Daddy Long Legs and Dear Enemy

Daddy Long-Legs (ILLUSTRATED) - Jane Webster & Dear Enemy (ILLUSTRATED) - Jane Webster. The original writings, including drawings by Jane Webster which are an integral part of adding a lot to the humor and charm to these books.

Largely written in the form of letters from a lonely orphaned girl to her male benefactor, and reflecting times past, the heroine's trials, tribulations, hopes and fears seem as relevant today as when it was written. The formatting is by letter not chapters.

Her thoughts and feelings are revealed as she makes her journey through school and college towards employment and love. But, fear not, this story is no 'sloppy' romance - our heroine shows herself to be both feisty and funny! Through the four years you follow Judy as her soaks up the world around her through her candid and humorous letters to Daddy Long Legs.

This was a fun easy read, great for a rainy (or snowy) afternoon cozied up under a blanket with some hot chocolate near by.

Dear Enemy, its lesser-known sequel (a more accurate label for "Dear Enemy" might be "parallel novel" instead of "sequel,"). Daddy Long-Legs is vanilla, sweet and smooth. Dear Enemy is more like mint chocolate chip, refreshing with nuggets of warmth, laughter, bittersweetness. You will be enchanted by the fiery-haired Sallie McBride and her orphans.

Her letters catalogue her daily adventures with the sweet, colorful kids, a series of cooks and farmers, sexist trustees, and grumpy neighbors. In all of this, there sparkles a strong feminine spirit, blithe optimism, and clear-headed compassion. The letters read so naturally and sure, Sallie's charm radiates whether she is amusing us with a story of orphan mischief or seriously discussing the consequences of hereditary alcoholism. The pace of the novel also clips along due to the relative shortness of the epistolary style.

But there's plenty of fun and humor, and a wonderful realistic-yet-romantic storyline about the importance of making a wise choice. If you want a quality story for girls, Sallie's self-confidence, independence, and intelligent optimism make her a top-notch role-model. Women readers could find a lot to love about this book, too.