Subject
Home economics -- Juvenile fiction Books
Best books
Jacob Abbott
Mary Erskine
"Mary Erskine" by Jacob Abbott is a children's novel written during the mid-19th century. The story is set around the characters living in the village of Franconia, focusing primarily on the life of Mary Erskine, a young orphan who navigates the challenges of her early adulthood as she matures into a responsible woman. The book emphasizes themes of domestic life, character development, and moral teachings through everyday events and interactions. The opening of the story introduces a group of children including Malleville and her cousin Phonny, who are excited about visiting Mary Erskine's home. This visit promises to be an adventure as they prepare for a trip to her farm, accompanied by another character named Beechnut. The narrative conveys a joyful atmosphere, highlighting the children’s innocence and curiosity, while laying the groundwork for Mary Erskine’s character, who has struggled with the loss of her parents but remains a beacon of kindness and resilience. The chapter reflects on the simplicity and joys of rural life, hinting at deeper themes of companionship and community that will unfold throughout the book.
Madeline Leslie
Stopping the leak
"Stopping the leak" by Madeline Leslie is a moral domestic novel written in the mid-19th century. It traces how waste, dishonesty, and intemperance drain both fortune and character, and how shrewd, warm-hearted Aunt Mercy Lovell helps a naive young couple—Lily and Lawrence Everett—and the struggling Allen family learn economy, duty, and self-control. The opening of the novel shows Aunt Mercy visiting the lavish Everett home and instantly sensing “a leak” in a household where careless spending and scheming servants flourish while Lily knows little of housekeeping. Her quiet reconnoissance exposes waste and theft, she counsels Lawrence, recounts her own youthful heartbreak that left her a guardian to his family, and then, after his ill-judged leniency, departs. The narrative shifts to Mary and Joseph Allen—kin to Lawrence—whose farm is lost to drink until a temperance pledge and Aunt Mercy’s aid set them to work, school, and thrift. When a business crisis looms for Lawrence, Aunt Mercy returns, catches the servants in a theft ring with a grocer, and has them arrested, while Lily begins learning practical economy. The excerpt closes with the reformed Allens modestly prospering—Joseph as head gardener, a cow and chickens secured, and children diligent at school and work, earning the goodwill of their employers.
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