This is a classic book, but I did not enjoy Margaret Thursday as a character. She is a bit too whiney and entitled for no reason. She does grow on you, but I just wasn't invested enough.

I'd bet most readers go through a "plucky orphan" phase. And this book fits neatly into that category. We have a character who remains positive regardless of what's stacked up against her. She goes on wild adventures based on a mix of misfortune and misunderstanding. These stories can be a weird blend of predictable and wildly implausible, and this one is no different.

Streatfeild was a part of my childhood. I particularly enjoyed her Gemma books, which did not get as much play in the U.S. as the “Shoe” books. It’s good to see reissues of these classic works of children’s literature.

That said, they probably are not for every modern child. They are set more than 100 years ago, and sometimes that time and place context can be a challenge for today’s young readers. Likewise, the language in books of that era is often more complex. However, for those children who are willing to tackle those things, these books are wonderful fun, with their plucky heroine and colorful supporting cast. These books are fairly short and the pacing is quick, so they are not a daunting read otherwise.

Margaret lives with loving foster parents, but when the financial support she has received yearly stops coming, they no longer have the means to care for her. Her life in the orphanage is miserable, but she is bright and courageous, and makes her escape. The adventures that come next help her to become stronger—physically and emotionally. She finds good people. She also finds not-so-good ones. The first book resolves tidily, but wait…there’s more!

The second book focuses on Margaret’s work in a London theatre company. I find her desertion of the theatre troupe from the previous book to be a bit abrupt. Margaret finds a large “family” in the theatre. Her intelligence and flair for the dramatic serve her well. But her adventures are not yet over, simply because she’s found stability! No, a baddie from her past is on her trail.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Lying, running away, deception, perilous situations.

Who Might Like These Books:
Those who like books set in the past, plucky heroines, and adventurous stories. Definitely appropriate for the suggested age range, given the caveats I mention above.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing ARCs in exchange for my opinion. It was fun to revisit these stories!

These books also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2022/03/childhood-classics-revisited.html

This book was received as an ARC from Harper 360 - HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was shocked at the plot and concept of this book. A girl is left at a door of a church. She is named after the day she was found. Someone keeps sending her gold coins. Then she gets sent to an orphanage where she gets mistreated, underfed and abused by matron. As a blessing in disguise, she meets Horatio and Peter and they bond together with an escape plan. If a book can tell you that no matter the circumstance, you will never be alone, Thursday's Child was the book to do that. I loved Margaret's strength and tenacity she showed throughout the story at a very young age is quite impressive. This is the kind of book you need to read to get through any difficult situation and when you feel like you can't do anything, think of Margaret.

We will consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

When I was younger, I read so many of Noel Streatfeild's books and loved them, including Ballet Shoes (which I think is her most famous one) and Dancing Shoes (which from what I remember, was my personal favorite). SO when I saw this book on Netgalley, and realized it was one I had never read, I knew I had to request it! I'm happy I did! This was another delightful and charming book by the author, that I would definitely recommend!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Margaret Thursday was named for the day she was discovered abandoned as a baby on the steps of a church. Mysteriously, a bag of money arrives each year to pay for her care, until she turns 11 and a note arrives saying there will be no more money. Her guardians are forced to send her to an orphanage. The orphanage turns out to be a dreadful place where the children are half starved and treated terribly. Margaret finds herself at odds with the horrible Matron who runs the place. With the help of her new friends, Peter and Horatio, Margaret plans to escape the orphanage and make her own way in the world. But she risks getting caught by the Matron.

This book was a classic rags to riches orphan story that had the feel of Annie but set in Victorian era England. It was first published in 1985 and this is a new edition published. Unfortunately, it reads as very old fashioned with lots of flowy prose that I think children will have a hard time keeping up with. It was an okay read, nothing special but something that children will enjoy if they like that kind of story. Margaret is a likeable enough character who is plucky, determined and independent. She also is caring and compassionate, wanting to help and care for others. It is a sweet book of friendship and adventure. Children will enjoy the parts about them escaping the orphanage and hiding on a boat. The book starts to explore the world of theater towards the end and it will continue on in the sequel. All in all, a fine book.

Margaret Thursday is a very lucky girl... for an orphan. Found on the church steps as a baby, she's taken in by two elderly sisters and their housekeeper. Her life isn't perfect, but it's good. Until one day, the money that always appears for her upbringing stops. As her caretakers age, Margaret is sent to live at an orphanage. And it's a thousand times worse than she imagined.

After crossing the matron one too many times, and learning that her new friends are in danger as well, Margaret plans a reckless escape that takes them all on a daring adventure of secrets, travel, and new found family. But when the police start to close in, will Margaret be sent back to Matron?

I loved this book! I had heard of Noel Stretfield before, but never read anything by this author. Reminiscent of great childhood classics like The Secret Garden, Thursday's Child is full of adventure and mischief. The writing style is rich with beautiful language and character development. There are several characters introduced and each is developed well. Margaret herself is written as strong female lead full of whit, wisdom, and independence. The viewpoint changes often, but the author has a wonderful gift for making the story clear and interesting.

This re-released edition is part of a series that is sure to engage middle and early high school readers. Thursday's Child stands heads and shoulders above most books out there and I'm more than happy to look for more by this author.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This book was the same as I remembered but with a brand new cover. I loved the story of Margaret - it is sweet, exciting, and heart warming! It takes me back to my childhood for sure.

Margaret Thursday has always known she was destined for greatness. Raised by a kindhearted family after being found on the steps of a village church as an infant, Margaret lives a happy life even without knowing the identity of her parents. Like clockwork, a mysterious benefactor leaves money for Margaret’s care every year; but when the money suddenly stops arriving, the only solution is to send Margaret to an orphanage. There, she makes new friends and stands up for their right to be respected and cared for. As an outspoken advocate for herself, Margaret Thursday single handedly takes charge of her life and steps into a role that is ideal for her.

A re-release of a story written by the late Noel Streatfeild, this book is written in a style reminiscent of Oliver Twist or The Secret Garden. Margaret and her companions speak in an elevated, proper linguistic style, and the story focuses more on character interaction than plot advancement. Short chapters help middle grade readers navigate through the narrative, often incorporating perspectives from various characters to enhance the readers’ understanding of the events in the story. Though slow moving at the beginning, the pacing picks up as Margaret's adventure progresses.

An assortment of interconnected characters is introduced throughout the narrative, each one with a unique connection to Margaret Thursday. Some are drawn to her independence, while others are markedly upset by her impertinence because it thwarts their perceived authority. Margaret cares nothing for anyone else’s opinion, however, and she believes that her mysterious origin means that she matters just as she is. Throughout the story, Margaret is a uniting feature, inspiring change and action by her own behavior and ensuring those around her have a voice, as well.

Readers who enjoy stories set in an early twentieth century English context will appreciate the design of this book. A strong heroine and the age-old conflict of good versus evil make for an engaging story, even if the delivery takes time to get going. The first in a series, Margaret’s adventure continues in a second installment in which readers will learn more about what happens to Margaret after this book ends. This unique adventure is one that will inspire readers to support those less fortunate, and it is an intriguing addition to libraries for middle grade readers.

Thursday’s Child
by Noel Streatfeild
Pub Date 12 Oct 2021 | Archive Date 02 Nov 2021
Harper 360, HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks
Children's Fiction


I am reviewing a copy of Thursday’s Child through Harper360, HarperCollins Children’s Books and Netgalley:



Margaret Thursday was given her name after the day someone found her on the Church steps as baby. But she’s not really an Orphan every year someone leaves a bag of coins on the Church steps for her keep. But when she’s eleven the money stops leaving her guardians with no choice but to send her away to an orphanage.






Sadly the orphanage is worse than they could have imagined. The children are treated poorly and not fed enough, and soon Margaret who is fearless makes herself the enemy of the evil matron who runs it. Margaret is determined to protect her new friends, Peter and Horatio, Margaret plans their daring escape but she’s going to have to outsmart the evil Matron at every turn.





I give Thursday’s Child five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

I must say the first thing that caught my eye about this book was the beautiful cover.

Premise
Margaret Thursday was named after the day she was found on the church steps as a baby. But she isn’t really an orphan – each year a bag of gold coins is left at the church for her keep. However, when Margaret is eleven years old, the money suddenly stops and her guardians have no choice but to send her away to an orphanage

This was a beautiful story and it definitely brought tears to my eyes. Perfect for e upcoming Christmas season.

Thursday’s Child is an adorable historical fiction book following orphan, Margaret Thursday by Noel Streatfeild. I knew Noel Streatfeild from her “Shoes” books. I had read Ballet Shoes, Dancing Shoes, Theater Shoes, and Theater Shoes. They were some of the books I really enjoyed reading in elementary school, so I was very excited to have the opportunity to read Thursday’s Child! Margaret Thursday is an orphan, who finds herself at an orphanage after the money supplied for her keep runs out. The orphanage turns out to be awful, with a harsh matron where the children are badly treated. Along with her friends, Margaret must find a way of escape!
Margaret was such a fun character! She was very confident and had such drama in her! She was also really kind and connected to people easily. And I loved her friends. They were all so sweet and seemed very realistic. Lavinia, Peter, Horatio and all the rest of the characters really made the story so interesting. I did not relate to Margaret as much, but I could empathize with her and relate to the other children in different ways.
The story was very interesting. I liked watching the progression and it felt well-paced. Within a few chapters, I was already invested in the story! It is not a very action-packed book, but more an unfolding of the story of Margaret’s life. It has an older style of writing, with 3rd-person narrative and slightly different language than young readers may be accustomed to. It is also set in turn-of-the -century England, so there may be some unfamiliar references there as well. This story is the first in Margaret’s adventures, so while it offers some conclusions, not everything is made clear.
Overall, this was a really fun and cute book that I would suggest to readers in mid-to late elementary school, who enjoy historical fiction!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

I used to get hand me down stuff from my older cousins as a child. Mostly clothes and shoes, but also books. I was introduced to Noel Streatfeild through those hand me downs and I loved the “shoes” books. I was delighted to have the chance to read a new Streatfeild book although I am long past childhood and cast offs. Thursday’s Child is an enchanting read. It takes readers back over a century when the world could be cruel to an orphan. Margaret Thursday thrives in whatever setting she is placed. I recaptured some of the magic of childhood when I read it.

In reading Thursday's Child, it felt like going back in time. Only at the end with About the Author did I realize that the author (Noel Streatfeild) of Thursday's Child was born on Christmas Eve in 1895! Thursday's Child wasn't even on my radar and it should be a classic! First published in 1970 by William Collins in Great Britain. (The author died in London on Sept 11, 1986.) Happy 50th anniversary to this Children's Book.

It was a good book. Glad that I read it. I hate to give away the plot with any spoilers. An orphan is dropped off, an annual payment for her "keep" hasn't been "kept up". In her travels she comes across some other orphans.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Noel Streatfeild and the publisher Harper 360, HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks for the opportunity to read Thursday's Child in exchange for an honest review. Re-publication date is 12 Oct 2021.

Reprint of the 1970s novel by the same name, albeit with a much improved cover. The author is better known for her series of shoe books (Ballet Shoes, etc) and tends towards the twee spectrum of books. This story feels like a slightly updated take on The Little Princess, complete with a plucky female lead who overcomes hardship with faith and a relentlessly good attitude

There is a reason why Noel Streatfeild is such a treasured author. Thursday's Child is a brilliantly written story of an author that both excites with adventure and touches the heartstrings with love. They just don't write them like this anymore.

This was SUCH A CUTE READ! Our main character, Thursday, is a very plucky and brave heroine who goes on an adventure out of her orphanage. I thought she (and this whole book) was quite reminiscent of Anne of Green Gables and The Secret Garden. So, if you enjoyed those two reads, then you should definitely consider this one as well. I wish I would have read this book during the winter, curled up with some tea, in front of a roaring fire. The atmosphere and writing are just perfect. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

I can't wait to see what's next for Margaret Thursday. I loved this adventure and Margaret's willful determination, her stubborn assertion that she is absolutely someone special. Though the slow pace is true to the time period, at times I did feel it a bit too slow, just waiting to get into the action. However, once I got through those points, I truly enjoyed the characters and the story.
Thanks NetGalley 👍

This is an absolutely delightful and charming read. As ana dult, I couldn't put this down; I cannot wait to see how equally enthralled my daughter will be. Margaret is a wonderful character, reminiscent of Anne of Green Gables: coded as neurodivergent and full of spirit and high intelligence. She gets into all sorts of adventures and mischief with her sidekicks she takes under her wing, and leaves you rooting for her until the very end. The ending seemed a bit abrupt and anticlimactic, and could have been fleshed out a bit more, but I am still looking forward to reading the sequel. Will def recommend.

Thursday Child is absolutely brilliant. My 12 year old granddaughter and I read this together at night while she was staying with us. We both absolutely enjoyed the adventures of spunky Margret Thursday.
Noel Streatfeild wrote this book with kindness, charm and heroism. It even made us get a tear in our eye when she was sent to the orphanage.
It is most definitely 5 golden stars.
#ThursdaysChild. #NetGalley