I remember this one from childhood, the name keeps eluding me. The story was set in the early 1800s (not sure when) and that the girl’s parents had gone to China as missionaries, while the girl had to stay behind with her cousins on their farm. She misses her family very much, keeps asking to join them, but also begins to fit in with her rustic cousins and enjoy their games. In the end she has to choose whether to go to China after all, or stay with the people she’s come to love (no points which she picks). Hope this helps.
It might be Caddie Woodlawn, but that doesn’t seem right. Worth a look, anyway.
Two possibilities occur to me. One is Kate Seredy’s ‘The Good Master’, which is set in Hungary. The other is Rebecca Caudill’s ‘The House of the Fifers’, set in Kentucky.
I am very curious to read more possibilities. This sounds very much like an unsolved stumper I had on your old website back in 2005. I received a long string of suggestions, but none of them were right.
OK, this book was published in the 60s, so probably WAY off, but I’m going to mention Monica Dickens’ 1963 novel, “Cobbler’s Dream” as an option. It was latter republished as part of the “Follyfoot” series.
another possibility would be They Loved to Laugh, by Kathryn Worth (1942),. From Goodreads: 16-year-old orphan Martitia Howland has been transplanted into a Quaker farm family of five intimidating sons and one disapproving daughter. As Martitia runs their gauntlet, she suffers their teasing but finally begins to bloom. Valiantly she acquires the skills they expect of her, and discovers other gifts all her own. Her achievements earn respect in the end and more, her heart’s true love
A year Down Yonder by Richard Peck?
I remember this one from childhood, the name keeps eluding me. The story was set in the early 1800s (not sure when) and that the girl’s parents had gone to China as missionaries, while the girl had to stay behind with her cousins on their farm. She misses her family very much, keeps asking to join them, but also begins to fit in with her rustic cousins and enjoy their games. In the end she has to choose whether to go to China after all, or stay with the people she’s come to love (no points which she picks). Hope this helps.
It might be Caddie Woodlawn, but that doesn’t seem right. Worth a look, anyway.
Two possibilities occur to me. One is Kate Seredy’s ‘The Good Master’, which is set in Hungary. The other is Rebecca Caudill’s ‘The House of the Fifers’, set in Kentucky.
Perhaps “The Plain Princess” by Phyllis McGinley?
You might be thinking of Just Plain Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher.
Correction: Understood Betsy. Just Plain Betsy is written by Helen Fern Daringer, and is a different story.
I am very curious to read more possibilities. This sounds very much like an unsolved stumper I had on your old website back in 2005. I received a long string of suggestions, but none of them were right.
OK, this book was published in the 60s, so probably WAY off, but I’m going to mention Monica Dickens’ 1963 novel, “Cobbler’s Dream” as an option. It was latter republished as part of the “Follyfoot” series.
another possibility would be They Loved to Laugh, by Kathryn Worth (1942),. From Goodreads: 16-year-old orphan Martitia Howland has been transplanted into a Quaker farm family of five intimidating sons and one disapproving daughter. As Martitia runs their gauntlet, she suffers their teasing but finally begins to bloom. Valiantly she acquires the skills they expect of her, and discovers other gifts all her own. Her achievements earn respect in the end and more, her heart’s true love
Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott
In her velvet frippery at the beginning. Because of this book i asked my parents if i could try oatmeal.