Under This Roof

by Borghild Dahl

A teenage farm girl tries to keep her younger siblings from being split up between various relatives after their parents are killed in an automobile/horse-drawn carriage accident in the Mid-West around the turn of the century.

Genres: Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Borghild Margrethe Dahl was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Norwegian immigrants Peder Mogens Dahl and Ingeborg Knudsdatter Haugseth from the Rendal area of Hedmark in the 1880s.

Despite severely impaired vision since birth, she attended college and received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Minnesota. Dahl earned an M.A. at Columbia University and was awarded a scholarship to study in Norway. In 1924 she became the first woman of a foreign country to be selected Norsk Akademiker at the University of Oslo. During the 1930s she taught Journalism and Norwegian at Augustana College and lectured widely before finally facing what seemed like a hopeless setback when she lost what little vision she had.

Then an operation in 1943 improved her eyesight dramatically and she set forth on a new career as a writer. Her 1944 autobiography “I Wanted to See” told the inspirational story of her struggles and successes. Dahl wrote another 15 books, many for children, based on her Norwegian heritage. In 1950, Dahl received the St. Olaf medal from the king of Norway for her work in promoting Norwegian-American relations. She received the Augustana College Sesquicentennial Award in 1975.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love Borghild Dahl's writing. She writes about the prairie and the simple life around the turn of the century.

This book was the first of hers that I had ever read. I do enjoy it, but reading it as an adult is different. It features five children - Kristine, Olaf, Sean, Maybelle, and Gloria. Their parents have died when their horse was startled by a new-fangled automobile. The relatives descend and plan to take the children to their different homes. Kristine pleads for six months to prove that they can stay together.

We never learn how old Kristine is supposed to be. Old enough that everyone takes her request seriously, but young enough that she isn't married and is still living at home. And the struggles that they face during that winter are hard. I remember really learning about the value of money as I read this book. Kristine works hard.

This is a great book for young girls as they are starting that transition from little girl to young girl.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my Christmas favorites...
We often don't think about the daily tasks it would take to keep a family alive in times before us. This book brings those to life when a family of orphans seek to prove they can survive on their own to avoid being split up.

I first read this book right before we all sick on Christmas day as a teenager. My mom read it to us aloud while we were deathly ill with influenza. I got it to read as they all get sick on Christmas as well.

[Monica Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has stayed with me since Jr High School!! And I'm talking about late1960's!! I'll be 70 this year, so it's been in my heart and mind since then!! I'd give just about anything to own that book 📕!! It's a fantastic book and shows how love of family is!

[Rachel L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just remembered this book again--I read a friend's copy several years ago and I really enjoyed it. It's about a big sister who tries to keep her family together after losing her parents. I'd love to find a decently-priced copy someday.