Wiggin was in a hurry to finish. Rebecca's time at Wareham is so glossed over and, by that time, the relationship with Mr. Aladdin was starting to give me the creeps. It felt like we were racing towards a bad ending, which wasn't totally true. I didn't like the ending (too easy), but it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be.

24 likes

BarbaraJean

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Wiggin

“It isn‘t as if the heathen really needed me; I‘m sure they‘ll come out all right in the end… whatever God is, and wherever He is, He must always be there, ready and waiting.”

There are some awful stereotypes in the latter half of Rebecca‘s comments here, but I appreciate her underlying theology! #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

28 likes

Sace

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Wiggin

so-so

⭐️⭐️
I enjoyed a lot this at first but once Rebecca got to high-school I really lost interest. I skimmed most of the last 30 percent.

#ChildrensClassicRead2024 @TheBookHippie

Edit- This was my #bookspin for this month too. I'm feeling pretty successful right now because I finished both this month. Yay me! @TheAromaofBooks

UwannaPublishme It did get a little slow toward the end. 2w

Sace @UwannaPublishme I started out really liking it at first but I got less and less interested as it went on. 2w

TheBookHippie I agree, the end dragged a bit. 2w

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Sace @TheBookHippie the discussion has prompted me to pull out my copy of Anne of Green Gables again. Actually reading it is the challenge 😂 2w

TheAromaofBooks Uhoh, I'm about halfway through, so I'll prepare myself 😂 2w

rubyslippersreads I agree that the end dragged somewhat. It seemed that one burden after another was piled on Rebecca, but she could handle everything cheerfully. Of course, I think some of that was children‘s literature of the time. Remember Anne facing duty as a friend, and Pollyanna‘s missionary barrel. 2w

48 likes6 comments

tpixie

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm | Kate Wiggin

I enjoyed the narrator‘s subtle sense of humor. Rebecca, Heidi, and Anne of Green Gables all have a happy, great outlook on life. I loved Miranda, the curmudgeon- and watching her evolve as well as learning her back story at the very end of the book. The Cobbs were such a sweet couple. Thanks @TheBookHippie for another great #ChildrensClassicRead2024 #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAAdjacent Fun to join in with @BarbaraJean

UwannaPublishme Agreed! I really enjoyed Rebecca too, but Heidi is still my favorite. 😊 2w

tpixie @UwannaPublishme yes!! I did enjoy Heidi more as well! 2w

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