Under the Lilacs Author:Louisa May Alcott This is the story of two runaways -- Ben Brown and his dog, Sancho -- who have escaped from a hard life in the circus to search for Ben's lost father. Tired and hungry, the pair are taken in by young Bab and Betty Moss and their mother, as well as by the Mosses' neighbors, Miss Celia and her brother, Thorny. — Thanks to their kindness, Be... more »n soon has a job, a family, and a chance to go to school. But can life with Miss Celia and his other new friends ever compare to the excitement of the circus? And will Ben stay out of mischief long enough to find out?« less
Reading level 9-12 ... ha! A 9 to 12 year old can certainly read and enjoy this, but so can this 53 year old. IfI EVER get too old for LMA, go ahead and start digging.
What a delightful, gentle story. I would recommend it to all children and everyone else who thinks they would enjoy a break of the dark, intense, complex novels we most often read. This is a story of innocence and of children, but there is certainly some mystery that gives it a bit of tension. The characters are authentic, including the poodle! I rate everything I read on a 1-5 system and this one got a rare five.