The Peterkin Papers

The Peterkins

by Lucretia P. Hale

Before Amelia Bedelia and the Stupids there were the Peterkins. The Peterkin Papers collects all of Lucretia Hale’s beloved tales of a thoroughly silly family.

The Peterkin Papers record the antics of the most memorably and hopelessly bumbling of respectable American families. Confronted by the endless challenges of daily life, the Peterkins rise to every occasion with misguided they sit out in the sun for hours and fail to go for a ride because they’ve forgotten to unhitch the horse, they play the piano from the porch through the parlor window because the movers left the keyboard turned that way, they decide to raise the ceiling to accommodate a too-tall Christmas tree. Only the timely intervention of their great and good friend, the Lady from Philadelphia, can be counted on to get the Peterkins out of their latest scrape.

A classic of American children’s literature and a masterpiece of deadpan drollery, The Peterkin Papers restore our astonishment at the ordinary, finding a rich vein of humor and happy surprise in the mere fact of our surviving the trivialities and tribulations of family life.

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Humor, Classics, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Literature

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1883

About the author

Lucretia Peabody Hale, sister of Edward Everett Hale wrote two noted books, The Peterkin Papers (1880) and The Last of the Peterkins (1886), for children.

After attending school, this United States journalist and author, a member of the Boston school committee for two years, devoted to literature.

Hale published numerous stories in periodicals and newspapers, some of which were collected in books.

Parents reared Lucretia Peabody Hale with her ten siblings. Nathan Hale, nephew and namesake of the patriot hero, a lawyer, edited and owned the Boston Daily Advertiser while her mother, also an author, was a sister of Edward Everett, a Unitarian minister and politician.

Reviews

[Rick Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reason Saturday Night Live movies are rarely funny is that they take a clever premise that makes a hilarious 5 minute sketch and try to stretch the one joke out to 2 hours. Although "The Peterkin Papers" is a predecessor to Amelia Bedilia, it feels like someone took the one joke of an Amelia Bedilia book (hey, there's this person who comically misunderstands things), applies the joke to an entire family, and stretches it out to 200 pages. The result is uneven and thin. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's simply tiresome.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 2 out of 5]

ENGLISH: A very silly family, whose silly problems are usually solved by the lady from Philadelphia.

ESPAÑOL: Una familia muy tonta, cuyos problemas tontos los suele resolver la señora de Filadelfia.

[Karlyne Landrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book to read to kids who are skeptical of being read aloud to (at least I think it is!). I'll be trying it out on the granddaughters to see if they see the humor in fixing a cup of coffee that Mrs. Peterkin put salt into instead of sugar, or in inventing a universal lock and key so that everyone can get into everywhere. This is a droll and wise book that I loved as a kid, and I haven't changed my opinion of it at all!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Peterkins really have problems dealing with everyday life. The oldest, Agamemnon, his brother Solomon John, his sister Elizabeth Eliza, their little brothers, and of course hapless Mr. and Mrs. Peterkin are always finding themselves in strange situations. Fortunately, their very wise friend the Lady from Philadelphia, can always offer just the right advice. Children and adults alike will find this amusing.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish this as the humor was just too dumb for my liking.

I get, and love, Amelia Bedelia kind of dumb; but it's short and sweet and not a novel. I think that's why I couldn't get into this book. It was just too much.

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[Kaye · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find the antics of a stupid family very funny.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Peterkins are very silly and very indecisive. The stories would be funny read one at a time as serialized but to read them all back-to-back got to be a little repetitive. The stories are loosely interconnected but can definitely be read as standalones. My favorite scenes were definitely Christmas and moving house.

If you pick this one up, I would recommend reading it slowly and taking your time between each of the stories.

[EchoHouseLibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most marvelous funny little book! I looked for years as an adult for it, unable to recall the title...then found the very copy I had read as a child in my brother's library! It's a 1924 publication, inscribed from one grand aunt to another at Christmas 1945. I'm supposing that they were used book fans then too. The gifter was a librarian for many years:) The Peterkins are lacking common-sense, somewhat like Amelia Bedelia, and their troubles are laugh out loud funny even now. Fairly timeless and very charming.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun children's book about a family that lacked common sense. Their salvation from numerous problems is to ask "the wise old lady from Philadelphia" for advice. Her advice is so simple, but they need her help time and again. Family comments:
Father: "One learns a great many things too late."
Daughter: "We are not a family for an emergency."

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently revisited this childhood favorite and found it every bit as funny as I remembered. The Peterkins have a kind of infectious stupidity that affects everyone in their orbit and which generally only the lady from Philadelphia can untangle.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

The innocent bumblings of this family really never could get beyond the most mentally basic gaffes that failed to draw any interest or amusement. I can enjoy the Three Stooges, or Amelia Bedelia, and I was hoping a predecessor would have some distinct value.

[EJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand why so many anthologies pick out one short story from this book and leave it at that. An entire book of the Peterkin's particular brand of idiocy is a strain, especially given the outright brownface performance in one of the later chapters.

[Michelle Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely and had to laugh many times. As ridiculous as the Peterkin family is, I saw myself in some of their conundrums! It will be a wonderful read aloud when the children are a little older.

[Chloe]

I didn't finish it because its not good. but I started a new book

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these stories when in Elementary School and it was great to revisit them as I found an old, hardbound copy at a flea market.

[Bethanyanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 9 year old and I really enjoyed reading this book together. It's very similar to Amelia Bedelia

[Hannah Conner · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author seems to attempt to be witty, but falls short. The book is barely amusing.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in the 1880s. Bought for me for a journal art project so thought I’d better read some of the stories before I painted over them. Silly little short stories that were relevant to the times.

[Gina House · Rating 2 out of 5]

In some ways, I think it was a mistake to put this particular collection of short stories together. On one hand, it makes complete sense to have a single book that houses all of the Peterkin Papers from Victorian times in one place. But, as this was a magazine/newspaper serial that was published once a week or so, it's not something you can (or should) read through like a novel.

After I got 30% through with the book, the stories became very monotonous and it was not very amusing to continue reading story after story of the silly and ridiculous mistakes that the Peterkin family make over and over. At first, it was pretty funny. But, I got sick of reading the entries pretty quickly.

I finally made it through to the end, but I would not recommend reading this book one story after the other. If you start it well in advance of Victober, you could arrange to finish the last story at the end of October. But, read only one story per week.

Once I got to the end, I felt like I'd had enough of the Peterkin Family and I was extremely relieved to be done with it.

[BookSweetie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a 1960s reproduction of an 1889 illustrated edition of The Peterkin Papers.

Our family adored reading (the 20th century series) the Stupids!
How wonderful that the late nineteenth century kids had the bumbling family of the Peterkins! The Peterkin series is now a historic relic, so I am not sure how well today's twentieth century kids would enjoy the stories, but as an adult, I am fascinated by these vintage literature examples.

The picture book series of the Stupids illustrated by the wonderfully droll James Marshall was aimed at much younger readers than the chapter book Peterkin series by L. Hale. I wish James Marshall were still alive so I could ask him whether he was inspired by the Peterkins or not; if so, I think Marshall improved upon the earlier bumbling family. For me, the Stupids is genius and much more appealing!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Peterkins Papers"
I enjoyed these short stories. They reminded me of stories about Amelia Bedelia and the townspeople of Chelm.

"The Last of the Peterkins"
I thought the stories about their trip to Egypt long but funny as they kept losing family members at each leg of their journey until Mrs Peterkins ended up arriving at Egypt alone. It was interesting how each family member (except Mr and Mrs Peterkins) opted to stay in Europe, either as students (the little boys) marraige (Elizabeth Eliza), political positions (Agememnon and Solomon John). I was surprised they didn't feel the need to contact "the lady from Philadelphia for advice.

[BethK · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book designed for children. It's a delight to read it outloud with them!

It's a collection of short stories, written around 1900. The things in the book are antiquated - such as they travel by horse and buggy, they go visit apothecary shops, and so forth. They're just as funny now as they were in 1900!

The Peterkins have the most round-about, absurd ways of doing things. These always get them into trouble, or MORE trouble. There is the hereo, "The Lady from Philidelphia", who is smart and wise - and tells them the common sense way to solve the problem.

Recommended for children of all ages.

[Kathy Via · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am reading books with my grandchildren to encourage them to read. They are homeschooled and are reading great books that I thoroughly enjoy. It makes me see that I missed a lot in my school days! This was not one of the enjoyable ones. Reading about the Peterkin's was like watching Basil on Fawalty Towers or Mr. Bean and his misadventures. A couple of chapters would have been enough but it goes on and on and on. They are a family totally lacking in common sense and while it was amusing at first, it became frustrating. I was very glad when we finished the book!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolute favorite from my childhood, reread for the first time in ages...there's still a lot of good, and the writing is topnotch. The offhanded racism that's so present in so many late-19th Century books is at least very sparse, and a number of the anecdotes are very amusing...though the ending of the book is positively daft...
All told, though, a real classic and a book I'm profoundly grateful for.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

October 10th- These people are plain old silly. Thus far the stories tell of how the entire family unites to resolve an issue. They do so by thinking of every possible resolution (that doesn't involve common sense). This lack of common sense is what makes it so silly.
The stories are not life-changing or perspective-altering.
Instead, you feel like you're sitting in your close friends', the Peterkins, living room by a warm fireplace, hearing the latest silly story that happened.

[Kidsbookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not heard of this book until recently, but I think when my kids were into Amelia Bedelia books, they would have loved this one, too. I think this would be a great book for an advanced 2nd grade reader who would be highly motivated by the thick book. Some of the lists of plants, remedies, solutions are lengthy, but other than that, it would make for a funny read aloud, also.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was probably funny for 1880 or something. I did not exactly enjoy it, and I also thought I could look at a bookshelf and find a book that is a lot more funny. I like fantasy, funny, up to date books. So, over the entire book(I didn't even read the last of the Peterkins. I think that if you want to find "funny" read Percy Jackson, or Time warp trio. Not exactly funny and kind of a stressful book.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminds me of fairy tales about a silly family. They have absolutely no common sense, and are always getting themselves stuck. (If the piano is placed in the living room with it's back to the room, then the only thing the family can think to do is have the daughter sit outside on the porch and open the window to play...) Light-hearted. This would be fun to share with a child.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a child and wished to re-read it because of the character known as "the lady from Philadelphia" - the woman who solves all of the silly problems of the Peterkin family. Fans of "Amelia Bedelia" and "The Stupids" will like this quaint book. It was written in the middle 1800's and is comprised of the series of short stories the author wrote for a magazine.

[Karen (Living Unabridged) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud with my 11 year old daughter. We found the family funny, if exasperating. (Not sure either of us would be as patient as "the lady from Philadelphia") Sweet vintage charm and a few laugh out loud moments for both of us. (Some of the old expressions and situations were a bit lost on my daughter, honestly, but she still laughed in the right places.)