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Under the Lilacs
Ben and his trained dog, Sancho, run away from the circus and soon find a warm welcome in a kind community where spirited games are played. Theatricals and imaginative pageantry are all part of the fun.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1878
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About the author
Louisa May Alcott
3,523Ìýbooks10.1kÌýfollowersLouisa May Alcott was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known for writing the novel Little Women (1868) and its sequels Good Wives (1869), Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886). Raised in New England by her transcendentalist parents, Abigail May Alcott and Amos Bronson Alcott, she grew up among many well-known intellectuals of the day, including Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Alcott's family suffered from financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used pen names such as A.M. Barnard, under which she wrote lurid short stories and sensation novels for adults that focused on passion and revenge.
Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt. The novel was well-received at the time and is still popular today among both children and adults. It has been adapted for stage plays, films, and television many times.
Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She also spent her life active in reform movements such as temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father's death.
Alcott's family suffered from financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used pen names such as A.M. Barnard, under which she wrote lurid short stories and sensation novels for adults that focused on passion and revenge.
Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt. The novel was well-received at the time and is still popular today among both children and adults. It has been adapted for stage plays, films, and television many times.
Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She also spent her life active in reform movements such as temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father's death.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 358 reviews
May 20, 2017
Bab and Betty Moss were sisters and enjoyed a game like all children. Their latest game of a tea party for all their dollies under the lilacs was interrupted when the cake they were to serve disappeared. And while they searched, it reappeared once more. Bab and Betty were confused � there was obviously magic in the air.
When Mrs Moss and her girls discovered young Ben Brown and his dog Sancho in a nearby carriage house, the mystery of the cake came to light. But more was revealed when Ben told of escaping from the harsh treatment of the ringmaster of a circus; they were in search of Ben’s father and were starving and tired. Mrs Moss soon put that to rights, and Ben found himself a job with Miss Celia and her fourteen year old brother Thornton (Thorny) who was a little sickly.
But change came to Ben’s life and although he was happy with his new “family� some things could never be the same � could they? What would happen to Ben and Sancho? What would be their future?
Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott is an absolutely delightful children/young adult’s story which I thoroughly enjoyed. Light and entertaining; filled with wit and humour and of course old fashioned words and phrases, it is a worthy read by both young and old alike. Originally published in 1878, it is still highly readable almost 140 later! Highly recommended.
When Mrs Moss and her girls discovered young Ben Brown and his dog Sancho in a nearby carriage house, the mystery of the cake came to light. But more was revealed when Ben told of escaping from the harsh treatment of the ringmaster of a circus; they were in search of Ben’s father and were starving and tired. Mrs Moss soon put that to rights, and Ben found himself a job with Miss Celia and her fourteen year old brother Thornton (Thorny) who was a little sickly.
But change came to Ben’s life and although he was happy with his new “family� some things could never be the same � could they? What would happen to Ben and Sancho? What would be their future?
Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott is an absolutely delightful children/young adult’s story which I thoroughly enjoyed. Light and entertaining; filled with wit and humour and of course old fashioned words and phrases, it is a worthy read by both young and old alike. Originally published in 1878, it is still highly readable almost 140 later! Highly recommended.
February 19, 2018
This book is one of those sweet stories that leaves you feeling happy.
June 20, 2018
This was a charming story, reminding me once again that Louisa May Alcott knew how to write. I read Little Women many times in my youth, but never got interested in the others of that series. I was surprised years later to read some of her short stories dealing with hospital work during the Civil War, and it seems like I also read some Gothic type tales by Alcott, unless my memory is playing tricks again.
But I had never heard of Under The Lilacs until I went digging at Gutenberg for books that had the names of flowers in the titles. It was for a challenge and although I left the group I kept my list and FINALLY am starting to read my garden. Lilacs are one of my favorites, so it feels quite proper to start the list with this book. Besides, I needed the U for a spelling challenge!
We start off with two sisters that look like twins but are not. They and their family of dolls are having a tea party at the Big House next door to their own. Their mother airs and tidies the place every so often, but no one has lived there as long as the girls can remember. They have made the front walk and porch area their very own, playing there with their 'children'.
But today something goes wrong. Their tea cakes get stolen, all the dolls have been knocked over: someone has made a big mess of things, but who and why? Eventually we discover the thief, a dog who looks just like the china poodle on the mantel at home. And along with the dog comes Ben, a boy who has run away from the circus and arrived at The Big House.
From there we have adventures both sweet and dramatic, and more than once everyone including the reader was moved to tears. Alcott blended the different aspects of life into this story, so it is never overly saccharine or overly melodramatic. Things happen just like they do in life, which I think gave this book a lot of its appeal, at least for me. It felt believable.
There were of course morals and lessons written into the story, but that was to be expected from the author and her era. None of them are too 'in your face', except that as a modern woman I was a little annoyed by some of her words about girls and their attitudes in life. Especially when she wrote about "the sweet generosity which makes so many sisters glad to see their brothers carry off the prizes of life, while they are content to know that they have earned them and can do without the praise."
I could go either way with that statement: so girls can do anything boys can do and besides that they don't need to have their egos bolstered by public praise because for a girl just knowing she did something is enough? That would make girls more self-reliant creatures who know their own worth without needing awards, prizes, or kudos from anyone except themselves. An excellent goal but how many people have that type of character? We all like to be told once in awhile that we have done a good job at this or that, so why press home her point just to her female audience? The boys are the ones who need such advice, unless she was trying to get the girls to think of themselves as much more noble, able creatures than those tiresome boys (and men) who need their egos coddled. Ah, well. Different times, right? Or are they....
Anyway, one cute character was a little boy who showed up on his own one special day when there was a grand party. This was the second time he had visited, and when he told the girls what he had been doing since they saw him last someone ended up telling him that he was a naughty boy and would not go to Heaven like good boys would. But he said he didn't care, he didn't want to go to Heaven anyway. When they asked him why not, he replied:
"They don't have any dirt there. My mamma says so. I am fond of dirt. I shall stay here where there is plenty of it," and the candid youth began to grub in the mould with the satisfaction of a genuine boy.
This made me laugh, since I am rather fond of dirt myself, even though I am a genuine girl. And now I need to wind this up and get back out to the garden and its dirt.
If you ever need a feel-good read, this is a great one to choose!
But I had never heard of Under The Lilacs until I went digging at Gutenberg for books that had the names of flowers in the titles. It was for a challenge and although I left the group I kept my list and FINALLY am starting to read my garden. Lilacs are one of my favorites, so it feels quite proper to start the list with this book. Besides, I needed the U for a spelling challenge!
We start off with two sisters that look like twins but are not. They and their family of dolls are having a tea party at the Big House next door to their own. Their mother airs and tidies the place every so often, but no one has lived there as long as the girls can remember. They have made the front walk and porch area their very own, playing there with their 'children'.
But today something goes wrong. Their tea cakes get stolen, all the dolls have been knocked over: someone has made a big mess of things, but who and why? Eventually we discover the thief, a dog who looks just like the china poodle on the mantel at home. And along with the dog comes Ben, a boy who has run away from the circus and arrived at The Big House.
From there we have adventures both sweet and dramatic, and more than once everyone including the reader was moved to tears. Alcott blended the different aspects of life into this story, so it is never overly saccharine or overly melodramatic. Things happen just like they do in life, which I think gave this book a lot of its appeal, at least for me. It felt believable.
There were of course morals and lessons written into the story, but that was to be expected from the author and her era. None of them are too 'in your face', except that as a modern woman I was a little annoyed by some of her words about girls and their attitudes in life. Especially when she wrote about "the sweet generosity which makes so many sisters glad to see their brothers carry off the prizes of life, while they are content to know that they have earned them and can do without the praise."
I could go either way with that statement: so girls can do anything boys can do and besides that they don't need to have their egos bolstered by public praise because for a girl just knowing she did something is enough? That would make girls more self-reliant creatures who know their own worth without needing awards, prizes, or kudos from anyone except themselves. An excellent goal but how many people have that type of character? We all like to be told once in awhile that we have done a good job at this or that, so why press home her point just to her female audience? The boys are the ones who need such advice, unless she was trying to get the girls to think of themselves as much more noble, able creatures than those tiresome boys (and men) who need their egos coddled. Ah, well. Different times, right? Or are they....
Anyway, one cute character was a little boy who showed up on his own one special day when there was a grand party. This was the second time he had visited, and when he told the girls what he had been doing since they saw him last someone ended up telling him that he was a naughty boy and would not go to Heaven like good boys would. But he said he didn't care, he didn't want to go to Heaven anyway. When they asked him why not, he replied:
"They don't have any dirt there. My mamma says so. I am fond of dirt. I shall stay here where there is plenty of it," and the candid youth began to grub in the mould with the satisfaction of a genuine boy.
This made me laugh, since I am rather fond of dirt myself, even though I am a genuine girl. And now I need to wind this up and get back out to the garden and its dirt.
If you ever need a feel-good read, this is a great one to choose!
December 22, 2023
5+ stars (6/10 hearts). I picked this up when I was high-strung and nervous and needed something calm and sweet to read. It fit the bill perfectly. Set in 1800s America, this slice-of-life novel is full of tea-parties and circuses, school and games. Alcott’s humorous, descriptive style immerses you in the story of Bab + Betty Moss, two fatherless little girls living quiet lives, & Ben Brown, a former circus boy struggling to find security.
Ben was a delightful protagonist. He is very realistic—quite boyish, and with plenty of flaws, but also with a very kind heart and a strong determination. His arc was very good, and I loved seeing him settle down and flourish in a home. Bab was such a humorous character, reminding me a little of Nan from An independent, creative, loving little girl, learning to think before she talks and look before she acts. Betty was an excellent sidekick—sweet, simple, and just as loving. They were all very realistic children, and so were all their schoolmates, who added quite a lot of humour. Dog Sancho was a sweet addition, too. Thorny was a jolly, humorous boy, rather thoughtless and careless, but with a very kind heart—a good big-brother type of character. Mrs. Moss was a lovely mother, too. But my favourite was certainly Miss Celia—I’ve always adored the “a sweet, beautiful, Godly young lady who makes a difference in everyone’s lives and makes them want to live better� trope. And she filled it perfectly, being still very human and real while also Godly and inspiring.
The plot is very simple and quiet—just a summer’s adventures, yet touched by tragedy. Ben’s father’s storyline was very good and rather unexpected. The whole point of the book really is the children learning to be better people and trust God through sunshine and rain, and I love it. The tiny speck of romance was adorable, too.
Overall, this story is a breath of pure, fresh air and a completely satisfying little tale with a happily-ever-after ending. <3
A Favourite Quote: It takes so little to make a child happy, it is a pity grown people do not oftener remember it and scatter little bits of pleasure before the small people, as they throw crumbs to the hungry sparrows.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: A pleasant spot; for a soft rustle filled the air, a brown carpet of pine needles, with fallen cones for a pattern, lay under foot; and over the tops of the tall brakes that fringed the knoll one had glimpses of hill and valley, farm-houses and winding river, like a silver ribbon through the low, green meadows.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “I’ve drove elephants and camels, ostriches and grizzly bears, and mules, and six yellow ponies all to oncet. May be I could manage cows if I tried hard," answered Ben, endeavoring to be meek and respectful when scorn filled his soul at the idea of not being able to drive a cow.
The Squire ... answered gravely,—“Don’t raise elephants and camels much round here. Bears used to be plenty, but folks got tired of them. Mules are numerous, but we have the two-legged kind; and as a general thing prefer Shanghae fowls to ostriches.�
Ben was a delightful protagonist. He is very realistic—quite boyish, and with plenty of flaws, but also with a very kind heart and a strong determination. His arc was very good, and I loved seeing him settle down and flourish in a home. Bab was such a humorous character, reminding me a little of Nan from An independent, creative, loving little girl, learning to think before she talks and look before she acts. Betty was an excellent sidekick—sweet, simple, and just as loving. They were all very realistic children, and so were all their schoolmates, who added quite a lot of humour. Dog Sancho was a sweet addition, too. Thorny was a jolly, humorous boy, rather thoughtless and careless, but with a very kind heart—a good big-brother type of character. Mrs. Moss was a lovely mother, too. But my favourite was certainly Miss Celia—I’ve always adored the “a sweet, beautiful, Godly young lady who makes a difference in everyone’s lives and makes them want to live better� trope. And she filled it perfectly, being still very human and real while also Godly and inspiring.
The plot is very simple and quiet—just a summer’s adventures, yet touched by tragedy. Ben’s father’s storyline was very good and rather unexpected. The whole point of the book really is the children learning to be better people and trust God through sunshine and rain, and I love it. The tiny speck of romance was adorable, too.
Overall, this story is a breath of pure, fresh air and a completely satisfying little tale with a happily-ever-after ending. <3
A Favourite Quote: It takes so little to make a child happy, it is a pity grown people do not oftener remember it and scatter little bits of pleasure before the small people, as they throw crumbs to the hungry sparrows.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: A pleasant spot; for a soft rustle filled the air, a brown carpet of pine needles, with fallen cones for a pattern, lay under foot; and over the tops of the tall brakes that fringed the knoll one had glimpses of hill and valley, farm-houses and winding river, like a silver ribbon through the low, green meadows.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “I’ve drove elephants and camels, ostriches and grizzly bears, and mules, and six yellow ponies all to oncet. May be I could manage cows if I tried hard," answered Ben, endeavoring to be meek and respectful when scorn filled his soul at the idea of not being able to drive a cow.
The Squire ... answered gravely,—“Don’t raise elephants and camels much round here. Bears used to be plenty, but folks got tired of them. Mules are numerous, but we have the two-legged kind; and as a general thing prefer Shanghae fowls to ostriches.�
March 20, 2015
I am shocked that I forgot about this little gem! Of all Louisa May Alcott's books this is the sweetest. I admit that I like Rose in Bloom more, but this one is every bit as good. Of all the characters the dog is the one I remember vividly, the others are just a hazy memory from a hot summer years ago. I cant remember the names of anyone but for some reason I had to give it five. Maybe because I still recall it with fondness? Whatever the case, it is one I should reread for sure!
July 19, 2024
Ben has run away from the circus, and he finds compassion and generosity in the house under the lilacs. He is basically adopted by Miss Celia and her brother, Thorny, and while he is grateful for their kindness, it's difficult for Ben to adapt to a country life after all the excitement and thrills of traveling with the circus.
I love this story! Such a beautiful tale!
Rereading it again for the tenth time, I have enjoyed it just as much as ever! I love the wholesome innocence and goodness in this book.
One of my favorite storylines in this book is when the children start up an archery club and have a tournament. Everyone is sure that Ben will easily win, since he has a true eye and a strong arm from his days of tumbling and doing tricks in the circus. But a young girl named Babs has been practicing a great deal, and she astonishes everyone by beating most of the boys. At the end of the tournament, only Ben and Babs are left as finalists, and Babs has a moment of revelation where she discovers what she truly values in life. It's a really sweet moment between Ben and Babs, who have had their differences earlier in the book. That one moment cements their friendship and develops their personalities as they begin to grow up.
As always, I love Alcott's writing style and how wholesome and sweet the story is, but there is also the weight of serious subjects mixed in with the fun. It's the perfect blend of laughter and gravity.
I love this story! Such a beautiful tale!
Rereading it again for the tenth time, I have enjoyed it just as much as ever! I love the wholesome innocence and goodness in this book.
One of my favorite storylines in this book is when the children start up an archery club and have a tournament. Everyone is sure that Ben will easily win, since he has a true eye and a strong arm from his days of tumbling and doing tricks in the circus. But a young girl named Babs has been practicing a great deal, and she astonishes everyone by beating most of the boys. At the end of the tournament, only Ben and Babs are left as finalists, and Babs has a moment of revelation where she discovers what she truly values in life. It's a really sweet moment between Ben and Babs, who have had their differences earlier in the book. That one moment cements their friendship and develops their personalities as they begin to grow up.
As always, I love Alcott's writing style and how wholesome and sweet the story is, but there is also the weight of serious subjects mixed in with the fun. It's the perfect blend of laughter and gravity.
June 23, 2024
To moja druga ulubiona, po Małych kobietkach, powieść Alcott. Bardzo sympatyczna historia.
June 13, 2018
This is a sweet, little, predictable book suitable for children. When I was seven, it would have been a favorite, no doubt. It has a poor boy who is orphaned, rich ladies who are gracious and generous, old houses that have sat unoccupied and are now brought back to life, circus life, horses, a dog that does tricks like spelling its name with blocks, a boy’s first ever birthday party, and a tea party with two girls and eleven dolls!
Louisa May Alcott writes excellent children’s fare and if I were rating this from that point of view I could give it another star for sure. But, I opened it as an adult and I’m grading it as fare for an adult, and of course it doesn’t measure up. It read quickly enough and I have no doubt I will forget it almost as rapidly. If you have a child seven or eight years old, this should be an excellent read for them; if you are looking for something for yourself, you should probably pass.
Louisa May Alcott writes excellent children’s fare and if I were rating this from that point of view I could give it another star for sure. But, I opened it as an adult and I’m grading it as fare for an adult, and of course it doesn’t measure up. It read quickly enough and I have no doubt I will forget it almost as rapidly. If you have a child seven or eight years old, this should be an excellent read for them; if you are looking for something for yourself, you should probably pass.
June 24, 2009
I have decided this is one of my top 5 LMA books. The story is not preachy and the characters are real and down to earth. People are doing their best and it's just good enough. Ben has run away from his life as a circus boy because his father went away and his guardians mistreat him. Bab and Betty find him and his talented dog living in the carriage house. Their mother takes him in, cleans him up and gets him a job helping the Squire, but when Miss Celia reopens the big house, she finds she needs someone to help her and her brother, who is recovering from an illness. Ben, Thorny, Bab and Betty have adventures, learn lessons about life, death and faith and all comes out as well as can be expected in the end.
May 2, 2015
I really liked this book. Some of the reviews on Amazon were not good. They said it wasn't Little Women or you can tell it was one of her first books. I say lighten up, a book that starts with a tea party can't be bad. This book takes you back to a time when you were a kid and life was tea parties, play and not many worries. My favorite line "The lilacs nodded over the high wall as if they said, we could tell fine secrets if we chose. Mrs. Moss and Miss Celia are true mothers. They took in a young boy named Ben, who had run away from the circus. Read this for Mother's Day.
February 9, 2018
What a sweet story! I liked pretty much all the characters, but Sancho the poodle takes the prize. One of my favorite fictional dogs ever, and that's saying a lot.
January 30, 2017
I hadn't read this book in many years; in fact, I remembered almost nothing about it. Once I got into it again, though, quite a lot came back to me.
The story is about the characters in a small New England village. The main characters are Bab and Betty, young daughters of Mrs. Moss, a widow, who acts as caretaker for a large empty house; Miss Celia, who inherited the house from her grandfather, and her brother, who is 10 years younger than she; Ben Brown, a boy of 12 who has run away from a circus with Sancho, the performing poodle who had been trained by Ben's father, who has been missing for months.
Mrs. Moss takes Ben in, to begin with; upon Miss Celia's return to the big house, she takes Ben to stay with her, to help around her property and to assist her brother who is recovering from polio.
The book is incredibly dated, of course, and while it was originally written for children, 21st century children would find little if anything in common with these children of the 19th century.
One of the most striking differences to me was that very young children were expected to learn to recite pieces of literature, something that modern kids would no doubt rebel against. Are our modern methods of education really superior, or would we be better off reverting to such Victorian attitudes?
The question is moot, since it is impossible to go back, even if we wished. I did enjoy this visit to the previous century (previous to the one I was born into, anyway).
The story is about the characters in a small New England village. The main characters are Bab and Betty, young daughters of Mrs. Moss, a widow, who acts as caretaker for a large empty house; Miss Celia, who inherited the house from her grandfather, and her brother, who is 10 years younger than she; Ben Brown, a boy of 12 who has run away from a circus with Sancho, the performing poodle who had been trained by Ben's father, who has been missing for months.
Mrs. Moss takes Ben in, to begin with; upon Miss Celia's return to the big house, she takes Ben to stay with her, to help around her property and to assist her brother who is recovering from polio.
The book is incredibly dated, of course, and while it was originally written for children, 21st century children would find little if anything in common with these children of the 19th century.
One of the most striking differences to me was that very young children were expected to learn to recite pieces of literature, something that modern kids would no doubt rebel against. Are our modern methods of education really superior, or would we be better off reverting to such Victorian attitudes?
The question is moot, since it is impossible to go back, even if we wished. I did enjoy this visit to the previous century (previous to the one I was born into, anyway).
January 5, 2021
Louisa May Alcott's writing is so eloquent, she can make the seemingly trivial events of childhood appear momentous. And this book revolves solely around the lives of children: little girls at tea parties, boys in the mud, children listening to "pretty stories," dogs that do tricks, and the aching of little hearts when they lose a parent. The reader becomes wholly immersed in their little dramas and leaves the adult world behind for a while.
I found this book refreshing, at a time when our current adult world is plagued with pandemic and political division. It made me a bit sad for the era we have left behind, a time when innocence was the earmark of childhood. If I had to sum up the book in a word, it would be "wholesome." I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I found this book refreshing, at a time when our current adult world is plagued with pandemic and political division. It made me a bit sad for the era we have left behind, a time when innocence was the earmark of childhood. If I had to sum up the book in a word, it would be "wholesome." I thoroughly enjoyed it!
December 18, 2022
Don't name more than one main character with the same first initial as any other character.
"Ha!" said Louisa May Alcott, I imagine. "Ha! I can make anything work."
And so she brought forth Bab, Betty, and Ben Brown. And lo, it became a great read.
I loved that book. Maybe mostly, I loved the idea of lilacs. (In my perfectly fine neighborhood, where I grew up in Flushing, Queens, I'd never yet seen -- or smelled -- an actual lilac.)
In my dreamy schoolgirl way, I loved my idea of lilacs, courtesy of Louisa May Alcott. So, of course, I loved this book.
"Ha!" said Louisa May Alcott, I imagine. "Ha! I can make anything work."
And so she brought forth Bab, Betty, and Ben Brown. And lo, it became a great read.
I loved that book. Maybe mostly, I loved the idea of lilacs. (In my perfectly fine neighborhood, where I grew up in Flushing, Queens, I'd never yet seen -- or smelled -- an actual lilac.)
In my dreamy schoolgirl way, I loved my idea of lilacs, courtesy of Louisa May Alcott. So, of course, I loved this book.
September 8, 2017
3.5 stars. While not my favorite story by Louisa May Alcott, I did enjoy it. Bab and Betty are so cute! And I liked Ben right from the start. While not a very exciting story, it was well told and fun to read. It also held the same delightful "flavor" as all of Alcott's works. I loved the ending.
November 9, 2020
Um pequeno classico infanto juvenil muito bem construido. Uma linda historia sobre um menino que sofreu muito mas que com o seu espirito audaz e carinhoso, conquistou todos a sua volta.
December 28, 2018
I had no idea what to expect from this book. It was a delight! I thought it would be more of a girls book but it wasn’t, it was ALSO a boy book. Just a good book about the adventures of two boys and two girls. I’m sorry this book is not more popular.
Popsugar Book Challenge 2018: A book with your favorite color in the title
Popsugar Book Challenge 2018: A book with your favorite color in the title
December 19, 2018
This was my second Louisa May Alcott book, the first being Little Women. And while I loved Little Women, I think I enjoyed this one even more. It was a touching, heartwarming story that I didn't want to put down until the last page. I was not familiar with this book until a couple of days ago, and I think it deserves to be much better known than it is!
*5 Stars
*5 Stars
July 24, 2009
I was a bit disappointed with this work. I had just finished Rose in Bloom and An Old-Fashioned Girl, so I suppose that I was expecting a more mature book. It is a sweet read, however, for young readers who wish to become familiar with classic authors.
The book follows two young sisters, Bab and Betty, and their adventures with their young friend Ben, a circus runaway, his trick-dog, Sancho, and Miss Celia and Thornton, a brother and sister duo who also add spice to their life. With a true ‘story-book� ending, this book chronicles their growth in stature and character and features a small amount of humour.
The book follows two young sisters, Bab and Betty, and their adventures with their young friend Ben, a circus runaway, his trick-dog, Sancho, and Miss Celia and Thornton, a brother and sister duo who also add spice to their life. With a true ‘story-book� ending, this book chronicles their growth in stature and character and features a small amount of humour.
March 8, 2014
A very gentle tale, centered around an unconventional grouping of people that became family. Though idealistic in nature, the body of this book sweeps you back a hundred years to a different time and place. The story is warm, and inspirational, but it also had an unexpected effect of sadness for me. For those times of mud pies, of swimming at the pond, of playing with dolls under oaks and elms all day, is not a reality for my youngest--and I so long for that for him...
July 13, 2019
Though not as well known as Little Woman or even Eight Cousins, this book is a delightful introduction to Lousia May Alcott's writing. It is a simple story of a boy, he has a dog, a mostly missing father, many friends, and a strong sense of honor.
Education of all sorts is called for, as is hard work and fun.
What makes for a r story than a boy running away from the circus and finding a family and happiness doing normal things.
Education of all sorts is called for, as is hard work and fun.
What makes for a r story than a boy running away from the circus and finding a family and happiness doing normal things.
April 9, 2010
I don't really know why this was one of my favorite books as a child. Was it the circus boy and dog? Or just the pastoral beauty of all those lilacs? I'm not sure if the "moral" just went over my head or if, as small children do, I instinctively just liked the comments on good and evil, consequences and deeds. Whatever it was, I still find it a charming story.
May 24, 2023
This was a reread of a favorite childhood book and it did not disappoint! I highly recommend it as an entertaining, endearing and character building book for all ages. It would make a great read aloud book and the audiobook narrated by Anne Hancock is amazing!
April 26, 2020
The ratings for the Louisa May Alcott books I have read have gone, in order of when I read them: 5, 4, 4, 3, and 2.
This does not give me much hope for the next book.
This does not give me much hope for the next book.
August 17, 2024
This is what I would call a “cute� book.
November 21, 2011
Most young boys dream of running away to join a circus but young Ben Brown and his clever poodle, Sancho, have run away from the circus. Ben’s father had left the circus to look for a better job, intending to send for his son once he was settled. Once his father's protection had gone, Ben was beaten by the circus master and so runs away. Babs and Betty Moss are in the garden of Miss Celia’s big house holding a dolls' tea party in the shade of the lilac trees. They catch Sancho red-handed stealing the tea party food for his young master. Their mother, who is taking care of the great house, takes Ben in, cleans him up and gets him a job helping the Squire, who is most impressed with the hard work Ben does. Celia returns with her younger brother Thornton (Thorny) and she hires Ben, on the Squires recommendation, to become Thorny companion while he recovers from a long illness that has left him confined to a wheelchair � not an easy job.
Ben, Babs and Betty become really good mates and get up to all sorts of mischief as children do and in the process Ben and his friends learn about life, friendship, love, death and faith. It is a real old-fashioned children’s story with laughter, tears and an innocence that children’s books don’t seem to have anymore.
Ben, Babs and Betty become really good mates and get up to all sorts of mischief as children do and in the process Ben and his friends learn about life, friendship, love, death and faith. It is a real old-fashioned children’s story with laughter, tears and an innocence that children’s books don’t seem to have anymore.
September 7, 2013
When I was 10 or so Little Women was my favorite book in the world. And I reread it throughout the decades, and still love it. But it has been awhile. So, picking up Under the Lilacs, which I somehow missed in childhood, I anticipated the delight of another Alcott world immersion. And it is delightful. But reading this ( a runaway boy, a circus, a doggie, two delightful children, a nice and charming lady, gardens)...and thinking about the milieu in which Alcott wrote...I am struck by the levels of social life, or rather maybe sociology that are buried beneath the jolly surface. Remember how poor the 4 little women are? As a child I just glided over that fact, and I would have glided over the reality of...wait, there's a little boy starving, having run away from a circus (rather than to a circus) with his remarkable dog?? There are bad people who hurt dogs? There are poor children in school who get laughed at and don't eat much? Whoa.
But you can read it all on the surface and love it. Things work out, life is pretty, good is sunny. And I like that. Just pondering beneath the surface now. But if you are 10...go for it, you probably won't notice the quiet sharks.
But you can read it all on the surface and love it. Things work out, life is pretty, good is sunny. And I like that. Just pondering beneath the surface now. But if you are 10...go for it, you probably won't notice the quiet sharks.
November 12, 2018
This book is intended for children; it features two sisters called Bab and Betty, who are 10 and 9 respectively, and a boy called Ben who is 12 and who has run away from a circus, looking for his father.
It's old-fashioned, of course, and based in America, but the language is simple enough that fluently-reading girls of around 8 or 9 might enjoy it, and perhaps some boys too since Ben is actually the hero of the book. There are a few places where the author makes comments, as tended to happen in previous centuries, and an over-emphasis on formal education and learning poetry or facts by heart, which I might have found annoying a few years ago. But on the whole it's a delightful story, quick to read with a couple of very moving moments that brought tears to my eyes.
Not particularly memorable, but very pleasant reading, and good to re-read every ten years or so.
It's old-fashioned, of course, and based in America, but the language is simple enough that fluently-reading girls of around 8 or 9 might enjoy it, and perhaps some boys too since Ben is actually the hero of the book. There are a few places where the author makes comments, as tended to happen in previous centuries, and an over-emphasis on formal education and learning poetry or facts by heart, which I might have found annoying a few years ago. But on the whole it's a delightful story, quick to read with a couple of very moving moments that brought tears to my eyes.
Not particularly memorable, but very pleasant reading, and good to re-read every ten years or so.
July 26, 2015
This is one of the books I bought for free for my new Kindle. I thoroughly love Louisa May Alcott, so when I saw this I just had to get it. It took a little while to read, but it's one of those books that was difficult to put down when I had to. The only thing I didn't like about the digital version is that there are 64 errors and some are as simple as the three words that are suppose to be ears but ended up as cars. I decided to go to a book store to see the original version and it doesn't have any of the digital version errors.
This book is amazing about a circus boy and his dog looking for his father. A long the way he is found by two little girls and the girls' mother and a nice lady who has come back to her home roots. I love how Ms. Alcott interweaves the lives of the kids with the adults and all of the fun, adventure, and life lessons that are learned throughout the book.
This book is amazing about a circus boy and his dog looking for his father. A long the way he is found by two little girls and the girls' mother and a nice lady who has come back to her home roots. I love how Ms. Alcott interweaves the lives of the kids with the adults and all of the fun, adventure, and life lessons that are learned throughout the book.
April 30, 2015
A fine example of classic children's literature.
Under the lilacs harks back to a simple time where virtue and honestly are the by words of life. A homeless runaway finds charity in a small town. His feet are set on the path of life while while benevolent friends surround and support him. This book by Louisa May Alcott will delight readers young and old and remind them that kindness wins the day.
Under the lilacs harks back to a simple time where virtue and honestly are the by words of life. A homeless runaway finds charity in a small town. His feet are set on the path of life while while benevolent friends surround and support him. This book by Louisa May Alcott will delight readers young and old and remind them that kindness wins the day.
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