«Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm & New Chronicles of Rebecca (Adventure Novels)» by Kate Douglas Wiggin

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is a classic American children's novel that tells the story of Rebecca Rowena Randall and her two stern aunts in the fictional village of Riverboro, Maine. Rebecca's joy for life inspires her aunts, but she faces many trials in her young life, gaining wisdom and understanding. The novel opens with Rebecca's journey to Riverboro, to live with her two aunts, Miranda and Jane Sawyer. Until this time, she has lived on the family farm. Rebecca is the second eldest of seven children and her family is quite poor, so moving in with her aunts is a chance to improve her opportunities in life. Miranda determines to do her duty and train Rebecca to be a proper young lady, so she will not shame the Sawyer name.

Jane takes on the role of Rebecca's protector and teaches her to sew, cook and manage a household. Rebecca proves to be a good student and she becomes a young lady with the same high spirit and a talent for writing. New Chronicles of Rebecca is a sequel to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. It doesn't follow Rebecca in her further adventures in life, but fills in some spaces left uncovered in a previous book. It consists of chronologically arranged tales about Rebecca starting when she is around 12 and ending when she's 18 years old. These lovely chapters complete the charming story of Rebecca's rough childhood, following her from a poor, but imaginative young girl to a proper young lady.

Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856-1923) was an American educator and author of children's stories, most notably the classic children's novel Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. She started the first free kindergarten. With her sister she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers and devoted her adult life to the welfare of children.