Orphaned sisters, Nancy and Plum, are sent by a distant bachelor uncle to live in what he perceives to be a nurturing boarding house in the countryside. In truth, the house is run by the cruel and uncaring Mrs. Monday who overworks the girls and deprives them of food, keeps them dressed in rags and denies them any contact with their uncle and only minimal contact with the outside world.
Undaunted, the girls live through the cruel days with the help of ten-year old Nancy’s imaginative descriptions of the better days they will one day have, eight-year old Plum’s spunky resilience and the support of friends who recognize the unfairness of the girls’ plight.
Luckily, Nancy and Plum have each other, and they are determined to change their situation. If their plan works, the two sisters will never spend another Christmas at the boarding house. But what dangers and adventures will they find on the outside once they escape beyond Mrs. Monday’s gate?
Recommended by Lisa Romans, Information Specialist
