Phebe Fairchild: Her Book

by Lois Lenski

Depicts family life in New England around 1830.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Juvenile, Middle Grade

316 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1936

About the author

Lois Lenore Lenski Covey was an influential American author and illustrator whose work reshaped twentieth-century children’s literature through its combination of artistic skill, documentary realism, and deep empathy for childhood experience. Beginning her publishing career in the late 1920s, she went on to write and illustrate nearly one hundred books, ranging from picture books and historical novels to regional fiction, poetry, songbooks, and literary essays. She is best known for the Mr. Small picture book series, her meticulously researched historical novels, and her groundbreaking Regional books, which portrayed the everyday lives of children across diverse American communities.
Born in Ohio and trained formally as both an educator and an artist, Lenski studied at Ohio State University, the Art Students League of New York, and the Westminster School of Art in London. Although she initially aspired to be a painter, exhibiting work in New York galleries, she gradually turned to illustration and then to writing, encouraged by pioneering children’s editor Helen Dean Fish. Her early books drew heavily on her Midwestern childhood, while later works reflected extensive travel, field research, and close observation of family and community life.
Lenski achieved major critical recognition with her historical novels Phebe Fairchild: Her Book and Indian Captive, and with her Regional novel Strawberry Girl, which won the Newbery Medal. These works were notable for their commitment to authenticity, incorporating dialect, material culture, and social realities often avoided in children’s books of the era. She believed that literature for young readers should neither sentimentalize nor sanitize life, but instead foster understanding, tolerance, and empathy.
Alongside her own writing, Lenski illustrated works by other major authors, including Watty Piper’s The Little Engine That Could and the early volumes of Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series. Her influence extended beyond publishing through lectures, teaching, and advocacy. In 1967 she established the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, dedicated to providing books to children facing social and economic disadvantage.
In her later years, Lenski continued writing while living in Florida, publishing her autobiography Journey into Childhood shortly before her death. Her legacy endures through her books, her educational philosophy, and ongoing efforts to expand access to literature for children.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Phebe Fairchild: Her Book isn't officially part of Lois Lenski's classic American Regional series, but might as well be. A product of painstaking research and Ms. Lenski's gift for writing in a diversity of dialects, the novel was awarded a 1937 Newbery Honor as runner-up to Ruth Sawyer's inimitable Roller Skates. Ten-year-old Phebe loves the sea just like her father, but can't accompany her parents on their latest voyage. Phebe will require a good home for the months her parents are away, so she is sent from where she lives in New Haven, Connecticut to the small town of Winton in the northwestern part of the state to stay with her father's family. There's Aunt Betsy and Uncle Jothan; their kids, Tim, Samuel, Philip, Susan, and Belinda; and Aunt Hannah and Grandmother. Winton of the late 1820s is a lot different from New Haven, as Phebe discovers when she tries to show Aunt Betsy her fancy clothes and is reprimanded for vanity, but the farm is her home for now. Phebe will have to make the most of it.

Life in Winton moves slowly, but what memorable times Phebe has. Fifteen-year-old Tim covertly amuses her with comedic faces at the supper table, almost causing Phebe to laugh during prayers. At her father's recommendation, Phebe keeps her beloved copy of Mother Goose's Quarto out of Aunt Hannah's sight; her elderly aunt regards items of whimsy as detrimental to one's Christian faith. Can one serve the Lord while distracted by elaborate art and opulent items intended for enjoyment in this world? Certainly not, Aunt Hannah says. Phebe meets her uncle Benjamin, a friendly bachelor flummoxed by his courtship with Lucy Rogers, who seems to enjoy his company but enjoys even more pretending to rebuff his advances. Will they ever see eye to eye and get married? Phebe meets Jeremiah Coffin the clockmaker, who always has a minute to share his wit and wisdom with her, and one fateful day she brings home to the farmhouse a young artist named Christopher Ross, who is ill to the point of his life being in danger. As he convalesces at the Fairchild farm over the course of several months, regaining the strength to work on art projects, Phebe is happy with his temporary addition to the family.

Not all of Phebe's stay at the farm is pleasant. She feels suffocated by so much land with no sea in sight, as her father did when he was young. The Fairchilds mourned when he ran away at age twelve to be a sailor, and they didn't see him for years. Love of the sea runs in the blood of some Fairchilds, Grandmother tells Phebe, and she may be one of them. Heartbroken as Grandmother felt after Phebe's father left, her grief was compounded by the death of her daughter, Remembrance. Remembrance wasted away once her brother ran off, her health steadily declining until the day the Lord gathered her in his arms and took her home. Grandmother never fully recovered from the loss. The joys of a close family, though priceless, are interwoven with sorrow. Phebe has some tense exchanges with Aunt Hannah, who insists she follow a lifestyle of Christian simplicity and self-denial, but Phebe won't run away after learning what her father's departure did to the Fairchilds. Phebe finds an unexpected ally in Great-aunt Eliza Pettifer, who seems stern at first but is charmed by Phebe's flights of imagination, including the Mother Goose verses she recites from memory. Aunt Pettifer loves beautiful clothing and jewelry as Phebe does, and is her foremost defender when Aunt Hannah upbraids the ten-year-old for vanity. Phebe will be elated when it comes time to return to New Haven, but will never forget her family in Winton...even Aunt Hannah, who has more tender feelings for Phebe than she lets on.

Does a God-fearing life require we renounce all earthly pleasure? Can humans resist the temptations of materialism when presented with fine clothing, jewels, and other indulgences? Aunt Hannah worries we cannot, but surely one can enjoy man-made things without it diluting one's desire for heaven. Does not God impart to us our capacity to create beauty, and the passion to do so? Is it not virtuous to partake in that creativity while holding oneself accountable to enjoy it appropriately? When Aunt Pettifer gifts Phebe a braided gold brooch of intricate design, Phebe can hardly believe she is meant to keep it, but Aunt Pettifer delights in offering her the gift, "because you are such a dear little girl and I love you." Sharing objects of beauty and meaning is one of life's joys, a tribute to the creator of all good things. Phebe will find a balance eventually between the philosophies of Aunt Hannah and Aunt Pettifer, and be better for having both of them in her life. Their lessons will be a blessing for all her days.

I'm on the fence as to my rating for this book. Its themes are strong but subtle, and the sadness of Remembrance's story softly tinges every page. Aunt Hannah can be severe with Phebe, but by the end it's clear she loves the child and will miss her when she leaves for New Haven. On the other hand, the narrative moves slowly, goes off on side ventures that don't strengthen the story, and Aunt Hannah's ultimate lack of conviction about her unadorned lifestyle doesn't feel right. Her philosophy may not have been perfectly thought out, but I wish her adherence to it were firmer. I'm rating Phebe Fairchild: Her Book two and a half stars, and could just as easily round up as down. The story reinvigorates my interest in Lois Lenski's library of works.

[Lynette Caulkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heartily enjoyed this old children's historical fiction set in 1830s rural Connecticut. Lenski's young heroine is no perfect Pollyanna, getting into humorous mischief at times and sharing innocent delight at others. The depiction of the culture was well researched and her lecturing puritan-like Aunt Hannah was shared without the story itself becoming a lecture. We have brattiness and romance, boys' shenanigans and familial love, pathos and giggles. This book is well deserving of its 1937 Newbery Award.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Lois Lenski's historical novels! I wish someone would reprint them.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one's a fascinating historical novel set in 1830 Connecticut. Lenski has written a story of a very independent girl. It's the story of 10/11 year old Phebe, daughter of a ship's captain in New Haven, who is sent to live with relatives while her parents make a trading voyage to England/Europe. Phebe is a modern city girl and causes endless consternation to her rural conservative relatives. She's Church (Episcopalian) and they're Meeting (Puritan) - probably the difference between High and Low Church today. She arrives (alone via stagecoach near winter's end) with a trunk of pretty things (dresses, sashes, ribbons) which are immediately put away except for the plainest of dresses. She also has a book "Mother Goose" which she hides away with her jewelry since she was told by her father to keep it "safe"- he knows how his family will perceive them. Phebe settles in, but makes mistake after unknowing mistake, but her spirit is never quashed. There is a lot of historical detail, but it's injected casually into the story not by massive info dump. Another interesting feature is the use of dialect; the relatives speak a very different English from Phebe. I really enjoyed the bits with Mother Goose; Phebe's book contains verses that have been dropped from more recent editions - which makes sense if you think about it - and it's interesting that Mother Goose could ever have been perceived as heretical. I am very pleased that I read this book (and it's a real pity that it's no longer in print) for my 2017 Reading Challenge and for my Newbery Challenge (Honor 1937).

[Rachel Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel almost like giving it a five star review, because the history of the place and time was well worth reading it again. We sincerely enjoy Lois Lenski's folksy storytelling style that paints a picture of the past for groups of people we might not otherwise ever know existed. Our family felt the characters interactions were not clearly communicated in the first half or so of the story. We were left surprised at some dramatic emotions and responses in the middle of the story that the story inferred came from essential details that were not as clearly drawn for you as the story implied. The storytelling communication of characters improves in the last half of the book....and even with this flaw we enjoyed this book so much and highly recommend it.

[Amber Scaife · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet-enough story of a young girl sent to live with country relatives while her seafaring father takes her mother on a trip to Europe. These country relatives are quite a bit more puritan than her own parents, and it takes a bit of adjusting for her to feel that she fits in.
Cute, but not anything extraordinary.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet book about a girl who spends a year with her country cousins while her parents are traveling. It's a lovely little picture into life in Connecticut in the 1830s.

Despite being--on paper--the perfect sort of read-aloud for our Morning Time, my kids weren't enthralled. There wasn't anything wrong with Phebe, it just didn't quite capture their attention and emotions.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet story. It reminded me of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, as a city girl goes to visit her family in the Puritan country and has a bit of a shock to the system. Family stories set in 1830.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m done! Newbery completist!! I saved this book for last because I knew Lois Lenski would not let me down. There were times I remembered events from the book so there’s a good chance I checked in out from our old Carnegie library in Bozeman, Montana.

[Desiree']

1937 Newbery honor book

[Thomas Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book. 3.5 stars for sure, but some parts seemed to drag, and it wasn't THAT fun, so not quite 4 stars.

Anyway, this is about a girl, seems to me about 10-12 years old, who lives near the coast in Connecticut in what I believe is the early 1820's. Her dad is a born seaman, and her mom goes on a long trip with him, so she spends a year with her dad's family on a farm inland.

Well, it's ALL of her dad's family. Her grandma, a couple aunts, an uncle, and a slew of cousins all live there. We also meet a Great-Aunt and some neighbors. The characters are all interesting, but it's kind of difficult to keep track of who is who. It would have been nicer to introduce them more one at a time rather than all at once for the most part.

Anyway, at the farm they are puritans. So the girl (Phebe) needs to learn how to deal with that as well, especially from one of her aunts who thinks it's pure evil to wear jewelry or to read Mother Goose rhymes.

But it's a good read if you can get your hands on it and are good at not losing concentration.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think maybe I just don't much care for Lois Lenski's books. I like her artwork, but I am not really captured by her stories. This one has some really funny moments, though, like when Phebe "borrows" the new bonnet and goes visiting, but a lot of the rest of the book just felt slow. I thought the premise was interesting, though - sending an only child from an easygoing family to stay with relatives with very rigid ideas about religion, economics, and children's roles. It definitely made for some interesting encounters.

[Scott Williams]

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[Lillianna Bliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ★ - (enjoyed it a lot/really liked it)