Set in England in the early 1900's. Features a stereotypically awful orphanage and an interesting section describing life on a canal boat. Pleasant read, but not complelling.

That's better.

Having just read and been crashingly disappointed in two different "Shoes" books, I was more than ready for this classic rags-to-riches tale of the not-quite orphans and the foundling who leads them home. Jane Eyre meets Oliver Twist and The Little Princess in this wishfulfillment tale of the fiesty young foundling who knows (like the Fossils before her) that she will have to make her own way in the world, and is determined to make it big. The Countess' attitude to her servants is less than believable, but then that's not your normal scullery maid, is it?

I finished this on a sleepless night, or rather morning; for some reason I came awake at 4 AM and couldn't go back to sleep. I knew it was a good book when I reached the last page and wanted more--much more. Not because it felt unfinished, but because I didn't want it to end. That hasn't happened with a book since I was about Margaret Thursday's age.

There’s always plenty to love about a Streatfeild book and this one is no exception with its settings of rectory, orphanage, canal boat and theatre. Lively characters and historical details add to the strengths of ‘Thursday’s Child’ and ensure an escapist and highly enjoyable read.

It gives your memory a strange jolt to see books from when you were 8,9,10.

A wonderful Christmas gift when I was ten

This book was received as an ARC from Harper 360 - HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was shocked at the plot and concept of this book. A girl is left at a door of a church. She is named after the day she was found. Someone keeps sending her gold coins. Then she gets sent to an orphanage where she gets mistreated, underfed and abused by matron. As a blessing in disguise, she meets Horatio and Peter and they bond together with an escape plan. If a book can tell you that no matter the circumstance, you will never be alone, Thursday's Child was the book to do that. I loved Margaret's strength and tenacity she showed throughout the story at a very young age is quite impressive. This is the kind of book you need to read to get through any difficult situation and when you feel like you can't do anything, think of Margaret.

We will consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Recommended for: All Ages, lovers of orphan stories

Rating: G

I've always loved orphan stories. Something about that nature of hard luck story, the hardships they endure, the adventure of running away, the "rags to riches" of some nature that so often follows, just grabs my imagination. Thursday's Child by Noel Streatfeild claims the title of my favorite orphan story. It has everything one could wish for in such a story: a spunky protagonist, intriguing secondary characters, a cruel orphanage Matron, a harsh environment including little food and too much work, a kind benefactor, a daring escape...

St. Luke's Orphanage is just terrible, and so are all the people who work there, someone even purposely puts soap in Horry Beresford's eyes every morning. But it is the place that brings together Margaret and the Beresfords. Margaret is spunky and headstrong, rather proud because her mother left her on the church steps with two of everything, all of the finest quality. She is stubborn, but also caring and has a strong sense of justice. Peter Beresford is quieter, quite the reader. It is because of him I chose Bleak House to keep me company on the long drives to and from orchestra rehearsal last semester. He's sweet, but all wrapped up in his imagination, which, I believe, makes me identify with him. He even manages to read while cutting the grass. And doesn't he look like the Tiny Tim in Scrooge with Albert Finney on this cover? Horry is the little one, the one who lets their true conditions slip, a large part of the reason the escape is enacted. There is also Lavinia, Peter and Horry's older sister, who works as hard as she can to earn money to support her little brothers, but unfortunately, she is not fast enough.

In true Noel Streatfeild style, everything circulates back to the stage somehow. Margaret Thursday has acting talent in her little finger. Perhaps her attitude has something to do with it. But it is largely this book that got me to read Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Because the ending is all wrapped up in it. And there is more spoilery material to the ending that I oughtn't to divulge. It is very good. I love this book. (As a side note, this book reinforces my belief that home hair dying experiences always turn out green. :P )

If you like orphan stories, if you like stories about the stage, if you like hard luck stories, or rags to riches, read Thursday's Child. It will not disappoint. There is also a sequel entitled Far to Go, which I have yet to get a hold of.

For more reviews from me and my sisters, visit www.shirereviews.blogspot.com

An interesting story about eleven-year-old Margaret who is sent to an orphanage and has adventures with friends she meets there. Has a happy ending that I enjoyed.

In reading Thursday's Child, it felt like going back in time. Only at the end with About the Author did I realize that the author (Noel Streatfeild) of Thursday's Child was born on Christmas Eve in 1895! Thursday's Child wasn't even on my radar and it should be a classic! First published in 1970 by William Collins in Great Britain. (The author died in London on Sept 11, 1986.) Happy 50th anniversary to this Children's Book.

It was a good book. Glad that I read it. I hate to give away the plot with any spoilers. An orphan is dropped off, an annual payment for her "keep" hasn't been "kept up". In her travels she comes across some other orphans.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Noel Streatfeild and the publisher Harper 360, HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks for the opportunity to read Thursday's Child in exchange for an honest review. Re-publication date is 12 Oct 2021.

This is a plucky-and-reasonably-high-class-orphans-run-away-from-cruel-institution story, which is pretty much its own subgenre. I think I read it as a child (the part where they hide out on the canal boat seems really familiar) but didn't find it as memorable as her more famous "Shoes" books, even though she does work in some theater.

Not as good as the shoe books but delightful anyway.

Streatfeild seems always to drift to her strengths - quasi-orphans, kindly adults, and kids on the stage - but she does it so absolutely beautifully.

Having just finished Pratchett's I Shall Wear Midnight, I was struck to find "rough music" in this one too.