Kentucky

Up and Down the River

Book cover: Up and Down the River
Author(s): 
Rebecca Caudill

Six year old Bonnie and eight year old Debbie decide early one summer that they want to get rich. Nosing their way through magazines they decide upon some simple investments – selling a few items around to their neighbors and raising ducklings. They keep up the projects all summer, but the rewards don't turn out quite the way they expected. Rejoin the Fairchild family for a charming summertime in a time and place where the pace of life was a little slower and the joys of childhood were many.

Schoolhouse in the Woods

Book cover: Schoolhouse in the Woods
Author(s): 
Rebecca Caudill

This second installment in the Fairchild Family Series (which starts with Happy Little Family) is a charming account of young Bonnie enjoying her first few months in a little one room schoolhouse. She and her siblings enjoy playing with friends in the rural schoolyard, having the teacher stay at their house for a week and preparing for a Christmas pageant. The story makes a nice read-aloud or chapter book for young readers.

Happy Little Family

Book cover: Happy Little Family
Author(s): 
Rebecca Caudill

The Fairchild family – Father, Mother, Chris, Althy, Emmy, Debby and Bonnie – live in the hills of Kentucky in the early 1900s. We are particularly treated to simple stories of everyday life through the eyes of four-year-old Bonnie: her frustrations with trying to keep up with her older siblings, the love of her understanding father, the importance of "little" things, like sunbonnets and arrowheads. The large text, comfortable length and engaging storyline make it a great choice for young readers.