The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook

Millicent Margaret Amanda, known to her friends and family as Milly-Molly-Mandy, lived in a nice white cottage with a thatched roof, in a small, close-knit village in the south of England (probably the author's native East Sussex), sometime in the 1920s. Her adventures at home and abroad, with her Mother and Father, Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle and Aunty, little-friend Susan and Billy Blunt, and all of the other villagers, are detailed in the twenty-one short stories contained in this anthology...

Sweet but not saccharine, Millly-Molly-Mandy is a charming young literary heroine, and her activities would make for the perfect bedtime reading, a chapter or two per night, for younger children who want more involved stories. I have long been show more aware of this classic British children's book character, who debuted in 1928 with Joyce Lankester Brisley's Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories, and who went on to star in five more collections, but it wasn't until this new printing of The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook came into work that I had the opportunity to read about her doings. I'm so glad that I did, as I enjoyed every selection here immensely. The language is simple but descriptive, the accompanying artwork, done by Brisley herself, just lovely. There is a wholesome quality to these tales, an innocence that I found very pleasing, and a sense of basic morality that was very appealing. Most of all, there is a sense of love - family love, the love of close friends, and the love of the wider community - that was heartwarming. This collection draws only from the first four Milly-Molly-Mandy books (and I'm not sure it includes all the stories from those four), so I finished it wanting to track down more! If only they were more widely available in the states... show less

The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook, written and illustrated by Joyce Lankester Brisley, is a collection of twenty-one classic tales about this resourceful and thoughtful little girl reflect with accuracy the dilemmas and challenges of a child's world. Young children today will love to hear how Milly-Molly-Mandy decides to spend her first penny, looks after a hedgehog, and spends her first night away from home.

First sentence: Once upon a time there was a little girl. She had a Father, and a Mother, and a Grandpa, and a Grandma, and an Uncle, and an Aunty; they all lived together in a nice white cottage with a thatched roof.

Premise/plot: Milly Molly Mandy stars in a collection of stories. This book was originally published in 1928. There are other Milly Molly Mandy books. The stories--at least in this initial collection--are episodic. Each story stands more or less on its own. It features (relatively) the same cast of characters: her immediate family (see above) and her friends Toby and Susan.

The stories in this collection:

Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Errands (I would personally say go ON errands, but the table of contents says otherwise)
show more Milly-Molly-Mandy Spends a Penny
Milly-Molly-Mandy Meets Her Great-Aunt
Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Blackberrying
Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to a Party
Milly-Molly-Mandy Enjoys a Visit
Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes Gardening
Milly-Molly-Mandy Keeps Shop
Milly-Molly-Mandy Gives A Party
Milly-Molly-Mandy Gets to Know Teacher
Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to a Fete
Milly-Molly-Mandy Has A Surprise
Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to A Concert
Milly-Molly-Mandy's Mother Goes Away
Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes to the Sea
Milly-Molly-Mandy Minds a Baby
Milly-Molly-Mandy Goes on an Expedition
Milly-Molly-Mandy Helps to Thatch a Roof
Milly-Molly-Mandy Keeps House
Milly-Molly-Mandy and the Blacksmith's Wedding
Milly-Molly-Mandy Has a New Dress

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one thoroughly. I did. It is old-fashioned for sure. These stories are like licks on a lollipop. I don't know that any one story stands out as wow or amazing. But taken together there is something satisfying about spending time with Milly-Molly-Mandy. I'm not sure how much appeal this character will have for young children or children. Perhaps if introduced to the stories by someone who passionately loves these characters, these books, and takes the time to pass on the tradition???

This is a book that I [and probably plenty of other adults] could imagine being read by their grandparents when they were little. And that adds an element of sentimentality perhaps. show less

I am reading this aloud to my five year old and we are both adoring it. The stories are simple and kind, dating from (and perhaps glorifying) a time when life seemed better and less complicated. It is a wonderful introduction to rural life in times past and a great before bed read for little ones who can handle more challenge than your average picture book

Milly-Molly-Mandy is a very quaint storybook. I had trouble with her calling her parents Muvver and Favver. Having read Just William! I kept expecting something to go terribly awry, but it never did. I read about this in another book. I wish I could remember where the reference came from. It took a long time for me to get the book. It was really nice bedtime reading. Nothing really happens. Very simple and sweet. The illustrations by the author are delightful.

In every chapter of this brilliant book is basically a new story. Sometimes Milly-Molly-Mandy would get a new dress, or make a new friend, or anything like that. I think that J. Brisley is a good author, but I do say - I found some peculiar mistakes in it..But, that's the publisher's fault, isn't it? And anyway, I was still able to follow the story!

This book was quite funny, as a matter of fact, and sometimes it even made me read a certain paragraph or two to my family. And even then, they would laugh too - not just me, who'll even giggle at my own joke!

This book is probably recommended for six- or seven-year-old children to ten- or eleven-year-olds. I think the words that J. Brisley wrote were just right, so that nearly everyone will show more be happy to read it, and when reading it will chuckle and giggle out loud! show less

I loved this book when I was a child, mostly because I shared a name in common with Milly-Molly-Mandy. I remember sitting on m bed with the book and vowing to read every single story between it's covers, a task that seemed nearly impossible to my 5 year old mind. I stilll remember the stories in the book. I think that all children should have the pleasure of enjoying the lively, love-able Milly-Molly-Mandy.