Daddy-long-legs (Children's Illustrated Classics S.) Hardcover – 1 May 1967

I down-loaded and re-read this beautiful book during a bout of insomnia to give myself a gentle read. The epistolary style made it seem particularly attractive. After all, I could break off at any point and go back to bed... I discovered that actually one of the elements of this book that makes it particularly compelling is the fact that one can always read just one more letter!Although often regarded as a children's book, there is plenty for adults. It is lovely to watch Judy grow in confidence both in her new surroundings and in her relationship with her patron, in addition to seeing her develop intellectually as time and her course progress. Looking back on one's own college / university education also gives a different perspective to a childhood or teenage reading of the book. I am delighted that I revisited it!At least one review comments that a lack of illustrations spoils the book. I agree that this would be the case, since they are an integral part of the letters in which they occur. In my illustrated edition (clearly indicated as such) I found the line drawings and Judy's annotations were clear in the Kindle format. As the reviews relate to the title rather than the specific edition, it is the one with the 'Daddy Long Legs' figure silhouetted against a fence.

I've read Daddylonglegs at least 4 times but I've mislaid my original 1920s copy so I downloaded a Kindle version and am most disappointed. In the Kindle version you can't enjoy the drawings as they are not included. Also the version I downloaded does not actually make sense. The words are in the wrong order. It's illegible and unreadable.PS It's a beautiful little book which always soothes me when I'm sad. The Kindle version has made me mad!

Pity the adopted or fostered child nowadays. Whenever refered to in the media, they are either criminals or overcome by mental health problems. It was not the case a hundered years ago! Jean Webster had a privleged upbringing but through her charity visits to the poor becomes convinced less well-off children could succeed in life. Heady stuff in 1912 so to illlustrate her point she writes Daddy-Long-Legs about Judy,a young orphan sent to college by a kindly but anonymous benefactor she calls Daddy-Long-Legs. Her letters to him are funny, moving and a great testimony both to a child's and a foundling's mind. It never wallows in self pity. As a mother of two adopted children, I don't really relate to the central message on how you can change the child's environment and if the child is bright enough it will flourish. The mental scars are too deep. I find myself incredulous (does Judy, such a friendly soul, really miss no-one from the orphanage after seventeen years). Nevertheless, I happily suspend disbelief because I personally love Judy (and the author's) optimism. It comes from the days when radical thinkers were confident that money alone could change things. It is the perfect book for an adopted or fostered adolescent as positive role models in the media nowadays are hard to find.

Jerusha Abbot has lived all her life in the John Grier orphanage, and has seen nothing of the outside world. Then one day she is summoned to the matron's office, to be told to her astonishment that one of the trustees of the orphanage has decided to send her to college, because he thinks she has a talent for writing. He wishes to remain anonymous, but wants her to write to him once a month in order to develop her literary style. She has just glimpsed his shadow on the wall, a tall, thin man. so the amazed Jerusha is packed off to a prestigious girls' college.The rest of the book is written in the form of Jerusha's letters to her anonymous benefactor. She decides to call him Daddy Long-Legs because the only thing she knows about him is that he is tall and thin. She decides to call herself 'Judy' as she has always hated the name Jerusha. Her letters vividly describe her life at college, her lessons, the fun she has with the other girls, her thoughts about everything. Each new experience is relished by her, and almost feel as if you are at college with her.I have read this book frequently over the last forty years, and it seems just as fresh and funny to me now as it did the first time I read it, and as it must have done to the readers in 1912. Judy's charms are undiminished.

I was so pleased to find this as a Kindle deal...a book I had been given by my librarian when I was maybe about 12...it is a coming of age novel that is quite enchanting. I rarely re-read books but this has stood the test of time...more than 50 years later I have thoroughly enjoyed the portrait of a young 17 year old from an orphanage taking her first steps into a wider world and the discovery of herself as a person within it.I have now bought the kindle collected works and shall explore Jean Webster's other works

Seriously small print in this edition, had to return it and buy a different edition (Puffin classics one) which was great

I do remember reading this when I was a young adult, but decided to read it again and I was not disappointed. It is a great story. I am not one for reading a lot of classics, but I would recommend this one. It is about a young girl who has been in an orphanage most of her life. She is then given the chance to go to college but is not allowed to know who is sponsoring her. The book is all the letters that she writes to her sponsor who she calls Daddy Long Legs. I loved the writing style and the language used in the book. There were so many wonderful quotes, that I had to write a lot of them down to remember them. Well worth the read.

This is one of the most beautiful love stories ever written, and I have read it time and time again since I was a young girl. The book is written in the form of letters from a young girl to her benefactor. Can't say much without giving away the heart of the book, but if you haven't read it you're really missing out.