Happily After All - Hardcover

Stevenson, Laura C.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0395502160 ISBN 13: 9780395502167

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1990

Synopsis

After her father's death, Rebecca must adapt to a new life in a Vermont farmhouse with her mother, whom she hasn't seen for eight years.

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- When her wealthy father dies, ten-year-old Rebecca is sent from Santa Barbara to live in Vermont with her mother who left when Rebecca was two. Life with her father had been simple compared to what Becca now confronts: an apparently distant mother and a rather shabby New England farm. During the difficult first six months, however, Becca meets and befriends Bill, a troubled, talented boy, and Patty, a girl who has lived with her grandparents since her parents' death. Gradually, Becca comes to know, respect, and even like her mother and their home that includes not only a puppy and a pony, but also the pain and joy of friends. Some of the writing is a little awkward, and Becca is occasionally too astute for her age, but those are minor flaws. Adults are portrayed with both strengths and weaknesses that sometimes confuse the children, but also as people who provide consistent support and affection. The progression of Vermont seasons provides a sense of time's passing as the taut plot builds to a satisfying conclusion. Not everything is neatly tied up, although it is evident that the characters will continue to evolve positively. An absorbing and compelling book that abounds with wise and caring adults. --Maria B. Salvadore, District of Columbia Pub . Lib .
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly

After her father's death, 10-year-old Rebecca leaves California and goes to Vermont to live with her mother, Rachel. At first the girl despises her new life on the farm and resents her mother for acting so distant and cold. Nonetheless, Rebecca enjoys new freedoms that would have been forbidden by her overly protective father. For the first time, she is encouraged to make friends with children her own age; she is also allowed to tend Rachel's beautiful horses. As she gains the trust of a severely traumatized pony, Rebecca begins to confront her own feelings about herself and her parents. With newfound insight, Rebecca is finally able to help a boy who is having family problems of his own. Using the rugged Vermont mountains as her backdrop, Stevenson weaves a rich tapestry, colored with adventure and textured with emotions. Her descriptions are simple and remarkably clear; her characterizations are sharply defined. Although horse lovers in particular will be drawn to this story, others will be touched by its honesty and warmth. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0395502160
• ISBN 13: 9780395502167
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 252