They Loved to Laugh

Tears and laughter alternate in this novel of a young girl's growth to womanhood in the 1830's. Sixteen-year-old orphan Martitia is taken into the home of Dr. Gardner, a North Carolina Quaker, who has five lively sons as full of merriment as himself. The boys do their best to get Martitia to laugh, but she is at first overwhelmed by their pranks. Little by little she struggles to become a true Gardner daughter. And in so doing, she grows in humor and in love.

I remembered this book so well from reading it years ago. I remember my worry about the two boys that loved her and how could that turn out well? I loved Martitia's hard work to become worthy of being a Gardner daughter. It reminded me some of Understood Betsy. I was also glad that the talents she learned from her mother were useful in the end. Talents Ruth had looked down on. It was good that the two girls were able to finally become friends. Shannon Gordon remembered this one from her childhood.

They Loved to Laugh - 9781883937164
I originally read this book a long time ago. I lost track of it and, although I looked for years to find it, had no success. What a joy to discover it back in print again. Rereading may prove a letdown, but, when I recall how many time I took it off the library shelves, I doubt it. A coming of age book, this tells the story of an orphaned girl (sound familiar, Anne readers?) who goes to live with a family which already has five sons and one disapproving daughter. The heroine struggles to overcome her sorrow and her difficulty in fitting in with this large family.

P. 60, checked reviews again to see if I needed to keep going. Read this review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/260749153?book_show_action=true&from_r... and decided that it is indeed time to DNF the thing. I should like it, but I don't. Boys & Ruth too mean, Martitia too childish, not enough about Quakers, Eunice doesn't even act like one. Bleah.

Sweet book about Quaker family.