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Sally #1
Away Goes Sally
In late eighteenth-century Massachusetts, Sally, an orphan living on a farm with her three aunts and two uncles, is excited when, after deciding to relocate in Maine, the family sets out on the long and adventurous winter journey taking with them a little house on runners so that her oldest aunt may never have to leave her own fireside behind.
118 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1934
About the author
Elizabeth Coatsworth
167 books48 followersElizabeth Jane Coatsworth was best known as the author of Away Goes Sally, The Cat Who Went to Heaven, which won the 1931 Newbery Medal, and the four Incredible Tales, but in fact she wrote more than 90 books for children. She was extremely interested in the world around her, particularly the people of Maine, as well as the houses and the surrounding land. She also loved the history and myths of her favorite places, those near her home and those encountered on her countless travels.
Coatsworth graduated from Vassar College in 1915 and received a Master of Arts from Columbia University in 1916. In 1929, she married writer Henry Beston, with whom she had two children. When she was in her thirties, her first books of adult poetry were published. For over fifty years, she continued to write and publish poetry in collections and to weave poems between the chapters of her books of fiction.
Coatsworth graduated from Vassar College in 1915 and received a Master of Arts from Columbia University in 1916. In 1929, she married writer Henry Beston, with whom she had two children. When she was in her thirties, her first books of adult poetry were published. For over fifty years, she continued to write and publish poetry in collections and to weave poems between the chapters of her books of fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 5, 2019
Notable author. Away Goes Sally (1934) is the first book in a children's historical fiction series by the prolific author Elizabeth Coatsworth (1893 to 1986). Young Sally is living on a farm in Massachusetts with her caring uncles and aunts in the very late eighteenth century. A letter from a relative invites them to consider moving north to Maine. Thus the household has a decision to make and, while most everyone agrees, one aunt declares firmly that she does not want to abandon the familiarity of hearth and home.
This children’s historical novel series began with this book Away Goes Sally (1934).The others include Five Bushel Farm (1938); The Fair American(1940); The White Horse (1942); The Wonderful Day(1946).
The story continues. One uncle surreptitiously builds a small house atop sleigh runners to be pulled by oxen over the snow during late winter/early spring. He hopes the unveiling of his “surprise” will please the reluctant aunt and bring consensus within the group so they can all move north together.
This is a simple, brief, straightforward read permeated with a sense of family warmth that contrasts with the cold New England winter. While the story is short on action, the book contains appealing historical flavor and detail about a time well over two hundred years ago.
More about the notable author: Elizabeth Coatsworth won the Newbery Medal in 1931 for The Cat Who Went To Heaven. She wrote fiction and poetry for adults and children and published over 90 books. She was salutatorian at Vassar in 1915 and then attended Columbia for a Master of Arts in 1916. She had traveled in China, Japan, the Philippines, Egypt, Mexico and Europe before her more settled adult life and drew upon her experiences in her writing life.
In 1929 she married. Her husband Henry Beston was the author of the nature classic The Outermost House ; one of their daughters (Catherine Karnes) became the first poet laureate of Maine. Much of her adult life (57 years) was spent at Chimney Farm in Nobleboro, Maine.
This children’s historical novel series began with this book Away Goes Sally (1934).The others include Five Bushel Farm (1938); The Fair American(1940); The White Horse (1942); The Wonderful Day(1946).
The story continues. One uncle surreptitiously builds a small house atop sleigh runners to be pulled by oxen over the snow during late winter/early spring. He hopes the unveiling of his “surprise” will please the reluctant aunt and bring consensus within the group so they can all move north together.
This is a simple, brief, straightforward read permeated with a sense of family warmth that contrasts with the cold New England winter. While the story is short on action, the book contains appealing historical flavor and detail about a time well over two hundred years ago.
More about the notable author: Elizabeth Coatsworth won the Newbery Medal in 1931 for The Cat Who Went To Heaven. She wrote fiction and poetry for adults and children and published over 90 books. She was salutatorian at Vassar in 1915 and then attended Columbia for a Master of Arts in 1916. She had traveled in China, Japan, the Philippines, Egypt, Mexico and Europe before her more settled adult life and drew upon her experiences in her writing life.
In 1929 she married. Her husband Henry Beston was the author of the nature classic The Outermost House ; one of their daughters (Catherine Karnes) became the first poet laureate of Maine. Much of her adult life (57 years) was spent at Chimney Farm in Nobleboro, Maine.
January 10, 2022
Away Goes Sally is a vintage children's historical fiction novel about a New England family living just before the War of 1812. Sally's home is filled with relatives: some of whom, like her Uncle Joseph, want to accept Uncle Ephraim's invitation to settle in Maine and some of whom, like Nannie, would prefer to stay in their own home. When Uncle Joseph finds a way to transport the entire house to Maine in order to satisfy everyone's wishes, Sally is along for an exciting ride through wilderness and harsh wintry conditions.
I read this short novel aloud to my kids this past spring, and it was a pleasant and enjoyable story. My girls really enjoyed the story of the journey, and the logistics of moving a house during this time period. I found myself wishing for a little less exposition at the start of the book and more time spent on the actual travel, but that was really just a matter of personal preference.
The really nice thing is that this story reveals a lot of details about what it might have been like to live during this time period, not against the backdrop of a major historical event, but in the context of one family's major decision to move to a new place. The reader is pleasantly immersed in the world of the early 1800s without being bogged down by the political, military and social concerns that often dominate historical fiction.
We read this book for fun, and not to accompany a specific lesson, and it worked perfectly for us. Kids who are reluctant to read historical fiction (as I was as a child) might be persuaded to look upon it more kindly after reading a light and entertaining story like this one. Elizabeth Coatsworth is, in general, the perfect author to turn to for historical stories filled with believable everyday people and their experiences.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
I read this short novel aloud to my kids this past spring, and it was a pleasant and enjoyable story. My girls really enjoyed the story of the journey, and the logistics of moving a house during this time period. I found myself wishing for a little less exposition at the start of the book and more time spent on the actual travel, but that was really just a matter of personal preference.
The really nice thing is that this story reveals a lot of details about what it might have been like to live during this time period, not against the backdrop of a major historical event, but in the context of one family's major decision to move to a new place. The reader is pleasantly immersed in the world of the early 1800s without being bogged down by the political, military and social concerns that often dominate historical fiction.
We read this book for fun, and not to accompany a specific lesson, and it worked perfectly for us. Kids who are reluctant to read historical fiction (as I was as a child) might be persuaded to look upon it more kindly after reading a light and entertaining story like this one. Elizabeth Coatsworth is, in general, the perfect author to turn to for historical stories filled with believable everyday people and their experiences.
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
May 10, 2024
the gist of the story makes for pleasant reading--an early 19th century girl, Sally, moves to Maine with the assorted aunts and uncles she lives with, in a little house on a sledge pulled by oxen, which is charming. Can't give it more than three stars though, because Sally is not an especially interesting character--she never has any deep thoughts, nor does she ever interrogate anything around her, she just goes with the flow. So the reader is left to interrogate alone things like the "Negro page boy" of her great aunt, who is almost certainly enslaved, and mentions of how nice the Indians are.
July 19, 2017
A lovely winter tale. Sally lives with her 3 aunts and 2 uncles. Uncle Joseph is the head of the family and Aunt Nannie was the eldest of the 3 aunts and ran the household. Uncle Joseph gets a letter from his cousin and makes plans to move north to Maine. Aunt Nannie says she will never leave her home and so Uncle Joseph must figure a way to save Aunt Nannie from having to go back on her word.
“Sally sat laughing with the others, cutting cake and big slices of pie for them, and nibbling away like a little black-eyed mouse. She was happy, but she was still waiting for something – something far-off now, like a bird whose color and shape she could not yet make out. But it would come nearer in good time.” (pg 4-5)
“'It's like this, Sally,' he said, 'Your Aunt Nannie is not one to be driven, and she's not one to be led either. She knows now it would be best for us all to go, but she would rather die than go back on her spoken word. But how is she to give in? I think I see a way,' and he smiled to himself again.
'What shall you do, Uncle Joseph' asked Sally. 'Tuggie Noyes said you both would have your wills.'
'I'll do my best, I'll do my best,' he answered, and Sally saw that he was shaking with silent laughter.” (pg 38)
“Sally drew his head down and kissed him. People were the nicest part of all the adventure, she thought in a sudden moment of insight. It wasn't just moving on – it was the meetings that counted.” (pg 76)
The poetry she includes is lovely as well. Encouraging children to read, and hopefully enjoy the poetry, as they enjoy a lovely story.
I liked the story. It was sweet and enchanting. Wonderful and innocent. A great story for young people or family read-aloud. It was a delightful story and I greatly enjoyed it.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt(s) –
A book you bought on a trip
“Sally sat laughing with the others, cutting cake and big slices of pie for them, and nibbling away like a little black-eyed mouse. She was happy, but she was still waiting for something – something far-off now, like a bird whose color and shape she could not yet make out. But it would come nearer in good time.” (pg 4-5)
“'It's like this, Sally,' he said, 'Your Aunt Nannie is not one to be driven, and she's not one to be led either. She knows now it would be best for us all to go, but she would rather die than go back on her spoken word. But how is she to give in? I think I see a way,' and he smiled to himself again.
'What shall you do, Uncle Joseph' asked Sally. 'Tuggie Noyes said you both would have your wills.'
'I'll do my best, I'll do my best,' he answered, and Sally saw that he was shaking with silent laughter.” (pg 38)
“Sally drew his head down and kissed him. People were the nicest part of all the adventure, she thought in a sudden moment of insight. It wasn't just moving on – it was the meetings that counted.” (pg 76)
The poetry she includes is lovely as well. Encouraging children to read, and hopefully enjoy the poetry, as they enjoy a lovely story.
I liked the story. It was sweet and enchanting. Wonderful and innocent. A great story for young people or family read-aloud. It was a delightful story and I greatly enjoyed it.
Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt(s) –
A book you bought on a trip
January 16, 2012
A charming little book! If you enjoy the Little House series I think you will like this one as well! :D Sally is a dear little girl with a little spunk and full of sweetness. And all the aunts and uncles added such a lively turn to this tale.
I only had one qualm about this book, and that is the appearance of an old witch. :( Really, the author could have left her out. But, as I learned as I went along in this series, it's not exactly a "Christian" series...just historical fiction. I was happy that it only lasted for a couple pages, and that the witch did not magic potions and such. :) it was kept pretty much just to a rhyme/prediction of sorts, and that was all and it was done.
I *would* read this book again. :D I enjoyed it and there is a fun unusual thing that happens (but that would spoil the surprise so I can't tell you!). ;D
I only had one qualm about this book, and that is the appearance of an old witch. :( Really, the author could have left her out. But, as I learned as I went along in this series, it's not exactly a "Christian" series...just historical fiction. I was happy that it only lasted for a couple pages, and that the witch did not magic potions and such. :) it was kept pretty much just to a rhyme/prediction of sorts, and that was all and it was done.
I *would* read this book again. :D I enjoyed it and there is a fun unusual thing that happens (but that would spoil the surprise so I can't tell you!). ;D
October 13, 2012
Delightful story about a young girl who travels with her extended family to a new land by way of a house built on runners. They adopt a baby bear from an Indian along the way. At each chapter break there is a poem and some of them are beautiful.
February 24, 2025
4 stars -- If you've read any of the Little House books or of the Betsy-Tacy books, then you have some idea of the formula (for lack of a better word) of this series. Sally Smith is young girl (preteen?) who lives with her three aunts and two uncles on a farm in New England. The focus of this story is that Sally and her family go 'away,' as they move to Pleasant Valley, Maine, on the Penobscot River, during the last half of the novel. This is a very interesting slice of life that takes place between the end of summer 1789 and early spring 1790. One of the unique subplots that this includes is that Sally's uncle builds a small home on skids to convince his oldest sister to make this move. Indeed, all of the women and Sally make the trip riding inside the house. Another is that as they are travelling, the family buys a bear cub from an American Indian. This bear cub then finds a peddler buried in snow under a tree after being caught in a blizzard. The family brings him in the the house where they rub him down with snow until he regains himself. While this novel does not include many specific details as its predecessors do, I enjoyed it. I hope to be able to read the remaining three, but I only have the next.
***One final note -- Coatsworth included a poem of her own at the end of each chapter. I was pleasantly surprised to find a poem that I used to discuss with my Honors English 10 students at the end of Chapter 8-The Start:
"The Open Door," by Elizabeth Coatsworth
Out of the dark
To the sill of the door
Lay the snow in a long
Unruffled floor,
And the candlelight fell
Narrow and thin,
A carpet unrolled
For the cat to walk in.
Slowly, smoothly,
Black as the night,
With paws unseen,
White upon white,
Like a queen who walks
Down a corridor,
The black cat paced
The cold smooth floor,
And left behind her
Bead upon bead
The track of small feet
Like dark fernseed.
***One final note -- Coatsworth included a poem of her own at the end of each chapter. I was pleasantly surprised to find a poem that I used to discuss with my Honors English 10 students at the end of Chapter 8-The Start:
"The Open Door," by Elizabeth Coatsworth
Out of the dark
To the sill of the door
Lay the snow in a long
Unruffled floor,
And the candlelight fell
Narrow and thin,
A carpet unrolled
For the cat to walk in.
Slowly, smoothly,
Black as the night,
With paws unseen,
White upon white,
Like a queen who walks
Down a corridor,
The black cat paced
The cold smooth floor,
And left behind her
Bead upon bead
The track of small feet
Like dark fernseed.
March 8, 2022
Fabulous illustrations! A nice story. What an idea to have a cabin on a sled to move to Maine! I enjoyed it, but there are some problems with the treatment of Native Americans and African Americans. Perhaps it is to be expected in a book written in 1934. Just a heads up.
February 12, 2024
This was a quick read about a family who travels to Maine in search of new farmland. It is not one of my favorites of old-fashioned children's books, but it was not bad either. I see it is book one of a series, so maybe characters and plot are developed more in future books.
October 12, 2019
A straightforward story which captures some historical aspects that happened in New England around 30's. Even though this is a children literature, even teenagers and adults can read this too.
June 21, 2024
Young me would have loved this pioneer story set shortly after our country was established. To think of Maine as the frontier! Adult me is disappointed in lack of actual details such as where the family lives before they move and Sally's age. Also everyone is too goody-two-shoes. If they were to hand, I'd read the sequels. But I can't quite recommend them.
Another reason that I can't recommend them is the dated references to African-American and "Indian" people. Not racist, and in fact can be interpreted as respectful, but still cringe. Also the pet monkey, parrot, and bear cub. I know it's accurate but yikes.
I will continue to seek out Coatsworth's poetry. This is the book that includes the wonderful, oft-anthologized, poem that begins "Swift things are beautiful...." Many of the less well-known poems here are also, imo, worth anthologizing.
Another reason that I can't recommend them is the dated references to African-American and "Indian" people. Not racist, and in fact can be interpreted as respectful, but still cringe. Also the pet monkey, parrot, and bear cub. I know it's accurate but yikes.
I will continue to seek out Coatsworth's poetry. This is the book that includes the wonderful, oft-anthologized, poem that begins "Swift things are beautiful...." Many of the less well-known poems here are also, imo, worth anthologizing.
March 7, 2010
I read this one with my son for his first grade reading list. I liked it, but there are other books we've enjoyed reading more. The best part is that it's historical fiction about a time in American history I know little about. It takes place just before the start of the War of 1812.
December 4, 2009
It was a rather unremarkable book. None of us really liked it. No excitement in it.
February 24, 2012
Typical 1930s historical fiction. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing remarkable either.
March 21, 2015
I loved it as a kid and remembered the story for more than 40 years. I could not remember the title. When my mom gave it to me and I read it again, I was so happy.
February 1, 2016
Sweet book :)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews