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Half Sisters #2
Luvvy and the Girls
Depicts an engaging twelve-year-old's experiences at boarding school with her two older half sisters
159 pages, Library Binding
First published April 28, 1971
81 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Savage Carlson
53 books56 followersNatalie Savage Carlson was born on October 3, 1906, in Kernstown, Virginia. After she married, she moved around a great deal as the wife of a Navy officer, living for many years in Paris, France.
Her first story was published in the Baltimore Sunday Sun when she was eight years old.
Her first book, The Talking Cat and Other Stories of French Canada (where her mother was born), was published in 1952. One of her best-loved books is The Family Under the Bridge (1958), which was a Newbery Honor book in 1959. Many readers will remember her series of Happy Orpheline books about a group of French orphans and their carefree lives.
In 1966, Ms. Carlson was the U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen International Children's Book Award.
Materials for fifteen of her novels are held at the Children's Literature Research Collection at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ms. Carlson lived in Rhode Island, Oklahoma, California, the Pacific Northwest, Florida, and abroad. She died September 23, 1997, in Rhode Island.
Her first story was published in the Baltimore Sunday Sun when she was eight years old.
Her first book, The Talking Cat and Other Stories of French Canada (where her mother was born), was published in 1952. One of her best-loved books is The Family Under the Bridge (1958), which was a Newbery Honor book in 1959. Many readers will remember her series of Happy Orpheline books about a group of French orphans and their carefree lives.
In 1966, Ms. Carlson was the U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen International Children's Book Award.
Materials for fifteen of her novels are held at the Children's Literature Research Collection at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ms. Carlson lived in Rhode Island, Oklahoma, California, the Pacific Northwest, Florida, and abroad. She died September 23, 1997, in Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 7, 2018
Yesterday afternoon I had a friend over and we were looking at some of my old cherished children's books. I told her all about this one, as it was one of the first boarding school books I read and I loved it very much. After she went home I picked it up and ended up just quickly reading the whole thing. Guess what? Just as good as I remembered. And I'm going to say, although I often laugh at the old fashioned books, I can see from my adult point of view that it was a really good book.
The things I so vividly remembered about the book were all there--fascinating cloistered nuns, strict rules, a poor homely orphan, and a goody goody. Objectively speaking, it's a good story about a girl going away to school, being homesick, figuring out who her friends are.
One thing I think I had not noticed until yesterday is that the girls in the story have the last name Savage and the dedication is to the Pupils of the Frederick Academy of Visitation, which is the convent school in the story and Savage is the author's middle name. So now I'm convinced that her family really did go to this school and it's not entirely fictitious but based on family stories and actual events. Perhaps the girls really did march by two on a long trek to a cemetery to gather violets. Perhaps they were allowed to spend a nickel each Saturday on ice cream cones and pickles (Pickles really seem to have been a popular snack in the olden days. At least according to this and All of a Kind Family.)
Pleased to say this held up and was just as enjoyable.
The things I so vividly remembered about the book were all there--fascinating cloistered nuns, strict rules, a poor homely orphan, and a goody goody. Objectively speaking, it's a good story about a girl going away to school, being homesick, figuring out who her friends are.
One thing I think I had not noticed until yesterday is that the girls in the story have the last name Savage and the dedication is to the Pupils of the Frederick Academy of Visitation, which is the convent school in the story and Savage is the author's middle name. So now I'm convinced that her family really did go to this school and it's not entirely fictitious but based on family stories and actual events. Perhaps the girls really did march by two on a long trek to a cemetery to gather violets. Perhaps they were allowed to spend a nickel each Saturday on ice cream cones and pickles (Pickles really seem to have been a popular snack in the olden days. At least according to this and All of a Kind Family.)
Pleased to say this held up and was just as enjoyable.
June 13, 2014
I read this book so many times as a child, that when I finally visited Maryland a couple of years ago, lines from the story popped into my head. I still love this, the second story about Luvena Savage, following her first year in a convent school.
April 1, 2020
Luvvy has finally joined the coveted boarding school she wanted to go to. She's homesick at first, but becomes best friends with Agatha, and learns to accept people the way they are.
March 15, 2013
This starts where the first book left off. It details Luvvy's adjustment to boarding at Frederick Academy of the Visitation (which is still around, but no longer a boarding school and no longer run by nuns). I liked this book a lot more than the first one. Luvvy (short for Luvena) seemed much more likeable and relatable. I especially enjoyed the attention given to her love of writing and making up stories. I even thought the illustrations were better in this book (even though they are by the same artist). There are fewer poodle-like hairdos in them.
Some of the references to the girls feeling as if they were sinning (when they’re not), etc. kind of feeds the erroneous stereotype that Catholicism is all about scrupulosity and guilt. However, the overall presentation of the faith was pretty innocuous. (As a side note, I agree with Luvvy about preachy books. Blech. I'm all for evangelizing the imagination, but doing so at the expense of any artistic merit defeats the point.)
Reading about Luvvy's transition and the simple adventures that she has as she tries to adjust and make friends was really delightful. So, yes, I liked this one!
Some of the references to the girls feeling as if they were sinning (when they’re not), etc. kind of feeds the erroneous stereotype that Catholicism is all about scrupulosity and guilt. However, the overall presentation of the faith was pretty innocuous. (As a side note, I agree with Luvvy about preachy books. Blech. I'm all for evangelizing the imagination, but doing so at the expense of any artistic merit defeats the point.)
Reading about Luvvy's transition and the simple adventures that she has as she tries to adjust and make friends was really delightful. So, yes, I liked this one!
July 7, 2014
So far, I have been reading a lot of children's books this summer. When I was growing up, I read many of Natalie Savage Carlson's charming and engaging books. Luvvy and the Girls was one of my favorites. I borrowed it quite a few times from the Scranton Library in Madison. Now I have my own copy, so I can re-read it whenever I want!
December 28, 2007
a sequel to The Half Sisters
June 26, 2009
My absolute favorite book as a middle-schooler.
July 4, 2009
I know I read this back in the mid-90's but I don't remember anything else about it except that I really liked it.
July 2, 2012
I loved this book, but it was too short.
February 12, 2016
B. children's, early 1900s, mom's stash, discard
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews