I love these old fashioned stories. Margaret Thursday is a spunky young girl who is ready to stand up for what is right. I look forward to reading more of her adventures. Wonderful characters have one hissing & booing or cheering them on. A good page turner and a quick read. ( )

I have always loved Noel Streatfeild's books and as a child I got my library to ILL them for me or hunted through second hand book stores to find all of them. She tells the perfect "girls stories". I was always able to find one character in each book that was my favorite. They definitely stand up to re-reads. ( )

A lesser work from Streatfeild, following foundling Margaret Thursday as she lands in a cruel orphanage and resolves to run away. Margaret is a bit too full of herself to be an appealing protagonist, although she has a kind heart and a strong sense of protectiveness.

Now back in print as an ebook. ( )

[This is a review I wrote in 2007]

** Lovely, heartwarming, fun - you can't help but like fiery little Margaret Thursday**

Delightful story of young Margaret Thursday, who has to go off to an orphanage when the money for her upkeep runs out. Just as important to the story are the siblings, Lavinia, Peter, and little Horatio, who meet Margaret for the first time when they are all waiting together to be taken to the orphanage. Beautifully written, creatively thought-out; a novel that's truly fun to escape to!

"Well," said Margaret, "I'm not properly an orphan. I was found on a Thursday in a basket on the church step with three of everything of the very best quality."
The Beresfords were thrilled.
"How romantic!", said Lavinia.
Peter looked admiringly at Margaret. "So you could be absolutely anybody?"
"That's right," Margaret agreed. "And until this Christmas every year gold money was left in the church in a bag to keep me."
"And nobody saw who left it?" Lavinia asked.
"Never."
"My goodness," said Peter. "It's like a book."

I had a well-loved copy of "Ballet shoes" when I was younger, but never discovered any of Noel Streatfeild's other books... until now. I'm going on a hunt to find some more!! ( )

‘Thursday’s Child’, set shortly after the start of the 20th century, is the story of ten-year-old Margaret, who was left on a vicarage doorstep as a baby. It was written in 1970 so is a historical rather than contemporary novel, and it paints a good picture of life in various contexts from the point of view of a child.

This isn’t a typical Streatfeild book: there are no highly gifted children, at least not until Margaret discovers a talent towards the end. There’s a somewhat unlikely coincidence - although it seems happily believable while immersed in the book - and, being a children’s book, a satisfactory conclusion even though it happens rather quickly and leaves the story open. I knew I had to read the sequel ("Far to Go") soon afterwards!

I first read this many years ago, but had forgotten the story entirely. Noel Streatfeild has a very readable style, and a gift of characterisation for the children in her novels, even if the adults are rather caricatured.

Perhaps this wouldn’t be the best introduction to Noel Streatfeild’s books, yet it’s a good story that might appeal to boys as much as to girls. I doubt if anyone younger than about eight or nine would find it very interesting, but a good reader of that age or older might well enjoy it. it would be good as a read-aloud, too, for children of about eight or older who still enjoy a bedtime chapter.
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