Books in Five Little Peppers series

The 4th book in the “Five Little Peppers” series. This book focuses mainly on the adventures of Davie Pepper. Davie wants to be a helper to Mother Pepper and is willing to do whatever he can to lend a hand. This book shows his courage and his compassionate heart. A charming look at things from Davies perspective during the time the Pepper family lived in “The Little Brown House”. Illustrated

The Last book in the “Five Little Peppers” series. Phronsie Pepper is all grown up and the pepper family has grown to include a new precocious younger generation. Phronsie is in love with a young man named Roslyn May but struggles with the relationship because of the disapproval of her dear grandpa. Meanwhile she helps a girl named Grace out of her troubles. This book also follows the adventures of the other members of the Pepper family. When Grandpa has a change of heart Phronsie and Joel set off with him to meet Roslyn him only to experience disaster on the way. But things will work out for the best and working through adversity together the Peppers will find their happily ever after.

The first in a series of books about the Pepper family, these imaginative children's stories have delighted readers since their original publication in 1881. This first novel introduces Ben, Polly, Joel, Davie, and Phronsie, the children of their widowed Mamsie, Mrs. Pepper. While very poor, the Peppers live in a supportive little town in their beloved Little Brown House. The family faces many challenges, such as sickness and an overflowing generosity stinted by their financial straits, yet they accept and overcome many obstacles with an optimism and good-naturedness that is as surprising as it is commendable. When little Phronsie is later placed in great danger, the Peppers meet young Jasper King, who will ultimately change their fates and lead them to the unexpected conclusion of the novel. This heartwarming tale is a testament to perseverance in the face of hardship, incorruptible kindness, and the power of family love that conveys a message well worth learning to this day.

Better than Very Good, approaching Near Fine. See scans and description. Boston: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., 1897. First Edition, later printing (seventy-first thousand). Margaret Sidney's "Phronsie Pepper - The Youngest of the 'Five Little Peppers' ", with Jessie McDermott illustrations throughout. 12mo, green cloth boards with gilt and black spine imprinting and illustration, frontispiece, ix + 437 pp. Very Good and then some; see scans. Corners just lightly pushed, early owner's signature on ffep, some modest spots on top page edges. See scans. Hinges show no sign of cracking, though the book is not as rigid as it was when new, of course. Vintage Children's bookseller's stamp, for the collector of those, at the front pastedown (see scan) - Emily King Mundy, a Syracuse bookseller in the mid-twentieth century. Bright, clean, square, collectible example. See scans. This item is, of course, on premises. Always. L19n

“Come on, Pepper.” One of the boys rushed down the dormitory hall, giving a bang on Joel's door as he passed. “All right,” said Joel a bit crossly, “I'm coming.” “Last bell,” came back on the wind. Joel threw his tennis racket on the bed, and scowled. Just then a flaxen head peeped in, and two big eyes stared at him. “Ugh!”—Joel took one look—“off with you, Jenkins.” Jenkins withdrew at once. Joel jumped up and slammed the door hard, whirled around in vexation, sprang over and thrust the tennis racket under the bed, seized a dog-eared book, and plunged off, taking the precaution, despite his hurry, to shut the door fast behind him. Jenkins stole out of his room three doors beyond, and as the hall was almost deserted about this hour, so many boys being in recitation, he had nothing to do but tiptoe down to Joel's room and go softly in. “Hullo!” A voice behind made him skip. “Oh, Berry,”—it was a tone of relief,—“it's you.” “Um,” said Berry, “what's up now, Jenk?” He tossed back his head, while a smile of delight ran all over his face. “Hush—come here.” Jenk had him now within Joel's room and the door shut. “We'll have fun with the beggar now.” “Who—Dave?” “Dave? No. Who wants to haul him over?” cried Jenk in scorn. “You are a flat, Berry, if you think that.” “Well, you are a flat, if you think to tackle Joe,” declared Berry with the air and tone of one who knows. “Better let him alone, after what you got last term.” “Well, I ain't going to let him alone,” declared Jenk angrily, and flushing all up to his shock of light hair; “and I gave him quite as good as he gave me, I'd have you know, Tom Beresford.” “Hoh, hoh!” Tom gave a howl of derision, and slapped his knee in pure delight. “Tell that to the marines, sonny,” he said.

"Miss Pepper—Miss Pepper!" Polly turned quickly, it was such an anxious little cry. "What? Oh, Amy Loughead." Amy threw herself up against Polly's gown. "Oh, if I may," she began, flushing painfully. "You see my brother is coming to-morrow—I've a letter—so if you will let me." "Let you what?" cried Polly, with a little laugh; "go on, Amy, don't be afraid." "You see it is just this way," Amy twisted her fingers together, drew her breath hard, and rushed on nervously; "Jack—he's my brother, you know—promised me—I never told you—if I would only learn to play on the piano, he'd take me to Europe with him next time, and now he's coming to-morrow, and—and, oh! what shall I do?" Amy was far gone now, and she ended with a little howl of distress, that brought two or three of the "Salisbury girls" flying in with astonishment. "Go back," said Polly to them all, and they ran off as suddenly as they had popped in, to leave Amy and the music teacher alone.

"Jefferson," said Phronsie, with a grave uplifting of her eyebrows, "I think I will go down into the kitchen and bake a pie; a very little pie, Jefferson." "Bless you, Miss," replied the cook, showing his white teeth in glee, "it is the making of the kitchen when you come it." "Yes, Jefferson," said Phronsie slowly, "I think I will go down make one. It must be very, very full of plums, you know," looking up at him anxiously, "for Polly dearly loves plums." "It shall be that plummy," said Jefferson convincingly, "that you'd think you never saw such a one for richness. Oh, my! what a pie that shall be!" exclaimed the cook, shutting up one eye to look through the other in a spasm of delight at an imaginary pie; "so it's for Miss Mary, is it?"

The series begins with the Peppers in their native state and develops with their rescue by a wealthy gentleman who takes an interest in the family. The story of young people's lives is not complete without many and broad glimpses of their school days. It was impossible to devote the space to this recital of the Five Little Peppers' school life, in the books that showed their growing up. The author, therefore, was obliged unwillingly to omit all the daily fun and study and growth, that she, loving them as if they were real children before her eyes, saw in progress. So she packed it all away in her mind, ready to tell to all those young people who also loved the Peppers, when they clamored for more stories about them -- just what Polly and Joel and David did in their merry school days. Ben never got as much schooling as the others, for he insisted on getting into business life as early as possible, in order the sooner to begin to pay Grandpapa King back for all his kindness. But Jasper and Percy and Van joined the Peppers at school and a right merry time they had of it! And now the time seems ripe to accede to all the insistent demands from those who love the Five Little Peppers, that this record of their school days should be given.