I have been reading and re-reading this book for some 20 years now. Every time I read it I find it more mystical and enthralling. I look forward to reading it to my children and watching them get the same joy I experience every time I pick up this book. I would love to find a hardcover copy of this if anyone knows of one available as my paperback is becoming more and more used looking

The phrasing and descriptions may be from another era, but the charm remains forever! The idea that children and adults can work together with respect and politeness is, I fear, completely foreign to today's society. It has become an "us" vs. "them" proposition. Won't you do your children a favor and read this book, or another of Goudge's, aloud to them one night?

I have yet to find any "contemporary" books that can compare to the innocent spirit and adventure of this, and other, Elizabeth Goudge books. It is a tragedy that they are so difficult to find today--I had to do an inter-library loan to get a copy to read.

Delightful escape from the brutal reality of our lifestyle of today, do yourself a favor and try to track down a copy. It will lift your spirits and make your day brighter every time you read it.

My sister and I have loved this book since we we were children. Some 30 years ago. Now my daughter age 12 and I read it every summer. It is one of the best books written

I agree with those who say that this is the best book out of the four. It's definitely the most complex, and has the most character development. Mark, who was an abused child long before that became a catch-phrase, is sketched out wonderfully. Oren's sister, who he mentioned early on, must have been a good influence on him, because he's resilient, kind and intelligent, despite what he has to put up with from Oren. I agree with Rush when he said the Melendys were the lucky ones, to get Mark for a brother!

Although I did think Rush was pretty rude, barging in every day while the girls were canning, and demanding to be fed immediately! Did he think that just because Mona and Randy didn't have a five-course meal ready and waiting, that they were going to let the guys starve? And it's not like they'd been doing nothing! God bless Mr. Titus for helping them out!

My favorite bits were when Rush and Mark spy on Oren and his pals at the still---that was real adult talk, but still appropriate for a kids' book: not easy to bring off---and the auction and fair. I loved when the Delacey brothers showed up and bid on the boar. "The three of them should be very happy together"---good one, Willy!

And I felt so bad for Oliver when he fell down the well! That was a good device, too. For so long, he'd gotten so little attention because he didn't demand any, and look what finally happened. It forced the other kids to realize how much they cared about him, and show it, and they handled it themselves, showing how capable they were. Good for them!

And I also liked when Cuffy was leaving to visit her cousin and had to cram weeks worth of nagging into an hour. "Close the windows whenever it rains! (Duh!) Call me long distance if anything goes wrong! (And that will help, how?) Don't forget to feed the DOGS! (Like they'd let you!)"

The third Melendy novel has a darker undertone than the preceding two, with the introduction of Mark Herron, a lonely orphan befriended by Rush and Randy, and his guardian-cousin, the fearsome Oren Meeker. There are thrills and heart-clutchers a-plenty--Rush and Mark spying on an illegal whiskey still, a vividly described house fire--but they're nicely leavened by the lighter incidents like the character of Mr. Jasper Titus, rural gourmand, and the resolve of Mona and Randy to undertake the canning of the family's victory-garden produce. And in the end everything comes out right, as it should in a juvenile. This is the book to which Enright was leading up with the previous two, and perhaps the best she wrote. The whole trilogy would make a splendid miniseries on TV (is any executive reading this? I'll even do the script!).

This excellent children's book (and at 24, I still enjoy it!) is superbly written and quirkily illustrated by Enright herself. She brings to life once again, the four Melendy children -- Mona, the beautiful, vain, Shakespearean actress in training, Rush, the erratic piano prodigy, Randy, the kindhearted painter/dancer and Oliver, the chubby young entomologist in the making. It's hard to describe the continuing ability to fascinate, the mesmeric hold these pleasantly told, often quietly funny pages have for the reader, even when one reads the book over and over again. The addition of a new member of the family makes for great adventure and an unexpected element of danger in a book by Enright.

I hated reading growing up but when I was confined to my bed in forth grade, my mother bought me the entire sereies. I developed a love for reading and sometimes would stay up half the night just to read "one more chapter". This series is great. It taught me about loving others and other great lessons from the BIble. I have these books on my shelf just waiting for my daughter to read when she is old enough.

I first read this book, as well as the whole series, back when I was a kid in the 80s. I would highly recomend this book/series for any preteen girl. There is a good mix of suspence along with Biblical principals. This book is a good reminder that God loves everyone, even the kids that no one wants. They are not beyond His care. It also shows the power of prayer and the fact that nothing is impossible for God. This is an excellent book/series.

My mother read this book to me when it first came out. I thought it was good then and now I am reading it to my children. I LOVE Joy Buba's illistrations. She really makes the book come alive for me. I will always cherish my memories of her and I will pass on the love of this book to the rest of my family.

I never had any intrest in horses or the west and i despise western music...which has nothing to do with the book, i thought it would stink but once i read it , it was way better than i predicted it to be..dont be pessimistic! read it!

This is an anthology for thoughtful people. Every poem is excellent. There is an interesting reason for each poem's inclusion. I wish these editors would write another book.

"A Year in Poetry" offers 365 poems for each day of the year. The true genius of this anthology comes from the intriguing use of dates in the poems. Sometimes the date comes from the poem's title, sometimes it is the date on which the poem was composed by the author, and sometimes the date is related to historical events depicted in the poem.

The first thing I did when I saw this book was turn to significant dates in my life (birthdays, anniversaries, deaths) and read the poem for that day. It was more revealing than a horoscope, and much more engaging! I learned from this book that my wedding anniversary falls on the same day that Cleopatra committed suicide, commemorated in the text with an excerpt from Shakespeare.

This anthology is not a cheesy collection of "feel-good" poems. Some of these poems will inspire you, others will depress you, some might confuse you. There is a wide range of styles and authors in this book. There are poets that are familiar, and poets I've never heard of. Overall, the collection of poetry in this book makes me want to read much more than just the "poem of the day."

This book offers a great way to bring poetry into your daily life, and for those who are already poetry fanatics, this book presents poems in a new and intriguing light. It also provides a whole range of gift opportunities--who wouldn't like to read a poem composed on their birthday? This anthology wonderfully displays the variety, beauty and meaning of English and American poetry.

Just finished this fascinating collection of papers. Very well done and extremely readable I thought this a great find.

This book has a wide variety of activities that are easy to implement and can fit any kind of group. Every one who works with people should have this book.

I first read GiGi, the Story of a Merry-go-round Horse when I was in the fifth grade. 37 years later I am still reading it and loving it.Set in pre WWI Vienna, Gigi, whose voice can only be heard by children until they outgrow his stirrups, canters in and out of the lives of many children, bringing joy to them.He loves the children deeply, particularly one little girl named Lili but it breaks his heart when he is often sold away from them. He has many adventures, traveling from Vienna to France and America but the story is mostly about love. Ms. Foster tells the tale simply, without condescending to her youthful audience. In fact, she treats the views and perceptions of the children with great respect. This story captures the magic of children and carousels and the simplicity of childlike joy, sorrow and faith. When I was ten, I would check it out of the library, read it with joy during the day and sleep with it under my pillow. My grandkids love Gigi too.

I read an Anne of Green Gables many, many years ago and immediatly fell in love. At once, I went out and bought the entire series, loving each book more than the one before. This is a line of books I would highly recommend to anyone, of any age. It is truly my favorite set of books. No matter how many times I have read it...and my first copy had fallen apart years ago...I laugh and cry just as hard as I did the first time. Anne of Green Gables 2, or Anne's House of Dreams, is a wonderful story of a couple just starting out in marriage. Moving from their friendly town of Avonlea, they started out anew, in a little cottage by the seashore. Gilbert, Anne's husband, is a young doctor, beginning his practice. They make many new friends, each more interesting than the last. There is even a mystery to unravel in their midst! Romance galore, love, friendship and dreams unfold before our eyes. Even when we read of their tragedies, we hurt along with them, feeling their pain. That is how well this book is written. Read it, enjoy it and buy the whole set. You will never regret it!

Anne of Green Gables is one of the first books to make me fall in love...with it. I mean, it was cute, it was lesson teaching (hehe, that sounds strange), and Anne was just such a good character. She sort of reminded me of me: bad temper (I've gotten much cooler now, haha), big words, amazing imagination, smart (haha, well, I was and am PRETTY SMART, at least, I think, haha). Gilbert reminded me of this guy at school...haha, well, I won't get into details there, but the book was charming, and I've already read it over four times in only like three years, which is sort of alot. I loved this book, and I believe that many other people will learn to appreciate its cuteness and truth and stuff over the years, hehe. Enjoy!

When I first read this book many years back, I loved it, and was sad for it to end when I finished reading it. I loved every single part of it...I simply couldn't put it down. Anne is such a character...you can't help liking her more and more, and wishing that she was your own "bosom friend" just as I did. While reading, I was transported back to that time, and I could just see Avonlea and Green Gables, the school which Anne studied in, and I could see Diana and Miss Stacy and Gilbert just as if they were my own friends.

I loved this book, and read it many times over again after I first picked it up, and it still delighted me. Lucy Maud Montgomery is a stunning writer, and I believe that she must have been like Anne, for no one could create such a realistic character and write everything that poured out of Anne's mouth...her made up stories, the things that she she thought of, her wild yet delightful imagination...all in all, Anne of Green Gables is one of the finest books I've ever read, and were ever written. I strongly recommend it to anyone, old or young. Everyone can relate to Anne and she could make you smile like she did for me.

I read this book based on J.K. Rowling's statement that it was her favorite book as a child, and it's easy to see why she loved it. I wish I had known of it when I was a child. An allegory, a fairy tale and a morality play all rolled into one, this delightful story should entertain adult readers and enchant the younger set, though it may be too very sweet for older kids.

As Goudge's The Little White Horse opens, Maria Merryweather is travelling toward her destiny, though she does not yet know this. Suddenly an impoverished orphan, she is travelling to Moonacre Manor, the home of a mysterious relative, in the company of her caretaker Miss Heliotrope and her little dog Wiggins. The story of Maria's adventures is fanciful and charming and populated by magical characters living in an enchanted place. Maria learns that people and stories are usually more than first impressions suggest, that even virtuous people have faults and even wicked people have goodness, that one can learn from previous mistakes ?- one?s own and others? ?- and make a better decision next time. All problems are resolved at the end, all loose ends tied neatly. First published in 1946, the voice here hints at modern narrative awareness of itself, but Is never cynical.

A drawing of Moonacre Manor is here, and chapters are short enough to make this a great read-aloud novel.

It's too bad that so few of Elizabeth Goudge's books are in print, though I am grateful that this one has been reprinted. I'd never read it before, and initially I was turned off by the unicorn illustration on the cover. But I'd heard lots of comments about how magical it was, and so I sat down to read.

Newly orphaned Maria Merryweather is being sent from London to Moonacre Manor, the castle-like home of her uncle, Benjamin Merryweather. Initially Maria and her devoted governess Miss Heliotrope expect the place to be cold and uncomfortable -- but Maria is delighted to see an enchanted, silvery landscape, and the brief vision of a white horse running past. She fits quickly into the slightly strange, almost idyllic surroundings -- despite the fact that no woman has come to Moonacre Manor in twenty years. But Sir Benjamin seems very pleasant -- as does the huge, unusual dog Wrolf.

Maria is enchanted both by the beautiful natural surroundings and the neighboring village of Silverydew. But she begins to sense that something is wrong: her uncle is unhappy about something and won't talk about the briefly-seen white horse. Her childhood invisible friend Robin returns to her -- and the inhabitants of Silverydew know him. Beautiful items are laid out in her tiny, luxurious room -- with the initials L.M. And strange dark figures are creeping through the woods near the sea. Maria soon finds out about a long-lasting story of magic, sadness, greed and darkness that has haunted her family for generations, and is determined to set it right.

Goudge was evidently one of the few authors who can effectively blur the line between reality and dreaminess. Some sections of her prose are almost intoxicating; she never held back from describing surroundings and items lushly. The dreamy atmosphere of the book is established when Maria and Miss Heliotrope (and Wiggins the dog) arrive at Moonacre. Such beautifully written passages crop up, such as "moonlight and firelight mingled their silver and gold."

We also are given examples of Ms. Goudge's evident love of both nature, the countryside, and religion (not preachily, simply a demonstration of the beauties she saw in it). She also mixes in a few other items: the hare being a "Fairy" creature, the legend behind the Merryweathers and the valley, the sinister Black Men in the forest, and the enchanting visualization of the "little white horse" being one of the white horses that crashes in on sea foam.

Some aspects of this book are a little unusual by current politically correct standards: we get several negative references to "female curiosity", atheists may be offended by Ms. Goudge's evident dislike of atheism. And I literally have no idea what a "syllabub" is. However, since this takes place in a past era, there's no reason to fuss about it.

Maria herself is a delightful heroine, with just enough quirks to make her realistic -- her mild preoccupation with clothes, for example. Miss Heliotrope is not the usual strict spinster governess, but a kind and upright woman with real emotions and feelings. Wiggins is a little pain in the tail. We also have the fascinatingly charismatic Parson, who manages to make religion come dazzlingly alive while also being kind and gentle. And we have the loquacious Marmaduke Scarlet, a dwarf cook with an odd temper, an amazing culinary craft, and a vaguely gnome-like appearance. And it takes a little while for Robin to develop beyond the level of "boyish sprite," but he's a nice character as well.

This is a thoroughly delightful book, full of childlike innocence and wonder that very few could pull off. Fans of Narnia and the "Hobbit" will probably eat this right up. A timeless, charming tale.

When Maria Merryweather is suddenly orphaned, she has no choice but to move to her new guardian's home, Moonacre Manor. Maria is accompanied by her ever-faithful governess, Miss Heliotrope, and the virtueless King Charles Spaniel, Wiggins. Maria's guardian, Sir Benjamin makes Maria and her governess feel very welcome in the vast house in spite of the fact that "no female had darkened" the place for more than twenty years.

Maria quickly learns that her ancestor, Sir Wrolf, made some terrible mistakes which have ramifications for the residents of Moonacre Manor. It is apparent that Maria is the only person who can correct the past, and she does so with gusto. Aided and abetted by Serena the Rabbit, Wrolf the dog, and Zachariah the cat, Maria solves the mysteries of the past.

I read this book years ago as a child, and it is still a delightful read many years later. I do think, however, that it primarily a girl's book; a girl is the main character--and indeed the resourceful heroine, so that should be kept in mind if buying this book as a gift. Also, apart from a dwarf, there is really no magic, wizards, fairies etc in this book. It's just the story of one little girl set in Victorian times, and the things that happen, do so thanks to kindness, the power of good, and an overall belief in the decency of humankind--a very nice old-fashioned story.