Erin at her blog Seven Little Australians has a post called Families of Six Plus Children about children’s books that feature families with six or more children. Her list includes All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor, The Mitchells: Five For Victory by Hilda Van Stockum, The Story of the Treasure Seekers by Edith Nesbit, Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner, Children on the Oregon Trail by A Rutgers Van Der Loeff, Seventh Pebble by Eleanor Spence, Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott (one of my favorites), First Farm in the Valley by Anne Pellowski, and Ten Kids, No Pets by Ann Martin. Read more about her selections at Seven Little Australians.
I thought children’s and young adult books about “Large Families” would be a good topic for a round of Book Tag. The rules are:
“In this game, readers suggest a good book (or series) in the category given, then let somebody else be ‘it’ before they offer another suggestion. There is no limit to the number of books a person may suggest, but they need to politely wait their turn with only one book suggestion per comment.â€
I’ll start the game with my suggestion, Gentle’s Holler by Kerry Madden, the story of Livy Two and her little sister Gentle, who is blind. Each of the children in this loving but poverty-stricken family in the mountains of North Carolina has his or her own personality, standing out from the rest of the family in one way or another. The sequels are Louisiana’s Song and Jessie’s Mountain.
What are your favorite large family books?
Your book made me think of Seven Wild Sisters, by Charles De Lint–he did a pretty good job of making them disctinct (except for the twins).
The one that immediately came to mind but I had to double check on number of children (six!) is On to Oregon! by Honoré Morrow. I read this to my children when my oldest son was 13 and it was such a good book for all of us but esp for him.
Well, it’s not exactly a children’s book, but I read it when I was quite young: Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
I always have loved The Best (Worst) School Year Ever with the Herdmann kids. They are every teacher’s worst nightmare but great entertainment for the rest of the class!
Yes, Cheaper by the Dozen is a favorite, Jen. And I haven’t read The Best (Worst) School Year Ever, but of course, I know Best Christmas Pageant Ever. The Herdmans are a riot, literally.
I’m trying to remember if there are five or six Blythe children in Raimbow Valley by LM Montgomery: Jem, Nan, Di, Walter, Shirley, and Rilla. Or am I making one of them up?
It’s a picture book but the Seven Silly Eaters by Mary Ann Hoberman is what came to my mind.
Thank u so much.
Wow Sherry, thank you for the shout out. 🙂