The Adventures of Milly-Molly-Mandy

Milly-Molly-Mandy #1-4

by Joyce Lankester Brisley

Milly-Molly-Mandy lives in a tiny village in the heart of the countryside.
She is always busy doing things, and whether she is earning money to give a party, minding the village shop, having a picnic or going sledging, you're sure to have fun when Milly-Molly-Mandy's around!

Here all the Milly-Molly-Mandy stories, Further Doings of Milly-Molly-Mandy,Milly-Molly-Mandy Again, Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories and More of Milly-Molly-Mandy brought together in a special gift collection.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Classics, Chapter Books, Kids, Childrens Classics

478 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 1992

About the author

Joyce Lankester Brisley (6 February 1896 – 1978) was an English writer. She is most noted for writing and illustrating the Milly-Molly-Mandy series, which were first printed in 1925 by the Christian Science Monitor.

The second of three daughters of George Brisley, a pharmacist, of Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, Brisley's sisters - Ethel Constance, the eldest, and Nina Kennard, the youngest - were also illustrators. They studied art firstly at Hastings School of Art, then, following their parents' divorce in 1912 and the subsequent relocation of the girls and their father to Brixton, at Lambeth School of Art.

All three sisters illustrated postcards for the publisher Alfred Vivian Mansell & Co., with Nina (who also illustrated Elinor Brent-Dyer's Chalet School series) and Ethel becoming quite prolific. Brisley died in September 1978 at the age of 82.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is it: the most wholesome children's book I've ever run into.

Some weeks ago I was chatting to my girlfriend, complaining about being stressed and tired. Louisa's reply: "Would you like me to read you a Milly-Molly-Mandy story?" I'd never read the book and didn't really know anything about it, but it sounded nice. First Louisa read me some of the stories in a random order, a story or two every day, but we soon figured out that we should just start from the beginning and read the whole thing. We finished today, and saying goodbye to Milly-Molly-Mandy was v sad.

The series turned 90 years old this year so it's not the most current one, but imo it has aged very well. The stories are about stuff any child could potentially be interested in; finding an abandoned train, getting a pet hedgehog, having your teacher spend a few nights at your home, and going to the coast for the first time. None of the stories are moralising, and very few of them present an overtly normative idea of gender. The most important message of Milly-Molly-Mandy is that one should be kind to others, which, I think, is what everyone should aspire to. (In one of my fave stories Milly-Molly-Mandy finds out that there's A MEAN GANG in her village so she and her friends start A KIND GANG, and soon the members of the other gang start to get bored of doing mean things and even join MMM's gang of kindness.) The stories are just endlessly nice and cosy, without any huge conflicts or drama. I found them genuinely funny as well, although that is partly thanks to my gf who is an excellent reader.

If you want to read a collection of children's stories where nothing bad happens, that is comfy and nice in the best possible way, this is the book for you. Also, I heard Sir Ian McKellen has said that the series is his favourite children's book so. There's that.

[A.R. Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to read these stories to myself when I was very young, and I loved them then, but I didn't know I would love them so much now! Okay, they're not the deepest or most complicated stories - but that doesn't matter a bit. They're just completely lovely! I always used to wish I lived in Milly-Molly-Mandy's world, and I still do.

I don't think I ever realised how much fun Uncle was - probably the most interesting grown-up of all - and I'd forgotten how I used to like the idea of the crossroads, and how disappointing it was that the crossroads near where I lived were a wonky cross and not a proper one. My favourite of these stories as a child was 'Milly-Molly-Mandy Minds a Baby', with the hedgehog; when I read it this time, it was very familiar, and I remembered how I used to read that one over and over again. The second book, More of Milly-Molly-Mandy, was totally new to me this time as I didn't have it as a child. I bought this new bumper edition just out of interest, really, and have loved reading it more than I could have imagined.

[Infamous Sphere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this aloud to my gf over several weeks. A childhood favourite for me, completely new for her. The stories hold up well! They're an exploration of the kind of gentle domesticity that many find very satisfying - descriptions of children cleaning, or picking flowers, or painting a fence or getting a new pet or just playing. For a series of stories between 90 and 75 years old, they've aged well. There's not too much in the way of oppressive gender roles (Milly Molly Mandy has a male and a female friend and the three of them play in a variety of ways without anyone commenting on it) and although it's pretty homogenous in its Englishness it's not nationalistic or religious or moralistic. Just children being children, and demonstrating the value of being kind.

[Anthony Buck · Rating 1 out of 5]

The word "adventure" in the title of this book is heavily ironic.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of short stories follows a young girl Millicent Margaret Amanda (shortened to Milly-Molly-Mandy) who lives in a small tightly knit community village, complete with map in the front cover. Although the stories and wording is fairly simple, the short stories (approx 10 pages long) and the large size of the book give a feeling of quick progression so build enthusiasm in less confident/ more reluctant readers. Each storey follows Mill-Molly-Mandy on an ‘adventure’ though probably better defined as an activity eg going to a fete, going blackberrying, gets up a tree. They are a stark contrast to what most children would consider fun however it can help the children to appreciate how people used to make their own entertainment before Video games and TV and how some children in other parts of the World still might. Also I think it would help children think about how they can be more active outside the home and entertain themselves rather than be entertained. Nostalgic and optimistic I think children of today could learn a lot from children of the not so distance past. Basic black and white pictures occasionally help to keep the readers imagination working hard. Would be best as a independent reading book preferably the 7-8 age range.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childhood favourite. Thinking about it makes me want to make tea and jam sandwiches!

[Emmeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorable book that I'm glad I revisited today :)

[Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Milly-Molly-Mandy. A bit old-fashioned but definitely one of my favourites!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Milly-Molly-Mandy sounded like it could have been sickly sweet and goody-two-shoes but luckily it is NOT. Instead it is totally charming and gentle and a great comforting read for young readers (early to middle grade). Each story is a small episode in rural English life; everyone is friendly and kind and the surprises are small but add joy and fun in their little ways.

Similar to Little House in the Big Woods (which I also read recently), Milly-Molly-Mandy obviously lived a very simple and frugal life without many material comforts, but she did not feel deprived or lacking in anyway, and she was still about to find joy and happiness and small things.

Another reason why I like MMM is that, to modern eyes, the children were all quite mature and independent, probably more so than kids these days - MMM was obviously quite young, but she did chores and ran errands and was thoughful about other people; she had many good qualities but was painted as a normal child rather than someone who was particularly virtuous (phew).

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple little stories of adventures any young child would want to hear about in detail. Like riding a horse, going camping in the yard, etc. The era of children's literature of these books produced truly living books, where you can close your eyes and picture you're there just by the amount of vivid descriptions. Little pictures are needed when the writing is rich with description. The child gets to fill in the pictures with their imaginations, something I think they can lack a bit with so many television shows, tablet games, and even constant picture books. (Although I love picture books.) We read this with my 3.5 year old. I'd let him drive his truck toys around the room and tinker around with something as long as he was quieter than me. The point isn't for him to digest every sentence. He can do that if we read it another year. But he still comes away with questions and comments about what his little brain did choose to feast on. And that, is the power of the read aloud.

[Emily Erickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would compare these stories to the Happy Little Family series in that they are gentle, simple stories about ordinary life. They make nice bedtime stories as they are just overall calming and cheerful. I do find the Happy Little Family series to be significantly more interesting though. Milly Molly Mandy is a pretty plain character. We learn very little about her as a person...even after nearly 500 pages. I know that these stories are meant for small children, but I think that even the youngest listeners would enjoy some character development.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find British authors from the early and mid-1900's did a fantastic job of making stories of everyday happenings enjoyable to read. There was no real plot in this book, but it was an enjoyable, simple, clean read about a little girl who just has a pleasant outlook on life. She's not super special, but she finds pleasure in the simple things, and that makes it fun to read.

[Emily Shilling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favourite books as a child and one which I will never forget. My memories of this book are mainly of when my mum read to me, and therefore I think this is a good book to share to children if you are a parent.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of our family's very favorite bedtime reads. Never get old. Still reading them with the 10yo. First read this when oldest was 3.

[Kat Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant nostalgic read!

[Amy Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is sweet but not very fun. It gets very tiring saying "Milly Molly Mandy" all the time.

[Marcene McClenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for 4-5

[Sarah Uren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet story for the little ones in our family.

Milly Molly Mandy and her family and friends have sweet daily adventures with lots of innocence.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Milly-Molly-Mandy forever 🩷

[domi · Rating 5 out of 5]

rediscovering whimsy i guess

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old fashioned book remembered from my mum's childhood. Bought back many happy memories.

[Rosie-Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book, love Milly-Molly-Mandy!! 😁

[Baranie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I nice book to read to my girls. It is set in a small village and gives us some interesting old fashioned things to talk about. A bit repetitive to read more than a chapter at a time; we were bored about halfway though.

[siobhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Childhood bedtime book. I still love it

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

i remember reading this book it was soo cute i loved it so much

[Mitchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was one of my favourite books when I was a child. I loved Milly-Molly-Mandy and I used to call my best friend Amanda - Milly-Molly-Mandy...

[Shayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful comfort reading for those evenings when I want to conjure up the happiest of childhood memories.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mini adventures

[Byron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rated by 5 yo Ella