Independent Reading Level: 3rd-5th

Awards/Honors: 1946 - Carnegie Medal for Children's Literature
Named one of the Top 100 Children's Books by the School Library Journal ( )

Since I had a baby last year, and I usually read Kindle books while she's asleep, it took me a very long time to get through this one in print. It was partially because it wasn't that great, though.

It follows Maria Merryweather, who moves to her ancestral home in the countryside with her governess. She discovers a secret about her family history that will cause her to try healing more than one old feud.

I've liked some other books by Elizabeth Goudge that were written for adults, but when you add something that was intended for kids to her style, it just comes out long-winded and syrupy sweet.

There were also some disturbing themes that her other adult books didn't necessarily have--things that would make me never want to read this to my daughter, like that the bad people are dark-skinned, curiosity is a fault in women, and it's desirable to get married underage to someone who has threatened violence if you won't marry him (and haha, oh, isn't he so cute and funny)...

...not to mention the whole part about having his ten children and not minding giving up the symbol of her adventure. Reading the ending was kind of like watching Maria say, "I really don't mind this life. I'm really really happy. So happy. (Cries)."

But she'll see the unicorn again when she dies, so that makes it all okay. ( )

When orphaned young Maria Merryweather arrives at Moonacre Manor, she feels as if she's entered Paradise. Her new guardian, her uncle Sir Benjamin, is kind and funny; the Manor itself feels like home right away; and every person and animal she meets is like an old friend. But there is something incredibly sad beneath all of this beauty and comfort--a tragedy that happened years ago, shadowing Moonacre Manor and the town around it--and Maria is determined to learn about it, change it, and give her own life story a happy ending. But what can one solitary girl do?

4.5 ( )

Oct. 2016-- I purchased a few copies of this for my kids as it's one of the books we're studying for our Victorian Sci-Fi & Fantasy class. Reading it through this second time, I didn't find it as magical as I did the first time around. I think part of that was due to the fact that I was taking notes and building a curriculum around it this time, rather than just reading for pleasure. Still, it's a lovely story and one of our family's favorites!

Oct. 2012--Excellent! This is my new favorite book! What a magical, wonderful story. I love how the author gives glory to God---both by having the children dedicate the land of the monastery back to God and also in the amazing description of the church service. ( )