Other editions of book Elsie's Girlhood

Elsie Dinsmore is an endearing eight-year-old girl with several bewildering problems. She has never known her mother, who died when Elsie was a baby, and she longs for a close, loving relationship with her father. He, however, has sent her off to be raised at Roselands, his brothers' Southern plantation, where her teacher, Miss Day, harshly criticizes her and her cousins tease her relentlessly. As Elsie learns to handle her problems, she begins to learn more about herself. And as her faith in her heavenly father grows, she learns what it means to be child of God. The result is a story that inspires and challenges, and readers will take delight in how Elsie comes to depend completely upon faith in God for the peace and happiness she seeks.

Elsie has grown to be a graceful, accomplished, and beautiful young woman of 15 who faces the difficulties of peer pressure, the allurements of the world outside her family, and the delights and confusion of friendships both false and true. She confronts the greatest crisis of her life while visiting a maiden aunt; but through all the difficulties and dangers, her father remains a bulwark of protection and godly counsel.

"I never saw an eye so bright, And yet so soft as hers; It sometimes swam in liquid light, And sometimes swam in tears; It seemed a beauty set apart For softness and for sighs." —MRS. WELBY. The school-room at Roselands was a very pleasant apartment; the ceiling, it is true, was somewhat lower than in the more modern portion of the building, for the wing in which it was situated dated back to the old-fashioned days prior to the Revolution, while the larger part of the mansion had not stood more than twenty or thirty years; but the effect was relieved by windows reaching from floor to ceiling, and opening on a veranda which overlooked a lovely flower-garden, beyond which were fields and woods and hills. The view from the veranda was very beautiful, and the room itself looked most inviting, with its neat matting, its windows draped with snow-white muslin, its comfortable chairs, and pretty rosewood desks. Within this pleasant apartment sat Miss Day with her pupils, six in number. She was giving a lesson to Enna, the youngest, the spoiled darling of the family, the pet and plaything of both father and mother. It was always a trying task to both teacher and scholar, for Enna was very wilful, and her teacher's patience by no means inexhaustible. "There!" exclaimed Miss Day, shutting the book and giving it an impatient toss on to the desk; "go, for I might as well try to teach old Bruno. I presume he would learn about as fast." And Enna walked away with a pout on her pretty face, muttering that she would "tell mamma." "Young ladies and gentlemen," said Miss Day, looking at her watch, "I shall leave you to your studies for an hour; at the end of which time I shall return to hear your recitations, when those who have attended properly to their duties will be permitted to ride out with me to visit the fair." "Oh! that will be jolly!" exclaimed Arthur, a bright-eyed, mischief-loving boy of ten. "Hush!" said Miss Day sternly; "let me hear no more such exclamations; and remember that you will not go unless your lessons are thoroughly learned. Louise and Lora," addressing two young girls of the respective ages of twelve and fourteen, "that French exercise must be perfect, and your English lessons as well.

"I really enjoyed this book. I think Elsie is a good role model for Christian and none Christians. I don't think Elsie is spoiled or perfect. Since she became a Christian at a young age she wanted to see the good in people, but when she didn't she was sad. Elsie was very young when her mom died. Her dad was away. Her cousins picked on her. Her aunt and auncle blamed everything on her. When it was really her cousins. When her dad did come home he depised her because she looked so much like her mother. Even though she cried a lot, which I think she has some pretty good reasons to cry. She was still a baby when all of this happened, but She remained faithful to God. She isn't perfect, she only acted like a good Christian should. Instead of complaining or talk back to her elders. She wasn't rude to Arnold. She honored God and remained faithful. She strived to be like Jesus and yes Jesus was perfect. He was the definition of goodness. Elsie wanted to show that she could try and be like Jesus. I love the character Elsie. The only thing I didn't like about the Elsie books were all the people she meet. I had to go and re-read the some books to figure out who people where in the others. It was very confusing. I love the Elsie books and I would regimens them to teens and young adults. Even though the books are for all ages. "