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Nine Little Goslings
Nine Little Goslings is a children's book written by Susan Coolidge and first published in 1876. The story follows the adventures of nine young goslings who live on a farm with their mother. Each gosling has a unique personality and name, including Brighteyes, Dimple, Curlylocks, and Waddles.Throughout the book, the goslings learn important lessons about responsibility, friendship, and the value of hard work. They also encounter various challenges and obstacles, such as a mischievous cat and a stormy night, but always manage to overcome them with their determination and teamwork.The book is filled with charming illustrations and engaging prose that will delight young readers. It is a timeless classic that has been enjoyed by generations of children and is sure to continue to captivate young readers for many years to come.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
396 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1876
12 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Susan Coolidge
392 books174 followersSarah Chauncey Woolsey was an American children's author who wrote under the pen name Susan Coolidge.
Woolsey was born January 29, 1835, into the wealthy, influential New England Dwight family in Cleveland, Ohio. Her father was John Mumford Woolsey (1796–1870) and mother was Jane Andrews. She spent much of her childhood in New Haven Connecticut after her family moved there in 1852.
Woolsey worked as a nurse during the American Civil War (1861–1865), after which she started to write. The niece of the author and poet Gamel Woolsey, she never married, and resided at her family home in Newport, Rhode Island, until her death.
She edited The Autobiography and Correspondence of Mrs. Delaney (1879) and The Diary and Letters of Frances Burney (1880). She is best known, however, for her classic children's novel, What Katy Did (1872). The fictional Carr family was modeled after the author's own, with Katy Carr inspired by Susan (Sarah) herself, and the brothers and sisters modeled on Coolidge's four younger Woolsey siblings.
Woolsey was born January 29, 1835, into the wealthy, influential New England Dwight family in Cleveland, Ohio. Her father was John Mumford Woolsey (1796–1870) and mother was Jane Andrews. She spent much of her childhood in New Haven Connecticut after her family moved there in 1852.
Woolsey worked as a nurse during the American Civil War (1861–1865), after which she started to write. The niece of the author and poet Gamel Woolsey, she never married, and resided at her family home in Newport, Rhode Island, until her death.
She edited The Autobiography and Correspondence of Mrs. Delaney (1879) and The Diary and Letters of Frances Burney (1880). She is best known, however, for her classic children's novel, What Katy Did (1872). The fictional Carr family was modeled after the author's own, with Katy Carr inspired by Susan (Sarah) herself, and the brothers and sisters modeled on Coolidge's four younger Woolsey siblings.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 24, 2015
Collection of short stories. The first one is part of the What Katy Did series and is referenced in the next volume in the series, but the others are unrelated.
January 10, 2018
3.5/5
A cute bunch of "nursery" stories.
Some sweet, some entertaining, some sad and some slightly bewildering in perspective of what the ideal child should be (saintly -_-)
My favourite was "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe", about little Archie who stole away early in the morning to build a house in the woods. His character was adorably and charmingly written. And for this reason I also have a soft spot for "Goosey Goosey Gander" and little Dickie who also escapes, but in the middle of the night to visit his neighbour's rooftop.
"Lady Bird" was an interesting little view of a girl and her world of dolls in the garden, despite her adult company.
"Mistress Mary" was another good one which warmed me heart.
"Curly Locks" I liked because it connects to the lovely Carr Family but personally it doesn't much stand out otherwise.
"Lady Queen Anne" was one I found hard to figure out my feelings for. There was some racism there but in keeping with the time and perspective. And then there was the very strange nature of Anne who seemed to enjoy both her previous and present life but have detachment..
"Ride a cock horse" was sad and unnecessarily so.
"Little Bo Peep" was OK
"Up, Up, Up and Down, Down, Down" was sweet and funny.
A cute bunch of "nursery" stories.
Some sweet, some entertaining, some sad and some slightly bewildering in perspective of what the ideal child should be (saintly -_-)
My favourite was "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe", about little Archie who stole away early in the morning to build a house in the woods. His character was adorably and charmingly written. And for this reason I also have a soft spot for "Goosey Goosey Gander" and little Dickie who also escapes, but in the middle of the night to visit his neighbour's rooftop.
"Lady Bird" was an interesting little view of a girl and her world of dolls in the garden, despite her adult company.
"Mistress Mary" was another good one which warmed me heart.
"Curly Locks" I liked because it connects to the lovely Carr Family but personally it doesn't much stand out otherwise.
"Lady Queen Anne" was one I found hard to figure out my feelings for. There was some racism there but in keeping with the time and perspective. And then there was the very strange nature of Anne who seemed to enjoy both her previous and present life but have detachment..
"Ride a cock horse" was sad and unnecessarily so.
"Little Bo Peep" was OK
"Up, Up, Up and Down, Down, Down" was sweet and funny.
March 1, 2018
Sweet collection of short stories set in the same time as What Katy Did etc. They all revolve around fairytale style stories, an easy read for a lazy day.
December 26, 2025
4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This is a brilliant book. I love how she weaves SO much detail from the nursery rhymes into the stories!! The stories were all so nice. There were a couple mentions of fairies, but they can be edited fairly easily. Some of the stories had more elements from the original rhyme than others, but they all were clever twists, full of lovely characters & good lessons, and I liked them all. The first story ties into the "What Katy Did" series and should be read between "What Katy Did at School" and "What Katy Did Next."
A Favourite Quote: “She was very tired by night, but her heart felt lighter than it had for many days past. Do you wonder at this? I can tell you the reason. Mary's troubles were selfish troubles, and the moment she forgot herself in thinking of somebody else, they became small and began to creep away.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “These bells had a dozen different voices,—some deep and solemn, others bright and clear, but all beautiful; and across their pealing a soft, delicious chime from the tower of the Episcopal church went to and fro, and wove itself in and out like a thread of silver embroidery.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “She wasn't at all a nice girl to play with. The rose-cakes she pronounced "nasty." When Lota [Bird] explained about [her imaginary friend] Lady Green, she stared and said it was ridiculous, and that there was no such person. She turned up her nose at [the doll’s] journal, and declared that Lota wrote it herself! “‘Did you ever hear of such a thing?’ asked Lady Bird afterward of Lady Green. ‘As if my child could not write!’”
A Favourite Quote: “She was very tired by night, but her heart felt lighter than it had for many days past. Do you wonder at this? I can tell you the reason. Mary's troubles were selfish troubles, and the moment she forgot herself in thinking of somebody else, they became small and began to creep away.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “These bells had a dozen different voices,—some deep and solemn, others bright and clear, but all beautiful; and across their pealing a soft, delicious chime from the tower of the Episcopal church went to and fro, and wove itself in and out like a thread of silver embroidery.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “She wasn't at all a nice girl to play with. The rose-cakes she pronounced "nasty." When Lota [Bird] explained about [her imaginary friend] Lady Green, she stared and said it was ridiculous, and that there was no such person. She turned up her nose at [the doll’s] journal, and declared that Lota wrote it herself! “‘Did you ever hear of such a thing?’ asked Lady Bird afterward of Lady Green. ‘As if my child could not write!’”
April 7, 2013
‘Nine Little Goslings’ has nine short stories, intended originally for children of about seven to ten, I suppose. The first one particularly interested me, being about Johnnie (Joanna) Carr, from the author's well-known 'What Katy Did' series. Johnnie dreams about being adopted by a long-lost relative... and it seems as if her dream might come true. Her wise father suggests a temporary arrangement, and Johnnie ends up very thankful.
Each of the nine stories stands alone, featuring different children. The second is about a small boy who really doesn’t want to go to bed. He is generally obedient, but finds himself unable to sleep.. and then spots a ladder that leads to the roof. He has some quite surprising adventures before returning home.. and then, at the end, it’s implied that they might have been a dream.
The style is inevitably dated, and I found some of the later stories a bit depressing, but they were probably typical of the era. Some of them have fairly overt morals - such as the first, encouraging children to be content with what they have - while others are more fanciful, just for entertainment.
They’re certainly not easy-reads, and the long-winded style might make them seem boring to modern children who prefer fast-paced modern adventures. They would probably appeal to more thoughtful and eclectic readers - those who are as happy to read ‘Little House on the Prairie’ as ‘Harry Potter’.
Interesting simply for being something a bit different - and free for the Kindle at Project Gutenburg.
Each of the nine stories stands alone, featuring different children. The second is about a small boy who really doesn’t want to go to bed. He is generally obedient, but finds himself unable to sleep.. and then spots a ladder that leads to the roof. He has some quite surprising adventures before returning home.. and then, at the end, it’s implied that they might have been a dream.
The style is inevitably dated, and I found some of the later stories a bit depressing, but they were probably typical of the era. Some of them have fairly overt morals - such as the first, encouraging children to be content with what they have - while others are more fanciful, just for entertainment.
They’re certainly not easy-reads, and the long-winded style might make them seem boring to modern children who prefer fast-paced modern adventures. They would probably appeal to more thoughtful and eclectic readers - those who are as happy to read ‘Little House on the Prairie’ as ‘Harry Potter’.
Interesting simply for being something a bit different - and free for the Kindle at Project Gutenburg.
March 18, 2015
A selection of 9 short stories about the expolits of children, all with some moral or hardship attached. The first follows Joanna 'Johnnie' Carr, one of Katy's younger sisters after an illness. It is by far the most enjoyable, although the others are passable but get sadder as the collection progresses.
June 19, 2012
Cutsie short stories from the author of "What Katy Did". I knew they were for kids, and was okay with that right up 'til the one where the little girl dies, followed by one where a child is basically sold to get her family out of poverty. What the heck?! o_O
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July 24, 2011Thanks to the wonders that are Project Gutenb erg and ebook readers, I now know, after many decades, what happened when Johnnie Carr visited her godmother!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews