Treasures from Grandma

Grandma's Attic #4

by Arleta Richardson

A collection of stories of life in the late nineteenth century, many reflecting the Christian faith of the author's family, including tales of a Thanksgiving visit from a stern cousin, a deceitful new classmate, and Mabel's first attempt to sew a dress.

Genres: Childrens, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction, Historical, Juvenile

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Arleta Richardson was an author, librarian, and a teacher. The Grandma's Attic series was her most well known series. She was born in Flint, MI, and served in World War II. She belonged to the Free Methodist Church.

Reviews

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. This is the last of the "child Mabel" books and actually has a bit of a different flavour since Mabel and Sarah Jane are in their early teens. It tells some pretty great lessons about life and faith, as always... I particularly enjoy the story about Cousin Agatha and "The Seamstress" is a hoot... and I love how it still includes plenty about Mabel's family and community. What a great book for preteen girls!

[Hattush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these stories so much. They are funny, sweet and wholesome. I alwaus read this series when I want comfort books. 💗😍 Highly recommend.

[Morgan Giesbrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I adore the shenanigans of Mabel & Sarah Jane! They learn and grow so much, and the irony of Sarah Jane being both Mabel’s partner-in-crime & “second conscience” never fails to crack me up. 😂

[Luisa Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of delightful stories that you can learn by!

Grandma Mabel has the best stories, some funny and some … even funnier! And everything around her home reminds her of one of them, so the stories just gush out. One story from a sewing basket, one from a button, another from a piece of fabric.

Each chapter is short and it’s own tale (perhaps a good book to read aloud at lunch with the kids?). You’ll learn lessons on pride, vanity, obedience, telling the truth, not making hasty assumptions and more.

Don’t miss this series. An oldie but a goodie!

Cleanliness: most bad behavior is used as a lesson to learn from. However, there is some squabbling among the siblings that does not always get addressed. “Goodness” and “for goodness sakes” are used. There is a lesson about fortune telling and palm readings. A girl at school has a crush on Mabel’s older brother - the girl tries using Mabel to get close to the brother.

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So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mabel and Sarah Jane are at it again, dreaming up trouble and childish shenanigans in their little country town. Mabel is determined to sew her own dress for the ice-cream social, but has difficulties sewing a seam correctly. Sarah Jane tries to help a boy at school to lose weight by stealing his lunch. Mabel resolves to make a perfect score on her math test at school, just to prove to the boys that a girl can be smart too. A family of gypsies visits the area, and Mabel's family allows them to squat on their land despite the dire warnings of their neighbors that all gypsies are thieves.

I love the old-fashioned writing and the wholesome innocence of the stories. Each chapter has its own plot with a neat moral at the end where Mabel and Sarah Jane learn a valuable lesson about friendship, honesty, and compassion to their fellowman.

I just love how energetic and plucky Mabel is. She is forever getting into scrapes, but remains as bold and high-spirited as ever, no matter the disappointments that come her way.
I can't wait to read more from this adorable series!

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again I loved this book, so refreshing and sweet. Mable and Sarah Jane sure can get into a lot of trouble, but they seem to present a great lesson each time.
This time in our Country is back when a public school allowed prayer and bible study. What a great loss we as a Nation have been given.
Just a few of the adventures in this book include Mable and her perfect paper?? Also the Great Aunt that no one seems to like?? You will love the Farewell Party they want to give to their beloved teacher Miss Gibson, and take sewing lessons with Mable...or maybe not!
I recommend this great read...recommended for girls, but I've read it to boys and they get a good chuckle out of it!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet short stories that my 5 and even 3 (almost 4 year old) liked to listen to me read aloud. Each chapter is a new story so that was nice. Generally each chapter incorporates a virtue or some sort of character building from the bible. Nothing major but gets the point across in in a simple manner.

We'll probably read the other books in the series. My five year old was excited about the possibility to read them again on her own when she is older.

I labeled it for the 3rd grade as recommended reading was 8 years old.

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun reread! I do love Mable, and while Sarah Jane can be very annoying and doesn’t take the blame when many things are her ideas or suggestions, I still like her. There are a number of great lessons in this book. They are a little longer since the girls are more grown up, so the stories have more depth to them.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely Morning Time listen.

[Emily Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such great little morals for all ages but my little five year old especially loves these books. My favorite repeated moral is that God only gives us one day at a time to worry about.

[Taylor G · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are so so good and perfect for all ages

[Christina DeVane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The boys loved listening to every book in this series and only wanted more! So many good lessons of honesty, kindness, etc that it gave us good conversations to have in the car as we listened!❤️

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing along in the same format as the first two books, Arleta is living with her Grandmother and Uncle Roy. Each chapter is an individual story which starts off with Arleta in the present and her grandmother ends up telling her a tale of when she was a little girl in the 1880's. The time frame has moved ahead a little bit from the previous two books though Mabel (Grandma) does go back as far as being six years old; she is mostly 12/13 and the majority of the stories involve her and her best friend Sarah Jane and their life in rural Michigan on a farm. Mabel and Sarah Jane are good girls but they always manage to get themselves into trouble with their fancies and mischief. This time their adventures include a home-made wrinkle cream, trying to get by without wearing their long underwear under their stockings, a week's trip to the city, a surprise birthday party where no one invites the birthday celebrant and eating windfalls (apples) from a neighbours orchard. Wonderful, wholesome stories that will appeal to fans of the Little House or Betsy-Tacy books. These are wonderful examples of Christian fiction, but no religion is no more excessive than that being the way of life for the folks back then. Some stories have no indication they could be classified as Christian while others may have the parents teaching their children a behaviour lesson through scripture. It is all very low key. Think of the Christian element used in the LHOTP TV show.

[Sunflower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arleta Richardson's books are treasures from the past.

For those who are familiar with her work, these were books, that late at night, during summer vacations and with friends, we would read stories out loud and giggle at each stories....Growing up, reading these books now, is a trip back to simpler times before internet, social media, cell phones, television....everything and giggling at how different times are now for the people in Richardson's book and the times now.

Little girls would love how, even then, they will see a little girl who wants to be an individual and pretty and the misadventures that are tempered by a Grandmother's love....This is a timeless book for parents, grandparents and kids to enjoy and bond over.

Filled as well with godly values and morals that transcend time, generations and culture, these "Grandma Attic's" stories, are a delight to have on one's book shelf and be it mom, looking for a fun read to transport her back to when she was a little girl, or to pass on to, this generation, a wholesome set of stories and adventures, Richardson's books are an absolute delight.

It's well worth getting the entire set and a delight to see the series out again, to capture a new generation's heart and to remind past generation's of stories that had them sneaking the book into bed, late at night, with a flashlight to read till the end.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: TREASURES FROM GRANDMA’S ATTIC
Author: Arleta Richardson
Publisher: David C. Cook
August 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7814-0382-6
Genre: Inspirational/nonfiction/young adult/memoir

When I was a little girl, I owned a series of books called Grandma’s Attic, stories about a grandmother when she was a little girl back in the 1880s. Well, now-a-days, little girls’ grandmothers were born in the 40’s, 50’s, and even 60’s, so they don’t get first hand stories about how their great-great-whatever grandmothers used to live.

I enjoyed rereading this series, in its entirety, and was glad when I was offered the third and fourth books in this series for review, so I could pass them on to my own little girls. Don’t miss any of the books in this series, Stories from Grandma’s Attic, More Stories from Grandma’s Attic, Still More Stories from Grandma’s Attic, and Treasures from Grandma’s Attic. They are a treasure to read and for young girls to learn about historical days. $6.99. 150 pages.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the series and is almost a stand-alone volume. The first 3 books are all told in a storyteller style with anecdotes from the author leading to stories from Mabel (Grandma). The final 6 books are all a straight narrative style. And in-between is this book.

There are stories in this book, and they are anecdotes from preteen/early teen Mabel's point-of-view. Some of the stories are not as well crafted as the first books (Christmas Spirit, Really Responsible), but it may be that the author had fewer details from the first-hand accounts. I did really enjoy several of the tales, such as Gypsies! and The Farewell Party. These are great books, and I really can't wait to keep them in my children's library for years to come.

[Amber French · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these books! I read "Grandma's Attic" when I was in middle school and loved it! I was excited at the opportunity to be able to read the stories again. I laughed at Mabel's experiences, wondering how one girl could find herself in so many "scrapes." I think the story about the face cream might be one of my favorites. I liked how the stories weren't super long, making them good for quick reads. I like everything about the books - really great reads!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Treasure from Grandma’s Attic, Mabel and Sarah Jane are older. Thus, so are the stories. The stories are not so carefree but also start to touch on issues like dying, crushes, and deceiving to name a few. Of course, I still liked reading these stories. I just felt a little sad that Mabel and Sarah Jane were growing up. I know that they had to but in my mind I will still picture them as little girls playing dress up.

[joy *the clean-reader extraordinaire* · Rating 4 out of 5]

i just stumbled upon this author again. i'm pretty sure i read every one of the grandma's attic books as a young girl, and will look forward to reading them again with my little one.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Mom read these books to me and my siblings one year. They are the best!

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids love these books. They're sweet and simple. Good read-alouds.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just delightful!

[Mitchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed most of the stories in this book, but I'm rating it down for a problematic depiction of the Roma people and a story about fatphobia.

[Deevena Jemima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Amy Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. I didn't feel good about how the one story on the Lord's Day was handled. I enjoyed the straight anecdotes and dropping of the introductory lessons in this book.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will echo what I said about book 3 in this series—it’s interesting to reread these books as an adult. I find myself wondering why the focus is so much on things Mabel does wrong, and why her friends and family seem to point out all her flaws all the time. Maybe that’s just the tone the author wanted to take—a story of a real, flawed person and their growing up years. But I really do wonder how the tone affected me when I was a little girl reading these books. Add in some unhelpful views about Mabel’s classmate’s weight, and I’m finding myself glad that I haven’t bought these books for anyone else’s children.

[Michele The Bookish Tea Room · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last of the series comes to an end. In this one, we don’t see the little girl asking her grandmother to tell her stories. It’s just Mabel herself relating tales from her 13th year in the farmhouse and one-room schoolhouse. My daughter and I love these heartwarming vignettes from a simpler time. Each chapter is a different little piece of Mabel’s life and there’s a sweet lesson to wrap it up at the end. These books are so wonderful for helping instill lessons of family life and values.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a reread, and I didn’t find it as enjoyable as I remembered. The anecdotes are so focused on lessons learned at the end that it feels kind of flat - there’s no sense of character growth, details about the time (except in passing), or anything that makes a deep and memorable story. I was rather disappointed.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore this series! Life lessons with Christian themes packaged in hilarious stories of mischief and misunderstandings. I would love to find books for boys this well-written and meaningful. J and I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t care for this as much as the first. I preferred the format of the first because as the grandmother and granddaughter sorted through collected items relatable stories were told. They were short and sweet. This had longer chapters and was very religious, which for me uncomfortable.