Review
Janet Sandison is a precocious, happy ten-year-old in Reachfar, Scotland, when her world is suddenly and drastically changed by the death of her mother, followed immediately by her father's losing his position as grieve (farm manager) to the local baronet. Janet leaves her precious home and friends to begin her life as a brilliant - if slightly eccentric - student in Cairnshaw in the south of Scotland. Her "friend" Annie is the daughter of Cairnshaw neighbors, people Janet's step-mother, Jean, admires and extols Janet to emulate, but people for whom Janet feels complete contempt: Annie wears lace and keeps clean, Janet likes cover-alls and dirt; Annie stays quiet and smiles, Janet speaks her mind and sometimes yells. Although Annie herself stays somewhat peripheral to the story, My Friend Annie provides an affectionate glimpse of growing up in Scotland before World War Two with just enough spark in the relationship between Janet and Jean, and just enough mystery to make it a memorable read. -- For great reviews of books for girls, check out Let's Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14. -- From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Jesse Larsen
