Little Meg's Children

by Hesba Stretton

Hesba Stretton (1832-1911) was the nom de plume of Sarah Smith, an English author of children's literature. The name Hesba came from the initials of her siblings. She was the daughter of a bookseller from Wellington, Shropshire, but around 1867 she moved south and lived at Snaresbrook and Loughton near Epping Forest and at Ham, near Richmond, Surrey. Her moral tales and semi-religious stories, chiefly for the young, were printed in huge quantities, and were especially widespread as school and Sunday school prizes. She won wide acceptance in English homes from the publication of Jessica's First Prayer in 1867. She was a regular contributor to Household Words and All the Year Round during Charles Dickens' editorship, and wrote upwards of 40 novels. Her other works include Children of Cloverley (1865), Little Meg's Children (1868), In Prison and Out (1880), No Place Like Home (1881), The Soul of Honour (1898) and Hester Morley's Promise (1899).

Genres: Classics, Christian Fiction

88 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1868

About the author

Hesba Stretton (1832-1911) was the nom de plume of Sarah Smith, an English author of children's literature. The name Hesba came from the initials of her siblings. She was the daughter of a bookseller from Wellington, Shropshire, but around 1867 she moved south and lived at Snaresbrook and Loughton near Epping Forest and at Ham, near Richmond, Surrey. Her moral tales and semi-religious stories, chiefly for the young, were printed in huge quantities, and were especially widespread as school and Sunday school prizes. She won wide acceptance in English homes from the publication of Jessica's First Prayer in 1867. She was a regular contributor to Household Words and All the Year Round during Charles Dickens' editorship, and wrote upwards of 40 novels.

Reviews

[Angie Thompson]

Too sad for my taste. Actually, I think the fact that the story stayed so light and relatively cheerful so long left me very unprepared when certain things happened. And the way they happened...yeah, definitely not my style. I did appreciate Meg's sweet, simple faith, but the plot was not my favorite.

Content--deaths; people seen drunk; young woman contemplates suicide; baby dies by some sort of drug, although the details are unclear

[Zielle]

This book is sweet and so sad! I read this all the time; over and over again when I was younger. It has been a while since I have read this, so sorry I can't give a longer review!

[Christopher Robinson]

Enjoyable.

[Anete Ābola]

Very good, but so sad little book. Too sad for my liking.

[Lynn Hutchinson]

Gentle, sad little book but I enjoyed it, the coming together of an elderly man, his grandchild and a street lad.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer]

These Victorian Christian children's novels were designed to wring every last tear of sympathy out of the reader, and also served as a warning to walk the straight and narrow and endure life's hardships. I love it!

[Steph VanderMeulen]

This is not my edition. Mine is an antique clothbound published by the American Tract Society, n.d. Unfortunately, it's falling apart.

[Amy Griffith]

Good short book but very, very sad.

[Janelle]

A Victorian children's book about a young girl named Meg, left to fend for herself and her younger siblings.
It was very sad story, with lots of morals and a happy, though frustrating ending. (Seriously, does anyone else out there feel like hitting the children's father over the head?)

Although it is a children's book I suggest parents screen it before their children read it. It's a good story, but it does deal with a number of adult topics.