My daughter (17) is very sick. She’s an avid reader and enjoys a wide variety of literature, from Anne McCaffrey to Shakespeare. However, while she’s been sick she’s really appreciated The Secret Garden and Heidi–both somewhat overly-sweet children’s books about children getting well through the healing powers of God and nature and adults overcoming bitterness and grief through their joy in children. I’m getting her Lassie Come Home today. Any other ideas?
Get her to broaden her horizons–
The Rolling Stones (not the rock band) by Robert Heinlein.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
“Ingathering” By Zenna Henderson would be something she’d love!
“Lord Of Light” by Zelazny
Check the Amazon links above. 
Children overcoming adversity '-- The Railway Children, about a group of children who live in an abandoned railway car on their own. More of a fun romp than a drama.
The Disney movie “Pollyanna” is pretty much what you describe, maybe there’s a book. It’s kinda syrupy in places though, doesn’t have the restraint of “Heidi.”
Check out the other books by the author of The Secret Garden. The Little Princess and Little Lord Fauntelroy are both good reads, with a similiar theme.
Little Women is up there, too. And the Narnia books, if she hasn’t read those yet.
Thanks Bosda. She’s read all of Tolkien’s fiction–and I do mean all–even waded through the Silmarillion. She’s is a bit of a fanatic, speaking Elvish, etc. The Ingathering is an excellent suggestion!
The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
By Margaret Sidney
Book Description:
*She had seen with pride that couldn’t be concealed, her noisy, happy brood, growing up around her, and filling her heart with comfort, and making the Little Brown House fairly ring with jollity and fun.
Mrs. Pepper and her five lively children Ben, Polly, Joel, Davie, and Phronsie have had many hard times in the Little Brown House since the children’s father died. But no matter how tough things get, the Little Peppers always handle their difficulties with great courage and cheer, They have learned to take delight even in the smallest of pleasures because the children are sure that good times are just around the corner. One day, the Peppers meet a wealthy gentleman and his young son who will change their lives forever. Could this finally be the beginning of the good times the Little Peppers have been waiting for?
*
I read it as a child and found it very comforting. Apparently there was a whole series of books about the 5 pepper children, I may be ordering some myself having found that piece of info.
Another fave:
The Song of the Lioness Quartet consists of a series of 4 books:
Alanna: The First Adventure
**In the Hand of the Goddess **
**The Woman Who Rides Like a Man **
**Lioness Rampant **
It’s a very adventure cool story directed at young females (though enjoyable to all imo):
*Call it fate, call it intuition, or just call it common sense, but somehow young Alanna knows she isn’t meant to become some proper lady cloistered in a convent. Instead, she wants to be a great warrior maiden–a female knight. But in the land of Tortall, women aren’t allowed to train as warriors. So Alanna finds a way to switch places with her twin, Thom, and take his place as a knight in training at the palace of King Roald. Disguising herself as a boy, Alanna begins her training as a page in the royal court. Soon, she is garnering the admiration of all around her, including the crown prince, with her strong work ethic and her thirst for knowledge. But all the while, she is haunted by the recurring vision of a black stone city that emanates evil… somehow she knows it is her fate to purge that place of its wickedness. But how will she find it? And can she fulfill her destiny while keeping her gender a secret? *
How about
Charlotte’s Web
Or the series of books by James Harriot that starts with All Creatures Great and Small. I enjoyed reading them as a kid. It follows the ‘adventures’ of a young vetrinarian who starts practice in the countryside in England. Lots of sick animals getting better and the books are pretty sweet.
Then of course there is the Series of Unfortunate Events books, which feature three siblings getting through all sorts of horrible scrapes (by the skin of their teeth) but they are not sweet at all. Sort of anti-sweet. In fact the books make fun of too sweet childrens books at times as it refers to a book call The Pony Party frequently.
I hope she gets better soon.
“A Girl of the Limberlost” by Gene Stratton-Porter. The heroine doesn’t overcome illness, really, but certainly adversity. One of my favorites. I love “Heidi” also. But I prefer Burnett’s “A Little Princess” to “The Secret Garden.” She would enjoy that one, I’m sure, if she hasn’t read it yet. Another good old one is “Understood Betsy” by Dorothy Canfield, which is about a weak, sickly, hypochondrical little girl growing strong and well.
Never forget Tamora Pierce’s other Quartets:
The Immortals
- Wild Magic
- Wolf Speaker
- Emperor Mage
- The Realms of the Gods
Protector of the Small
- First Test
- Page
- Squire
- Lady Knight
As well as the Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens quartets.
I love these…but I’d suggest Garth Nix’s Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen - I read them recently and they are absolutely fantastic.
Five Children and It - E. Nesbit.
The Return of the Twelves - Pauline Clark
Holes - Louis Sachar
Oh, and:
Summer Magic - Ruth Chew
The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin
O. Henry’s Full House had a story that was called (I think) The Last Leaf. About a sick girl who looks out the window at the ivy on the opposite wall. Then she somehow thinks that the leaves of ivory equal the time she has left. Fall comes, and the leaves are falling…a really great story. It’s not a children’s story, but I’m sure she’ll enjoy it.
That doesn’t sound much like the story of The Railway Children I remember.
I think that Evil Captor really meant to offer up The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner.
A Wrinkle in Time and its sequel…I think there may be two sequels? I can’t remember, it’s been a long time. And I second The Little Princess
The sequels were: A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet. I think the other related, stand-alone novel she wrote about the Murrays (this time she focuses on the twins), Many Waters is great fun, too.
Anything at all by L M Montgomery, but especially the Anne of Green Gables books. The two movies are a sweet lovefest too (still love 'em!), and Gilbert is a babe.
The Green Knowe books by L M Boston are also nice. And The diamond in the window by Jane Langton.
Kalhoun, are you sure that the “Last Leaf” story is O Henry?? :eek: I am familiar with it as an old short film put out by my church, along with other ‘heartstrings’-type stories. Huh.
The Velveteen Rabbit?
I was coming in to suggest The Little Princess, too! Though not exactly on the theme you mention, I re-read all the Borrowers books a few years ago during a time of great stress and enjoyed them tremendously. I also read A Secret Garden at about the same time.
In addition to Charlotte’s Web, there’s also The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, which is similarly wonderful. Has she read Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl? Another comfort novel with children is To Kill a Mockingbird.
Mama’s Bank Account (I think that’s the title) is a story of the same family as I Remember Mama. IIRC, it’s the book the movie? TV show? was based on. It’s very sweet and contains some powerful, lovely images (such as one sister’s preference for a snug little retreat under the stairs, and the main sister’s preference for the vast attic, where she writes and her imagination soars.)
Lassie Come Home is a wonderful book. I’ll have to get it and re-read.
(And I agree genie; I’ve had the hots for Gilbert my whole life! )
I hope she’s recovered soon, as_u_wish!