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Review of the Kindle Edition of this nineteenth-century children's classicThis is Book 3 (in terms of events, not when the author wrote it) in the Five Little Peppers series of nineteenth century children's books. (I've provided a complete list of the Pepper books below.)I was delighted to discover I could instantly download to my Kindle what I presume is the Project Gutenberg free version of this nineteenth century children's classic. The formatting is what I'm coming to see as typical of these...
Oh my, how I loved this books as a child. They were very dear to me and are firmly entrenched into my memory strong enough to have become parts of my character. There are is a veritable plethora of life examples and lessons to be learned through these works of literature that take us back to a simpler time and place, entirely different family values and senses or morality and ethics; there is much to be learned from these simple books. Most of all, family and love, loyalty and a moral compass mu...
In the back matter of this book there's an ad for another Sidney title, promised to be good reading "for all who love simplicity, truth, and cheerfulness."* This has all that in spades but also has this overly hearty, knowing tone, as if all readers could be expected to have gone to Switzerland and to know the old college songs. A breathless quality. Too many jollies, especially when the jollies become reactionary. *Which I do, obviously. Especially cheerfulness.
Again, more of the same (see my revew of the first book). A couple new characters got introduced, but like the main characters, they were two-dimensional at best. Still good for people who like this sort of thing (which does include me, but I don't see myself rereading these books; once was enough).Polly occasionally reminded me of Mandie; unfortunately, she did so by emulating some of Mandie's most annoying traits.
This isn't nearly as good as the original, but I guess sequels almost never are. Good old Mr. King takes Polly, Phronsie and Mamsie to Europe and the book details their goodness and their exploits in the "old country." Now that they have money, their problems aren't as absorbing.
Two scenes are repeated ad nauseam throughout this novel.1) Polly: Oh my goodness, I'm just so excited about going to [name of place that was probably a popular spot on Victorian-era tours of Europe]!Jasper: Me too!Everyone else: We agree!*Everyone goes to the place and takes photos and paints pictures without commenting, most of the time, on what is being seen*I understand this. A book talking about a visit to the Statue of Liberty doesn't require a detailed description. I assume that the undes...
The Peppers (and their ridiculously large group of friends and family) go on a European vacation. They meet an earl, the earl's son, a clingy young artist, and a "big fat man with [a] dreadful black beard", who is soon vindicated despite the family's initial unfavorable description of him.Phronsie--who must be at least eight by this time--retains the innocence and demeanor of a four-year-old, likely due to the fact that Mr. King is still spoiling her relentlessly. Friends fight over Polly, Jaspe...
The endless perfection of the Pepper children is becoming a little wearing. Books aren't all that interesting when there are no challenges to be overcome or changes to be made, even if the characters are traveling around Europe.
Very old-fashioned but wonderful to dip into as a way to experience what a Grand Tour of Europe must have been like a century and a half ago. (Staying for over a year!). An old childhood favorite, probably not best first encountered as an adult.
Children learning good character...It's so refreshing to see moral character valued. I so enjoy a job that centers on the moral of the story. Every child should read, or be read, books from this time period. The world would be a better place.
A lovely book all about the Peppers' first trip to Europe. As always, a delight to read and over much too soon.
Love, love, love this series....
My pet peeves about travelogues from this time period (Betsy and the Great World, Little Dorrit, Middlemarch, Trollope's Pallisers Series, Daniel Deronda, and even bits of Little Women) is that the stories are rarely about Europe. They're all about the people they meet(often from their own country), the travel issues, the problems back home. This is mimicked in The Grand Tour. Which, as you think about it, makes sense. "A Grand Tour" was something everyone did, a rite of passage for many youthfu...
Such a delightful, fun, classic read. I have enjoyed reading about the Peppers and I am excited to watch and observe their journey as they grow up. Phronsie is a darling as ever and you can't help but fall in love with her sweet ways. Polly is in the stages of adolescence where a girl wants longs for friends and where those friends might easily sway her, but Mrs. Pepper and Papa Doctor Fisher always keep her in check. Jasper can always be depended on, and Mr. King is quite funny in his old, grum...
Mr. King and Jasper escort Polly, Phronsie, their parents and friends on a grand tour of Europe before depositing Polly for a fall of music training. Their natural friendliness endears them to an earl and his son, traveling incognito, and Polly reforms the young man simply by existing. What wonderful powers. At the same time, they shake off the more socially-conscious matrons - though their daughters adore Polly and would be better people if only their mothers would allow it, just to please Poll...
Good series
I enjoyed this one a bit more than the last two as it was more of a sustained narrative rather than stories to fill in holes. Definitely made me want to travel around Europe!
Kathryn and i enjoyed this story of the Peppers' European travels, esp of Holland, but we did miss stories of Joel and Davy as they stayed home at school.
Harkening back to my childhood, just because I can (and the book was free!)