The Diary of a Goose Girl

"The Diary of a Goose Girl" by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin is a charming novel that draws from the late 19th century. The book follows a young woman who escapes the confines of her previous life to embrace rustic simplicity at Thornycroft Farm, near the idyllic village of Barbury Green. The protagonist embodies a mix of humor, adventure, and a yearning for nature, particularly enjoying her time tending to the farm’s geese and other animals. At the start of the novel, the narrator introduces herself as a Goose Girl while recounting her decision to leave a more sophisticated life behind in favor of a simpler existence. After arriving at Barbury Green, she describes the village's quaint charm with its picturesque houses, gardens, and vibrant community life. As she settles in at Thornycroft Farm, she encounters various eccentric characters, including the amusing Mrs. Heaven and her family. The opening chapters emphasize the protagonist's whimsical observations of farm life, her interactions with the animals, and her personal reflections, setting the tone for a delightful exploration of rural living and newfound contentment. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Kate Douglas Wiggin was an American educator, author and composer. She wrote children's stories, most notably the classic children's novel Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and composed collections of children's songs. She started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco in 1878. With her sister during the 1880s, she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers. Kate Wiggin devoted her adult life to the welfare of children in an era when children were commonly thought of as cheap labor.