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Little Faith
Little Faith is the story of a young orphan girl brought up by a Christian couple. When Faith's adoptive mother dies her father's mother moves in to look after the family. But Granny resents Faith as she sees her as an outsider and an intruder in the family. Granny is violent, drunk and lazy and strikes out at Faith's father by telling him he should get rid of Faith, 'She has no right to the families share of the money.'
Faith, takes this very hard and runs away to find a job as a servant girl. At first she has no success in job hunting but one day she goes into a church where there is a service going on. The minister reads out the verse, 'O ye of little faith, wherefore do you doubt.' Faith hears the words, 'Little faith wherefore do you doubt.' Faith had been feeling that God didn't care about her but now she believes that these words were a direct message from God to her. She now knows that God does care about her.
A lady in the church eventually gives Faith a job as a servant in her household. Some time later Faith decides to return to her family but she finds that the grandmother has died and the family has moved. Faith sets out to try and find them. One day she sees her father in the distance and runs to catch up with him. A family reunion takes place and Little Faith is finally home where she was meant to be.
Faith, takes this very hard and runs away to find a job as a servant girl. At first she has no success in job hunting but one day she goes into a church where there is a service going on. The minister reads out the verse, 'O ye of little faith, wherefore do you doubt.' Faith hears the words, 'Little faith wherefore do you doubt.' Faith had been feeling that God didn't care about her but now she believes that these words were a direct message from God to her. She now knows that God does care about her.
A lady in the church eventually gives Faith a job as a servant in her household. Some time later Faith decides to return to her family but she finds that the grandmother has died and the family has moved. Faith sets out to try and find them. One day she sees her father in the distance and runs to catch up with him. A family reunion takes place and Little Faith is finally home where she was meant to be.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1880
1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Mrs. O.F. Walton
71 books19 followersAmy Catherine Walton, better known as Mrs O.F. Walton, was a British author of Christian children's and teenage books, mainly but not exclusively fiction. She was born Amy Catherine Deck in 1849, and died in Leigh, Kent in 1939.
Amy was the daughter of the vicar of St Stephen's Church, Spring Street, Hull.
Her career as an author began with My Mates And I, written in 1870 but not published until 1873. Her first published work was My Little Corner in 1872. In 1874 came one of her most famous books, Christie's Old Organ, which has been regularly reprinted up to the present day. It is the story of orphaned Christie and his friend, the aged organ-grinder Treffy. It was introduced to Japan in 1882 and was published in 1885 by the translation of Tajima Kashi. It was one of the earliest books in history of both Christian's and children's literature of Japan and was re-translated in 1903 and 1994.
In 1875 she married Octavius Frank Walton, who was her father's curate at the time. It was under her husband's name, as Mrs O. F. Walton, that she was to become better known. In the year of their marriage they moved to Jerusalem where Octavius took up a ministry in a church on Mount Zion until 1879. While there in 1877, her book A Peep Behind The Scenes was published. It is the story of Rosalie, a child who works in a travelling theatre.
The Waltons lived at Cally, Kirkcudbrightshire for a while, and from 1883 to 1893, Octavius was in the ministry at the church of St Thomas, York, moving to St Jude's, Wolverhampton in 1893. He retired in 1918.
Although she wrote many more books, it is A Peep Behind the Scenes and Christie's Old Organ that have remained well known, continuing to be published by the Lutterworth Press, successor to her original publisher, the Religious Tract Society.
(from Wikipedia)
Amy was the daughter of the vicar of St Stephen's Church, Spring Street, Hull.
Her career as an author began with My Mates And I, written in 1870 but not published until 1873. Her first published work was My Little Corner in 1872. In 1874 came one of her most famous books, Christie's Old Organ, which has been regularly reprinted up to the present day. It is the story of orphaned Christie and his friend, the aged organ-grinder Treffy. It was introduced to Japan in 1882 and was published in 1885 by the translation of Tajima Kashi. It was one of the earliest books in history of both Christian's and children's literature of Japan and was re-translated in 1903 and 1994.
In 1875 she married Octavius Frank Walton, who was her father's curate at the time. It was under her husband's name, as Mrs O. F. Walton, that she was to become better known. In the year of their marriage they moved to Jerusalem where Octavius took up a ministry in a church on Mount Zion until 1879. While there in 1877, her book A Peep Behind The Scenes was published. It is the story of Rosalie, a child who works in a travelling theatre.
The Waltons lived at Cally, Kirkcudbrightshire for a while, and from 1883 to 1893, Octavius was in the ministry at the church of St Thomas, York, moving to St Jude's, Wolverhampton in 1893. He retired in 1918.
Although she wrote many more books, it is A Peep Behind the Scenes and Christie's Old Organ that have remained well known, continuing to be published by the Lutterworth Press, successor to her original publisher, the Religious Tract Society.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 9, 2018
Faith learns not to doubt her Heavenly Father and His care for her.
Read to my children at lunch
2018 - A book of my choice
Read to my children at lunch
2018 - A book of my choice
April 5, 2017
It was cute! Surprisingly so it got winding in places. Like when the author lists off the stalls and the wares they sell.
It was an interesting setting. The author didn't outright say but it sounded like it could have been set in Ireland, Scotland, or Wales. To be honest, I'm glad we have child labor laws in America! (I hated them as a kid because I couldn't earn any money or legally work for my family's ranch until I turned 13.)
I thought the book was sweet! It touches on adult problems but through a child's eyes. And I really like how (My copy has a different author but I'm certain it's the same book.) Mrs. O.F. Walton keeps Faith right at a child's level. The child, Faith, was as tough and brave as they have to be. "I hope Mrs. Gubbins don't beat the children no more." Unfortunetly I've taken to talking like the characters in their dialogue today.
Chapter four was my favorite. That's where moral was spelled out. I had to stop and say "Wow." because that was a perfect analogy to apply to anyone's life.
For the most part it has a happy ending. Which is why I was reading it. I needed a story with a happy ending.
It was an interesting setting. The author didn't outright say but it sounded like it could have been set in Ireland, Scotland, or Wales. To be honest, I'm glad we have child labor laws in America! (I hated them as a kid because I couldn't earn any money or legally work for my family's ranch until I turned 13.)
I thought the book was sweet! It touches on adult problems but through a child's eyes. And I really like how (My copy has a different author but I'm certain it's the same book.) Mrs. O.F. Walton keeps Faith right at a child's level. The child, Faith, was as tough and brave as they have to be. "I hope Mrs. Gubbins don't beat the children no more." Unfortunetly I've taken to talking like the characters in their dialogue today.
Chapter four was my favorite. That's where moral was spelled out. I had to stop and say "Wow." because that was a perfect analogy to apply to anyone's life.
For the most part it has a happy ending. Which is why I was reading it. I needed a story with a happy ending.
October 15, 2017
I got this book yesterday, and gave it to my 6 year-old daughter today. She had me read her the whole thing this afternoon! It’s a sweet story, with a powerful juxtaposition of the dreariness of man’s sinful condition, and the beautiful blessedness of faith.
The big turning point involves Matthew 14:31b.
Some might complain that the stock characters are exaggerated and really flat, and that the contrast between Good and Evil is too sharp to be realistic. But those folks would be missing the point. For such a short story, there are many characters that interact with the protagonist (little Faith), and the overarching narrative of God’s friendship with faithful believers is a good one to present to children.
There are some heavy themes (drunkenness, death, terminal illness, childhood illness, poverty, the perils of the city), but all of these are presented in a way that is appropriate for children.
Also, I confess that I cried while reading the last paragraph. It was a beautiful close to a sweet story.
My daughter said “this story started very sad, and then the end of it was really happy and good.”
The big turning point involves Matthew 14:31b.
Some might complain that the stock characters are exaggerated and really flat, and that the contrast between Good and Evil is too sharp to be realistic. But those folks would be missing the point. For such a short story, there are many characters that interact with the protagonist (little Faith), and the overarching narrative of God’s friendship with faithful believers is a good one to present to children.
There are some heavy themes (drunkenness, death, terminal illness, childhood illness, poverty, the perils of the city), but all of these are presented in a way that is appropriate for children.
Also, I confess that I cried while reading the last paragraph. It was a beautiful close to a sweet story.
My daughter said “this story started very sad, and then the end of it was really happy and good.”
Read
April 25, 2014This is one of the two very first books I remember ever reading!
June 20, 2017
A sweet read for early childhood
April 30, 2024
Number of pages: 105
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Series: N/A
Age recommendation: 8-12
Summary: When Faith overhears Mrs. Gubbins telling her adoptive father that she is stealing the bread out of his children’s mouths, Faith is determined not to be a burden on her family anymore. She leaves home and looks for work as a maid, hoping to boost the family income. But finding a job is not as easy as she thought. She asks God for help, but she starts to doubt Him as the day goes by and she finds nothing. Will Faith find a job? And will she ever see her family again?
My thoughts: Mrs. O. F. Walton is one of my favourite authors. I like her style; all her stories are simplistic but still interesting, and they turn out good in the end. She always tends to have a lot of Christian content in her books which I love about her writing. This book is centered around trusting in God; not doubting His word. The verse “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31) is quoted often.
I remember Little Faith as being one of my favourite books when I was younger. It was short and easy to read, although in the version of the book I have there is some older language (ie: thees and thous etc.) which could be difficult for younger readers.
I’ve always felt bad for Faith that she felt like a burden to her family and left. Then her dad moved the rest of the family away too, and she was all alone and she couldn’t find them. It is so sweet of Faith when she spends her sixpence at another toy shop to help out the man and his daughter who remind Faith of her father and herself. That is one of my favourite parts! And, of course, the author works out everything in the end. Sometimes you need a happy ending even if it’s unrealistic.
My personal rating: 4.5/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Series: N/A
Age recommendation: 8-12
Summary: When Faith overhears Mrs. Gubbins telling her adoptive father that she is stealing the bread out of his children’s mouths, Faith is determined not to be a burden on her family anymore. She leaves home and looks for work as a maid, hoping to boost the family income. But finding a job is not as easy as she thought. She asks God for help, but she starts to doubt Him as the day goes by and she finds nothing. Will Faith find a job? And will she ever see her family again?
My thoughts: Mrs. O. F. Walton is one of my favourite authors. I like her style; all her stories are simplistic but still interesting, and they turn out good in the end. She always tends to have a lot of Christian content in her books which I love about her writing. This book is centered around trusting in God; not doubting His word. The verse “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31) is quoted often.
I remember Little Faith as being one of my favourite books when I was younger. It was short and easy to read, although in the version of the book I have there is some older language (ie: thees and thous etc.) which could be difficult for younger readers.
I’ve always felt bad for Faith that she felt like a burden to her family and left. Then her dad moved the rest of the family away too, and she was all alone and she couldn’t find them. It is so sweet of Faith when she spends her sixpence at another toy shop to help out the man and his daughter who remind Faith of her father and herself. That is one of my favourite parts! And, of course, the author works out everything in the end. Sometimes you need a happy ending even if it’s unrealistic.
My personal rating: 4.5/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
July 19, 2025
1.5 stars
Better than Elsie Dinsmore(low bar, I know...), but ham-fisted and exceedingly dull.
Better than Elsie Dinsmore(low bar, I know...), but ham-fisted and exceedingly dull.
April 10, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews