Time for Lissa

by Rebecca Caudill, Velma Ilsley (Illustrator)

A nine-year-old orphan has been promised that her week with the president of the orphanage board will be better than her favorite fairy tale, but everything starts out badly, until she meets a grandma "with all sorts of wonderful attachments."

139 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

American's children writer, as well as teacher and editor, known for her Appalachian fiction. Caudill graduated from Wesleyan College and, in 1922, received her master's degree from Vanderbilt University. She taught English in high school and college, and worked briefly as an editor. She moved to Urbana, Illinois, when she married James Ayars in 1931.

Caudill's book, Tree of Freedom, was a Newbery Honor Book in 1950. A Pocketful of Cricket was a Caldecott Honor Book.

The schoolchildren of her adopted state of Illinois vote each year on their favorite book. The winning book is given the Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award (RCYRBA) named in honor of Caudill and her contributions to Appalachian literature.

Reviews

[Snickerdoodle · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn't terrible. It was very readable. There just wasn't anything particularly 'special' about it - or memorable. This is written in 1959 so I suppose that can be taken into account.

Lissa lives in The Home for Orphans. The 9 year olds each get to go spend a week with a family of The Kind Ladies. Mrs Coatsworth is very busy with all her volunteer work. Mr Coatsworth has to work but when he gets home, he spends time with Lissa. It's a very busy household, everything done on a rigid schedule, no one seems truly happy. The saving grace in this household is the Grandma. She listens to the girls prayers, lets her help with things, pays attention to the girl, brings a puppy 'Monkeyshine' into the household- without the permission or approval of Son or Daughter but they assume it's just for Lissa and they'll return it when the week is over. Mr Coatsworth is playing with the puppy and the big clock falls and breaks. Mrs. Coatsworth trips on a bat left on the step and sprains her ankle. When they decide they want to adopt Lissa she worries that she'll miss Mrs Oliver and her friends. So ... Lissa suggests they adopt the new baby at the orphanage ... and Lissa will just come and visit often. The End.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting twist on the classic orphan tale. Lissa goes on a week-long visit to one of the Kind Ladies who administer the orphanage and finds that many of her fondest wishes come true. And then she finds that her fondest wishes are maybe... not what she wanted after all. Nicely unexpected.

There are parts that I found simply brilliant and enchanting, like the grandma that Lissa compares to a vacuum cleaner because she comes with all sorts of "extra attachments" and there's a vision that will stay with me.

Well worth reading.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was appalled by the ending of this book. I mean, it's a nice story, but ... sheesh.