10 Feb 2011

MILLY MOLLY MANDY.

The 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th books read in my 100+ Reading Challenge
The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th book in my Loving The Reviews Reading Challenge.


Milly-Molly-Mandy lives in a tiny village in the heart of the countryside. She is always busy doing things, and whether she is sledging in the snow with Billy Blunt and little-friend-Susan, or being a bridesmaid, you're sure to have fun when Milly-Molly-Mandy's around.
..... From the outer back covers.

FIRST SENTENCE (Milly Molly Mandy Stories): Once upon a time there was a little girl.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Further Doings of Milly Molly Mandy): They were to get up very early, and take their dinners with them, and their rods and lines and jam-jars, and go off all on their own along by the brook, and not be back until quite late in the day.


As a girl I loved the Milly Molly Mandy (Millicent Margaret Amanda to give her her full title) books so was delighted to receive this four book box-set, comprising 'Milly Molly Mandy Stories', 'More Of  Milly Molly Mandy', 'Further Doings Of Milly Molly Mandy', and 'Milly Molly Mandy Again', as a Christmas present.

With an average of 119 pages and lots of wonderful black and white illustrations each book took under an hour to read but did they live up to my childhood memories?

A great nostalgic read, I'm not too sure how well these stories have aged - the lifestyle of Milly Molly Mandy will certainly seem very alien to just about every child in the country - though, that said, Niece #2 (now 12) read them a few years ago and loved them.

Definitely a collection for little girls, MMM is very much a book of its time and I'm sure that whilst some children may well enjoy it few, if any, will be able to relate to it as the children in these stories lead such very, very different lives with both much more and much less freedom.

A box-set I'd recommend? Perhaps not for every child but if you enjoyed these stories as a girl then yes by all means re-read them, they may well bring back some happy memories.


13 comments:

Misha said...

As a kid I would only read Enid Blyton and fairy tales. I missed out on Milly Molly Mandy books. They do sound perfect for my young cousins.

serendipity_viv said...

I feel like I missed out on these as a child too. Must look into these.

Arti said...

I used to read panchatantra as a kid... You have made me nostalgic... These books look pretty too!!
Have a nice day:-)

Kelly said...

This is not a series I've ever heard of. Must be a British thing.

Suko said...

Petty, I have never heard of this series either! But it does sound charming. I enjoy stories about simpler times.

Golden Eagle said...

I've never heard of this series before. Thanks for the review!

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

I haven't heard of these stories, but might be perfect for some cousins of mine! Thanks!

Arti said...

Alongwith Love, Dear Petty Witter,
Today I have bought something else too…
Not one, not two,
But truckloads of it just for you,

Close your eyes and hold one of it tight,
Thrust your teeth and take a big bite,

And while you are smiling and savoring the choco-delight,
I pray you always be happy and reach newer heights!

Just dropped in to wish you
HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Hope you liked the jingle i made for you and are enjoying this special day :)

Short poems said...

Petty, I haven't heard of this. But it does sound beautiful series!

Happy Birthday, enjoy it..
Warmly
Marinela x x

tattytiara said...

Those sound so charming!

Anonymous said...

I love that you put opening lines in your reviews, this one points out one way books have evolved - that of using a great opening.

Sanand said...

Today's kids have so many interesting options when it comes to books, that wasnt the case before. My son, for example, gets to read books that match his interests and not necessarily what I'd like him to read. So, it's good altogether.

Alison Can Read said...

These books sound like fun. There are so many UK books that I've never heard of. It reminds me of the Betsy Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace even though it's not exactly the same.