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Grandma's Attic #1
In Grandma's Attic
Here are marvelous tales--faithfully recalled for the delight of young and old alike, a touchstone to another day when life was simpler, perhaps, richer; when the treasures of family life and love were passed from generation to generation.
146 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1974
About the author
Arleta Richardson
46 books105 followersArleta Richardson was an author, librarian, and a teacher. The Grandma's Attic series was her most well known series. She was born in Flint, MI, and served in World War II. She belonged to the Free Methodist Church.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews
February 18, 2017
I can't even recall how many times I read this as a kid. To bring back the memories I decided to read this again so I could write a more recent review. It is very enjoyable and just the sort of book any child (maybe even boys :)) would like. As an adult, I could have used more details about the granddaughter and why she was always with her grandma, but it's not really important.
The stories have a little lesson to each one. Nothing in your face. It's applicable through the lessons 'Grandma' learned. Definitely recommend!
The stories have a little lesson to each one. Nothing in your face. It's applicable through the lessons 'Grandma' learned. Definitely recommend!
November 24, 2015
oh so pleasant. This little book is sweet, morally upright, exciting in places and even capable of producing giggles. My 4.5 and 6.5 year olds love it as much as Betsy Tacy or Charlotte's web. When we finished it, they were desperate for me to but the next one! Charming and wholesome I enjoy sharing this with my children.
October 15, 2018
Really enjoyable collection of stories, great for reading aloud. Reminiscent of Little House. Short, nicely written, and funny, I laughed for pure enjoyment at least once per story. Uplifting, moralistic tales in the good sense of that word.
September 28, 2023
There’s just something about returning to the books of your childhood. This series was a staple of mine growing up & it continues to bring so much joy and laughter!
March 27, 2023
A collection of delightful stories that you can learn by!
Grandma Mabel has the best stories, some funny and some … even funnier! And everything around her home reminds her of one of them, so the stories just gush out. One story from a sewing basket, one from a button, another from a piece of fabric.
Each chapter is short and it’s own tale (perhaps a good book to read aloud at lunch with the kids?). You’ll learn lessons on pride, vanity, obedience, telling the truth, not making hasty assumptions and more.
Don’t miss this series. An oldie but a goodie!
Cleanliness: nothing to note as any bad behavior is learned from.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
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Grandma Mabel has the best stories, some funny and some … even funnier! And everything around her home reminds her of one of them, so the stories just gush out. One story from a sewing basket, one from a button, another from a piece of fabric.
Each chapter is short and it’s own tale (perhaps a good book to read aloud at lunch with the kids?). You’ll learn lessons on pride, vanity, obedience, telling the truth, not making hasty assumptions and more.
Don’t miss this series. An oldie but a goodie!
Cleanliness: nothing to note as any bad behavior is learned from.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
January 18, 2016
My Mom read these books to me and my siblings one year. They are the best!
November 20, 2022
These are sweet, wholesome stories that are perfect for any age. I remember reading them way back when, and I still enjoy them today.
February 15, 2023
Heartwarming and fun!
Read
May 12, 2023This was a cute listen with Tally on Scribd
November 18, 2016
Sorry, but has no one here read Anne of Green Gables? Apparently the author (or her grandmother) has, because that story about the liniment cake is taken straight from it. I can't believe that someone in the publishing chain didn't flag it - even if it's true and the near-identical similarity is entirely coincidental, just the mere appearance of borrowing lessens the "real" aspect of this book. It sows the seeds of doubt.... Removing that one chapter would not change this book at all since it's simply one of the many individual stories. And I mean, it's not like Anne is some obscure book that no one has ever read. That a number of different books tell similar stories of how maple syrup is collected is one thing - that's a common occurrence that many kids would have experienced. But accidentally putting liniment into a cake instead of vanilla? I'm not buying it.
These stories here are just average. Nice and all, but nothing more - they are very short and maybe that's OK, but I'd find them more interesting if I were to encounter them as episodes in a book that told a bigger story: Thimble Summer, Caddie Woodlawn, et al. Maybe they are useful as quick bedtime readings.
These stories here are just average. Nice and all, but nothing more - they are very short and maybe that's OK, but I'd find them more interesting if I were to encounter them as episodes in a book that told a bigger story: Thimble Summer, Caddie Woodlawn, et al. Maybe they are useful as quick bedtime readings.
March 5, 2014
The way these are written feel very disjointed. It's supposed to be a young girl who spends a lot of time at her grandmother's house and enjoys looking through the old things, like the button basket and the quilts her grandmother made. Each trinket the girl finds has a story attached to it from her grandmother's childhood. Every chapter has a short little blurb about the young girl looking at some piece of fabric or whatnot and then her grandmother get's a far away look in her eyes and launches into the story. This happening over and over was pretty tedious and felt so unnatural. I would have liked it better if it was laid out as a collection of short stories instead or just the whole thing was told from the grandmother's point of view as a child. The young narrator gets no development and I don't even remember her name! A lot of the stories are also strongly Christian faith based so it won't be a great recommendation for everyone but it might be enjoyed by kids who like the Laura Ingalls Wilder books.
November 22, 2009
This book is similar to the Little House on the Prairie series. A grandma tells stories from when she was little. Usually the stories involve her getting into trouble and learning a lesson from it. It is a charming little book. The best part is that the chapters are short enough that very young children can enjoy listening to this book, but the stories are interesting enough that older kids will like it, too.
I believe it is published by a Christian publishing company, and there is a slight, but obvious, religious slant, along the general lines of "God answers yours prayers."
I believe it is published by a Christian publishing company, and there is a slight, but obvious, religious slant, along the general lines of "God answers yours prayers."
May 7, 2023
This book was a favorite of mine as a child. I read it so many times it eventually fell apart. How excited I was when I found a copy of it at a thrift store several years ago! In fact, I found a couple more that are part of the series. Such wonderful books, and life seemed so much simpler then; not in regards to hard work, of course, but just in family relationships and friendships in the community. Christian faith was definitely an important part of daily life for many families. I know there were still problems in the world; I'm not that naive. But it was nicer that you didn't have access to every single tragedy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Anyway, I still enjoy this book and the others in the series.
June 13, 2022
Delightful and sweet.
January 9, 2023
A childhood favorite - great short stories for read aloud with children.
May 5, 2024
Such a good, solid read aloud!! I read this to my 8, 9, and 11 year olds and always peeped to hear my 14 year old listening as well. 😍
Stories of childhood told by a grandmother to her granddaughter, triggered by things like quilt squares and buttons. Each story is wholesome and cute.
The first in the series.
Stories of childhood told by a grandmother to her granddaughter, triggered by things like quilt squares and buttons. Each story is wholesome and cute.
The first in the series.
April 26, 2011
Wonderful, wholesome tales of farm life in Michigan in approximately the 1870s. Arleta Richardson was actually brought up by her grandmother, but in the books she comes for extended visits and finds many objects in Grandma's attic and just around the house that provoke Grandma into telling Arleta the story surrounding the object from her own childhood. Or Arleta and Grandma are doing something together and by asking a question or simple conversation will bring about another tale of Grandma's childhood. The stories in this book centre around when Grandma was between about four and nine years of age. They tell of a wonderful, harder yet simpler life, when items such as a water pump made life so much easier. These are tales of a little girl or her older brothers getting into mischief, being downright naughty or simply becoming caught up in embarrassing moments. Some of the stories have what could be called a lesson to teach (or a moral) but they are gentle and not the emphasis of every story. The books in this series are classified as Christian fiction, and while the family believes in God, mentions their beliefs, and acts accordingly this book is no more Christian than any other mainstream story that features a Christian family, such as the Ingalls family. Rather than telling one cohesive story the book is more of a collection of vignettes with each chapter telling a new reminiscence from Grandma's childhood. There are small details that recur from time to time in later chapters that hold the book together well. Lots of fun and humour which I thoroughly enjoyed.
September 17, 2013
Had to rate these pretty low since I find myself correcting much of the moralistic teaching (i.e. drinking is a sin) when I read to my children. I think I've just gotten my fill of these types of books, similar to Martha Finley's Elsie Dinsmore, that reflect more of the influences of the temperance movement and legalistic thinking than what is actually taught in Scripture.
July 28, 2015
This book was under a selection of books that were comparable to the Little House books. Apart from the era that the stories are told in, this is nothing like little house. It's a series of unimaginative and dry monologues, as told by the grandmother. I don't see how this book could ever hold a child's attention, let alone anyone else. A real disappointment.
April 3, 2020
I always struggle rating children’s books because obviously they’re going to simpler than what I’m reading now but their story is still so good. That’s how I feel with this book. I have read it before but it still made me laugh and smile and that’s what I needed. This is such a good story even if it is way below my current reading level.
Happy Reading 📖
Happy Reading 📖
March 26, 2010
I loved these books as a child. This one showed up on my son's homeschooling book list, so now I get to enjoy it all over again. Great old timey stories. Short chapters, so my 3 year old will sit through them too.
March 5, 2021
This book made me laugh and smile.
August 11, 2022
This was such a cute book. Thanks to Kaley, et al. (I can't remember whom) for the recommendation. 😊
January 21, 2024
These are sweet, old fashioned stories perfect to read with your little ones. My mom read them to us girls and I just loved hearing them. I think I really enjoyed them because I never knew my grandmas, so to hear grandma stories made it more enjoyable.
April 21, 2015
When I was little I discovered these books somewhere. I have no idea where I encountered them but I tended to read everything in sight back then so my guess is that somebody gave us the books. I remember thinking that they had amusing stories but I could not remember any of them clearly.
When my son told me he was tired of reading such long stories like The Hobbit I thought these would be perfect for him. It turns out they pretty much were. Each story is short enough that it finished just when he was starting to lose interest.
The stories are amusing in the way that many stories told by people who are reminiscing are. People rarely reminisce about the bad times or the scary things that happened. Because of that the stories are all succinct and leave off with a happy ending.
There is a bit of a frame story, but it’s only cursory. There is a little girl — presumably the author — who either lives with her grandma or spends a great deal of time there. She constantly digs for stories and her grandma constantly obliges. Most of these stories would be just as good without the frame and many of them would be better since the frame parts are frequently the clunkiest.
The beginning of the book seems to feel like each story needs a moral, explicitly stated. Something along the lines of “that is why you should never…” Once the stories get beyond that they are better.
If you are easily offended by early American Christian beliefs then this probably isn’t a book for you. The author wrote about her grandma who grew up in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s and her belief system was pretty typical of that time.
That said, the writing is kind of weak. The voice of grandma and the voice of the author are almost indistinguishable. I had a hard time throughout telling when it was the frame story and when it was another of grandma’s tales. There is no physical delimiter in the text and there is always a short moment of confusion who is speaking at the beginning of each chapter.
It seems to be aiming at the fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder but will probably leave most of them disappointed as it carries little of the power that those books have.
When my son told me he was tired of reading such long stories like The Hobbit I thought these would be perfect for him. It turns out they pretty much were. Each story is short enough that it finished just when he was starting to lose interest.
The stories are amusing in the way that many stories told by people who are reminiscing are. People rarely reminisce about the bad times or the scary things that happened. Because of that the stories are all succinct and leave off with a happy ending.
There is a bit of a frame story, but it’s only cursory. There is a little girl — presumably the author — who either lives with her grandma or spends a great deal of time there. She constantly digs for stories and her grandma constantly obliges. Most of these stories would be just as good without the frame and many of them would be better since the frame parts are frequently the clunkiest.
The beginning of the book seems to feel like each story needs a moral, explicitly stated. Something along the lines of “that is why you should never…” Once the stories get beyond that they are better.
If you are easily offended by early American Christian beliefs then this probably isn’t a book for you. The author wrote about her grandma who grew up in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s and her belief system was pretty typical of that time.
That said, the writing is kind of weak. The voice of grandma and the voice of the author are almost indistinguishable. I had a hard time throughout telling when it was the frame story and when it was another of grandma’s tales. There is no physical delimiter in the text and there is always a short moment of confusion who is speaking at the beginning of each chapter.
It seems to be aiming at the fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder but will probably leave most of them disappointed as it carries little of the power that those books have.
April 26, 2011
A young girl delights in her grandmother’s stories of days gone by, sparked by keepsakes and simple questions, Grandma shares marvelous stories of mischief , discovery, and laughter, such as the time she accidentally lost the family buggy.
Part of the bestselling Grandma’s Attic series, these charming tales—updated with delightful new illustrations—will whisk you away to another time and place. And you’ll find something worth far more than any treasure or keepsake…timeless lessons of life and faith!
These are some of the most amazing stories for children [adults]. Find yourself transported to the 1800's, cry and mostly laugh with O'Dell's.
I've read these to my Grandson when he was younger...he is now 13, and he still talks about them.
There are great lessons for all in these books. In this first book there is a lot of stories about Pride. Wait until you read about Mable and Sarah Jane in their hoops! So funny! Then there is the time that Mable wants these beautiful Gray shoes...even though they are to small! Through out the book you can see the love of the Lord, and how the family relies on His Word.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from of B & B Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Part of the bestselling Grandma’s Attic series, these charming tales—updated with delightful new illustrations—will whisk you away to another time and place. And you’ll find something worth far more than any treasure or keepsake…timeless lessons of life and faith!
These are some of the most amazing stories for children [adults]. Find yourself transported to the 1800's, cry and mostly laugh with O'Dell's.
I've read these to my Grandson when he was younger...he is now 13, and he still talks about them.
There are great lessons for all in these books. In this first book there is a lot of stories about Pride. Wait until you read about Mable and Sarah Jane in their hoops! So funny! Then there is the time that Mable wants these beautiful Gray shoes...even though they are to small! Through out the book you can see the love of the Lord, and how the family relies on His Word.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from of B & B Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
October 12, 2020
Just a dear book. My kids loved it and asked for more and more of the bite-sized chapters, each of which tells its own separate short story (so, no overarching plot). In its intensity level, it's somewhere between Milly-Molly-Mandy and Little House. The tone is more sweet, like Milly-Molly-Mandy, but each story is paired with a lesson she learned, which sets it apart (that and it's in Michigan, not an English village). This is one series I wouldn't mind owning more of so that the kids can read it on their own.
On a more grown-up level, this book helped encourage and reassure me that kids have been as scatterbrained and foolish as my own children--in times it was far more dangerous to be so--and yet survived, growing into responsible adults. Mabel got up to some shenanigans, let me tell you, which were told very sweetly but also made my grown-up parent hairs stand on end. Often Mabel's "adventures" reminded me of stories we could tell about one of our children, who has been described as "the embodiment of chaos on two legs" by one friend. It was good to see that kind of child represented in the old-timey-nostalgic-lessons-from-the-past genre that my kids love.
On a more grown-up level, this book helped encourage and reassure me that kids have been as scatterbrained and foolish as my own children--in times it was far more dangerous to be so--and yet survived, growing into responsible adults. Mabel got up to some shenanigans, let me tell you, which were told very sweetly but also made my grown-up parent hairs stand on end. Often Mabel's "adventures" reminded me of stories we could tell about one of our children, who has been described as "the embodiment of chaos on two legs" by one friend. It was good to see that kind of child represented in the old-timey-nostalgic-lessons-from-the-past genre that my kids love.
January 8, 2024
I enjoyed these books as a kid, so I thought this would make a good reader for my fourth grader for in between our historical books. He's enjoying it too. It's a nice glimpse at rural family farm life from several generations ago as a grandmother recounts her mostly humorous (and occasionally thoughtless or dangerous) escapades to her granddaughter -- often triggered by an object like a button or quilt square. The chapters are short and don't have to be read all at once since they take place at different times, so we can take a break and come back to the book as needed without worrying about forgetting a storyline. As a product of its time, it sometimes talks about spanking or "tanning" a child, and I didn't care for the simplistic theology in the last chapter -- but overall I thought the stories demonstrated some kind of lesson or virtue without being too heavy-handed.
May 7, 2011
Grandma’s Attic series is a fun, enjoyable series that you will treasure. The first book in this series is In Grandma’s Attic. I read this book and More Stories from Grandma’s Attic. I liked hearing about how when Mabel was a little girl, just as much as Arleta did. What I loved the most about these books is that the stories did have lessons with them. All the mischief that Mabel got into was entertaining to read. Besides Mabel, it was fun to get to know the rest of the family…Pa, Ma, and her two brothers, Rueben and Roy. There were so many amusing stories that I can not pick just one as my favorite. These books would make the perfect gift to share with your mom, sibling or grand children.
April 13, 2015
I liked this book because grandma told stories about her childhood, and how she got in trouble, and I liked when the little girl ask her grandma a lot of questions! When I get to America I think I'm going to ask my grandma and grandpa about their childhood. I remember when my mom was reading this book to me when I was little. But now I'm old enough to read this book by myself!!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews