Here’s something that has been nagging at me for the past several years. I am trying to look for a book that I’ve read as a child, but have completely forgotten the title, author, or in generally, any specific information that can help me search the book in Amazon or Google.
So, here is everything I remember about This Book:
The story is of a rich little girl who’s father is either away on business trip (likely) or kidnapped (less likely) or gone for an extended length of time for whatever reason.
The girl (I want to say her age is around… 10? Not a teenager, that’s for sure) lives in a huge mansion in a semi-rural area (there were descriptions of forests and wolves). The governess (or whoever the dad left in charge) converted the mansion into a boarding school for girls without his permission and proceeded to act in a horrid manner towards the little rich girl. The girl was sent to a dungeon (basement?) underneath the mansion, where she made friends with a servant girl.
Eventually, the dad (I think) came back and discovered the mess. The little girl was rescued. It was generally a happy ending.
Tidbits:
There was a description in the book that the little rich girl had warm milk with wine to help her sleep.
I’m almost 100% sure that the book is not The Little Princess.
Oh, and just because the above was NOT hard enough, I read this book in another language (which means it was translated, which means that it might not even be written originally in English – although I strongly suspect it is), and I can’t remember the title nor the publishing date. I read it in elementary school… so it must’ve been at almost 15 years ago, maybe longer.
So.. help?
I have no clue if this is the book you’re looking for, but your description sounds like the book called “Peppermints in the Parlor” about a girl whose parents die or something and she has to go live at her aunt and uncle’s place…but some horrible lady took over their house and has the entire family as servants in their own home. The little girl is forced to be a servant in the basement until she’s somehow able to save her family from the horrible lady. (Even if it’s not the book you’re looking for…good children’s book…)
“I’m almost 100% sure that the book is not The Little Princess.”
Good thing you put that, because I was definitely going to suggest it. It didn’t fit exactly, but I’d be surprised if one of them wasn’t heavily influenced by the other.
Definitely not The Little Princess. She slept in an attic/garret.
I think you might be thinking of “The Wolves of Willoughby Chase” by Joan Aiken.
The Secret Garden maybe?
It’s totally The Wolves of Willoughby Chase! I loved the Joan Aiken books as a kid.
At first I was screaming THE LITTLE PRINCESS until I actually read the details. That was one of my favorite books. I really hope Karen and English Major are right about The Wolves because I am TOTALLY going to go buy this book based entirely on its similarities to The Little Princess. I can’t wait. And I’ll have to down some wine and milk as I read it, you know, to be festive.
I’ve never heard of this book. I might have to find it. I was a little old by the time this one came out.