Questions about the Elizabeth Enright books?

I LOVED these books growing up, and recently re-read and still enjoyed them.  I think I read them originally when I was around 9 or so.  The stories center around the Melendy Family – 2 brothers and 2 sisters – and the adventures they have together – set in the 1940’s (it is during the WW2 era, but they are not really stories about the war at all, other than occasional mentions of things like rationing and raising money for war bonds).  In the first one – The Saturdays – they are living in New York City and choose to pool their allowances and each chapter is the story of whatever “adventure” they choose to do when it is their “Saturday”.  The second is the Four Story Mistake – they move out to a funny old house in the country and have various adventures there.  The third one is Then there were Five – they befriend an orphaned boy and adopt him into their family.  Spiderweb for 2 is the last one and only features the youngest 2 siblings as they olders have all gone away to school – but send them through an elaborate treasure hunt with riddle clues to help them not to miss them so much during the winter.  They are all good and I cannot think of anything objectionable in them – but if you aren’t going to read all of them I think the first 2 are the best (The Saturdays and The Four Story Mistake).

HTH

Jen

We LOVE Enright’s books.  I think I read them aloud around 6ish, or so, but my children have all chosen to reread them on their own.  In addition to the Melendy series, Gone Away Lake and Return to Gone Away are fun–children who visit a run-down lake resort community with only a few elderly and very eccentric inhabitants–they are also great fun, with a tiny touch of mystery.  I personally also love Thimble Summer although if you don’t like tomboyish characters you won’t like this one.  Enright was a wonderful author–they just don’t make them like this anymore.  My absolute favorites are the Melendy books, though.  Definitely would be in my trunk if I were packing for a desert island.