Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

"Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin is a charming novel written during the late 19th century. The story centers on a spirited young girl named Rebecca Randall, who is sent to live with her aunts in Riverboro after traveling from her family's farm in Temperance, Maine. Through her vivid imagination and innate curiosity, Rebecca's adventures and challenges unfold as she navigates her new life with eccentric relatives and the complexities of school. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Rebecca as she embarks on a journey aboard a stagecoach, filled with excitement and a sense of wonder. She experiences a mix of anticipation and anxiety about leaving her beloved childhood home for her new life in Riverboro. The opening chapter vividly depicts her vibrant personality, as she engages the stage driver, Mr. Cobb, in animated conversation filled with her quirky observations and musings. As Rebecca arrives in Riverboro, her interactions with her aunts, particularly the strict Aunt Miranda and the gentler Aunt Jane, set the stage for her personal growth and exploration of her identity, hinting at the delightful adventures to come. (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.