Customer Reviews

Melendy Family

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When I was in my twenties, I found this book in my local library when I was studying to become a children's fiction writer. To date, I have never found another book of such absolute fresh, non-candied innocence. I have used the Melendy Family over and over as a sort of therapy for the more stressed and worldly times in my life, where I can be an observer into the lives of these four (later five) different children during the 1940's, where they embark on all sorts of different adventures. Elizabeth Enright was the perfect spyglass into the hearts and minds of children. When I read her books, it brings back my memories of how it actually felt to have all the wonder and giddiness and mischeviousness of being a child. And the rest of the world disappears for a while. I urge anyone who has lost sight of how it felt to be a child to read this book series.

A truly timeless work. Elizabeth Enright captured the essence of childhood in the war years of 1940. But the characters and the well defined relationships between them are truly timeless.I first met the Melendy children when i was in the fourth grade, I found the compilation of the first three books in the West End School library, In San Rafael Calif. This was in 1958 or so, and i still have that copy of the Holt, Rhinehart, and Winston edition.Starting with "The Saturdays" Madam Enright takes right into the thoughts and emotions of a magic time, and the Melendy childrens creation of the " Independent Saturday afternoon adventure Club". What has always amazed me is how real they Melendy children and their family become to the reader. The illustrations in this edition are done by the author herself,And each of the Melendy children has an adventure that is custom made for the individual child. its wonderful!
( Elizabeth Enright was an accomplished artist and related to Frank Lloyd Wright)
It doesnt take long for the reader to loose ones self in the Melendy childrens world. "The four story Mistake" introduces us to the Melendys quirky country home, and all the adventures we wish we had experienced in our lives. One chapter is devoted to the youngest Melendy's fascination with Lepidoptera, and his private world that includes an encounter with the rare and beautiful Luna Moth.Something that rang true for me, and my love of the Insect world at that age! In "Then there were Five" the Melendy children find a new brother, and have many other adventures. I recently re read my copy,and I found that at age 51yrs I still love this book, and wish for a happy childhood like the Melendy children experienced! Do yourself a favor, buy this book and keep it for the children in your family, of all ages!

Terry Kelly
Santa Rosa , Ca

I Found this book for the first time in 1958 in the West End School Library, when we lived in San Rafael, Ca. I found it again about a year later in a Goodwill store! I still have the book. Elizabeth Enright manages to bring each of the Melendy children to life in these pages, as well as The father, housekeeper/ Nanny " Cuffy" the handyman" Willie", The family dogs, and an assortment of wonderful colorful characters that enter the childrens lives as one reads through all three volumes included in this edition.But it is the relationships between the children themselves and how they adapt to changing conditions in their lives that always enthralled me.I came from a large and very poor family, and had numerous sisters, a few step brothers and sisters, and even an evil stepfather. We moved frequently up and down the State of California. We were very different from the Melendy children. Maybe thats why I have always loved this book so much.

The Melendy children always took me to a happier place, a place of warm family relationships, and children who were in touch with the world around them, each in their own special way. Even the wonderful old " Four Story mistake" and its secret room, and musty cellar, charmed me with its own special magic. I still read " Noel Noel" the chapter dealing with the Melendy famlies wartime Christmas every Christmas eve. It captures the essence of what Christmas could be and never was for us. Buy this book, keep it, and share it with your children and grandchildren. Pick your favorite character as i did and enjoy the developments in his or her life. soon you will see yourself and others close to you in each character, and absorb the positive outlook that Elizabeth Enright imbues this family with.

Follow up with the last installment of the Melendy childrens adventures
" Spiderweb for Two".

I did not have the good fortune of reading about the Melendy's as a child. I discovered this book at the ripe old age of 39! I was in our local library just before a car trip, looking for books on CD to keep my children occupied while in the car. I chose "The Saturdays" because of the cover art on the front of the CD box and the cute description on the back. We didn't listen to that CD until the trip home. My children were silent (yes, silent) for over 4 hours. They were so very involved in the story. When it was over, they talked about aspects of the story they most enjoyed. It was a homeschool mom's dream. (my kids are 11, 8 and 8). When we got home and things were once again settled, I ordered the books that were available from Amazon, but I couldn't get "The Melendy Family". So, I got it from the library. I read it over the next two days. I'm struck by such unspoiled innocence. My Melendy books should arrive today and I will start reading the stories to my kids. After being an avid reader for, well, about 30 years, I am just now discovering that some of the best, most poignant fiction is written for children.

I read this book over and over as a young girl. My public library had the book in a Hardcover Complilation of the Three Stories in Sucession. I must have read it every summer, losing myself in the adventures with the children in this family. I have been looking for this book for my own daughter to read and have been unsucessful in finding it in any local library. I am truely looking forward to getting a copy of it for her to read. A must Read if your child is an avid reader!

This series of books about the Melendy family delighted me as a child and still does today. Each of the siblings has a unique personality and unique interests, brought to life by Enright quite skillfully. This is a wonderful tale of days gone by that is sure to capture the imaginations of those new to the stories and those revisiting from their childhood.