Mandy

Author:

Julie Andrews Edwards

Illustrator:

N/A

Published by:

HarperCollins

First Published:

1 Jan 1971

Ideal for readers aged

6-9y

My Review

This is one of my youngest daughter's all time favourite books - and it seems from reading other reviews that she is not alone! She says she once got to the last page and went straight back to the beginning to start reading again as she didn't want it to be over. Quite the accolade!

RR Junior Review

Test talk

Heads Up!

One very dated aspect of the book is that an adult stranger leaves messages for Mandy in her secret cottage - which feels uncomfortable to the modern reader in our 'stranger danger' culture. All turns out beautifully in the end and the 'stranger' actually turns out to be the generous and kind hearted owner of the cottage whose family ultimately adopt Mandy and give her a home. However, it's worth being aware of this plot feature as a parent/teacher!

Publisher Review

Mandy, the first children's novel ever written by the beloved star of Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews, is a modern classic. Mandy, a ten-year-old orphan, dreams of a place to call her own. Escaping over the orphanage wall to explore the outside world, Mandy discovers a tiny deserted cottage in the woods. All through the spring, summer, and fall, Mandy works to make it truly hers. Sometimes she "borrows" things she needs from the orphanage. Sometimes, to guard her secret, she even lies. Then, one stormy night at the cottage, Mandy gets sick, and no one knows how to find her--except a special friend she didn't know she had. This is the perfect book for ten-year-old girls who love tiny houses and stories filled with hope.