Customer Reviews

In Grandma's Attic (Grandma's Attic Series)

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If you are tired of all those books full of "fluff" with no real moral, look no further than the book-In Grandma's Attic! Little stories fill the pages of this delightful book that not only teach character, but have you on the floor laughing. I join Mable and her friend Sarah Jane as they find themselves in one scrape after another! In the end though there is always a repentive spirit and a desire to do better next time temptation pops up. Every story starts out with a little girl asking her grandma about something she saw or discovered that day, while visiting at her grandmother's house. The question triggers a story from grandma that relates to what she was asked about and so starts another humorous tale of the good old days! The whole series of these books is well worth reading. I didn't read them all at once, but over a period of time. Because as Mable grows so does her vocaulary and the stories get harder for young children to relate to. Wonderful read aloud books!

"In Grandma's Attic" is one of the best character-building books I have come across. These humorous short stories convey history, family life, and lessons learned in such a delightful way. Reminds me of the "Little House" books, but with a greater spiritual emphasis. So glad we were introduced to this series through "Five in a Row" by Jane Claire Lambert, who recommends it be read in conjunction with "The Rag Coat" by Lauren Mills.

I read the "Grandma's Attic " books when I was younger and loved them. I recently went back and read them again, and they were just as enjoyable the second time around! The stories are realistic, humorous, and just fun to read. They make the adventures of Sarah Jane and Mabel seem real, and you get to know the characters and their personalities. Each story teaches a lesson or moral, and most have quotes from the Bible. I really enjoyed these books, and I think that most young girls will, too!

The entire Grandma's Attic Series, and this first book in particular, is one of the most beloved book series of my childhood. I haven't read them in years, but I still can recall most of the stories from each book.

When I was very young, my mother read them to me before I went to sleep. As I got older (6 or 7), I began reading them on my own. The stories were short enough that storytime before bed didn't drag on into the night, and they were also funny and well written. Morals were present in each story (the importance of truthfulness and the value of hardwork being two recurring themes, as I recall), but they weren't preachy or heavy-handed.

I haven't read the books in over a decade, but they left such a lasting impression on me that I have kept a set of the books in my library to read to children who visit. They've been a big hit so far with all the children I've read the stories to.

We read and reread these books to our sons when they were small. Then they read - and reread - them for themselves. Our family laughed a lot over the adventures and misadventures of Mabel and Sara Jane, two delightfully irrepressible little girls who, with the best of intentions, managed to get into all sorts of trouble. Our boys grew up watching Mabel and Sara Jane grow up. These true stories offer a rare and endearing view of childhood as it ought to be and of godliness cultivated through wisdom and love.

I remember reading this series as a girl and have now bought them for my 7 and 5 year-old girls. I look forward to reading a chapter or two with them every night! The stories are beautifully told and the values and morals taught in them are timeless. It is my hope that these books help to strengthen my girls' faith while they entertain them.

"In Grandma's Attic" is a beautiful book that our whole family enjoyed, from my 5-year-old homeschooled kindergartener all the way up to my 77-year-old parents.

Author Arleta Richardson, herself in her 80s now, recalls stories that her grandmother shared about her childhood. The grandmother grew up on a farm in Michigan around the turn of the last century, so the stories offer a nice glimpse into the past--almost doubling as a history lesson.

Arleta introduces each story with what was happening when her grandma told it to her, whether grandma was sitting down to sew, telling about something Arleta had pulled out of the attic, or entertaining Arleta as the little girl from diphtheria. Readers can learn about day-to-day life from two different periods of history at once.

What I most appreciate is the quaint honesty of the stories. Grandma even tells stories about the mischief she got into as a child! Arleta manages to show that childhood is still childhood, no matter the time period.

We used this book as a read-aloud during school times and at bedtime. I'd say a child with about a third-grade reading level could read it alone. Each of its 23 chapters is short, with about 5 or so pages each. Each chapter tells a different story.

The book has five nice, black-and-white illustrations. It even feels good in the hand, with a nice linen cardstock cover and standard novel size.

If you enjoy the Little House on the Prairie series, you'll enjoy this book. Some of the stories end with a Christian message, such as how prayer brought grandpa a new pair of shoes. All emphasize values, though not at all in a preachy way.

Like grandma from the book, I also grew up on a farm in Michigan, but I think anyone would love these stories.

We read this as part of the Sonlight Core C (kindergarten) homeschool curriculum. I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

What I liked the most about this book was that this girls grandmother told a lot of stories in this one book. It was REALLY good and I liked all the stories. I learned never to put your tounge on metal when it is winter and never touch guns and lots of other great lessons. I would like all of my friends to read this book. I am sure they would love it just like I loved it.

by: Jordan age 7

In Grandma's Attic is an easy to read book for the 8+ set, where an old-fashioned grandmother tells tales from her childhood. Some stories are meant to be humorous and others relate to God's doings. Some of the stories also try to teach the reader interesting lessons about life, like not to lick a pole with frost on it and not to brag or show-off. There are also stories about miracles. For instance, how Grandpa was saved from falling and hurting himself badly. Many of the funny stories have miscommunications that cause people to almost get in trouble, and others have a nice tight sense of suspense.

I highly recommend this book because I found it to be a fun read as well as a well-written layered book. When it was time to go to bed, I did not want to put the book down. My only complaint is I wish that is was longer.

I've enjoyed reading this book aloud with my older children, ages 8 and 6, and my 8-year-old often reads them on his own. Each chapter has Grandma telling a story from her youth, often prompted by something found in Grandma's attic, or a question asked by her granddaughter.

The stories give a glimpse into what life was like long ago, but also teach good moral lessons that are applicable today, as they are lessons all of us need to learn about pride, vanity, thinking things through, truthfulness, etc.. Some of the lessons are a generic you "ought to" do this or that, but some are very explicitly based in the Christian faith, like when Grandma learns that "the Lord has a reason" for everything that happens. I'd have preferred Grandma to have been not quite as foolish (example for the reader), but in her scrapes, she never gets away with anything wrong.

The chapters are typically 4-6 pages, which means they're nice bite-sized stories. I usually read 2 or 3 at a time. I was only partway through this book when I went ahead and ordered other books in this series. I can hand these books to my children without worrying about the lessons they'll learn. While not an outstanding work of literature, they are good clean fun!