Carrots and Miggle

by Ardath Mayhar

Charlotte Ramsden (called "Carrots") knew that when Emiglia came, life was going to be different. Emiglia, a distant relative, had been born in Hungary, reared in London by scholarly parents, and now she was an orphan with no relatives who could take her except the Ramsdens. When she arrived Emiglia (soon dubbed Miggle by Carrots' little sister) was upset to discover that people work so hard, that even a five year old would be expected to do her share of field and garden work, and that Carrots worked like a paid hand in the dairy. Worse, to someone raised in a scholarly environment, all of the Ramsdens got sweaty and dirty every day, and Miggle was expected to join them, walking in barnyard muck, slopping pigs, milking cows. She hates the idea and isn't afraid to say so. The transition is not an easy for any of them, but is hardest for Carrots because Miggle is close to her age and she was the one who has to show the despised newcomer how to do all the right things. Carrots hates Miggle. But, she and Carrots are more alike than either of them dreams. The way to friendship may be long and hard, but if they don't drive each other crazy first, it just might be worth it. Age 8-13

159 pages, Library Binding

First published March 1, 1986

About the author

Ardath Frances Hurst Mayhar was an American writer and poet. She began writing science fiction in 1979 after returning with her family to Texas from Oregon. She was nominated for the Mark Twain Award, and won the Balrog Award for a horror narrative poem in Masques I.

She had numerous other nominations for awards in almost every fiction genre, and won many awards for poetry. In 2008 she was honored by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America as an Author Emeritus.

Mayhar wrote over 60 books ranging from science fiction to horror to young adult to historical to westerns; with some work under the pseudonyms Frank Cannon, Frances Hurst, John Killdeer, Ardath P. Mayhar. Joe R. Lansdale wrote simply: "Ardath Mayhar writes damn fine books!"