I don't think I ever realised how much fun Uncle was - probably the most interesting grown-up of all - and I'd forgotten how I used to like the idea of the crossroads, and how disappointing it was that the crossroads near where I lived were a wonky cross and not a proper one. They're just completely lovely! I always used to wish I lived in Milly-Molly-Mandy's world, and I still do. I used to read these stories to myself when I was very young, and I loved them then, but I didn't know I would love them so much now! Okay, they're not the deepest or most complicated stories - but that doesn't matter a bit. Also, I heard Sir Ian McKellen has said that the series is his favourite children's book so. If you want to read a collection of children's stories where nothing bad happens, that is comfy and nice in the best possible way, this is the book for you. I found them genuinely funny as well, although that is partly thanks to my gf who is an excellent reader. (In one of my fave stories Milly-Molly-Mandy finds out that there's A MEAN GANG in her village so she and her friends start A KIND GANG, and soon the members of the other gang start to get bored of doing mean things and even join MMM's gang of kindness.) The stories are just endlessly nice and cosy, without any huge conflicts or drama. The most important message of Milly-Molly-Mandy is that one should be kind to others, which, I think, is what everyone should aspire to. None of the stories are moralising, and very few of them present an overtly normative idea of gender. The stories are about stuff any child could potentially be interested in finding an abandoned train, getting a pet hedgehog, having your teacher spend a few nights at your home, and going to the coast for the first time.
The series turned 90 years old this year so it's not the most current one, but imo it has aged very well. We finished today, and saying goodbye to Milly-Molly-Mandy was v sad. First Louisa read me some of the stories in a random order, a story or two every day, but we soon figured out that we should just start from the beginning and read the whole thing. Louisa's reply: "Would you like me to read you a Milly-Molly-Mandy story?" I'd never read the book and didn't really know anything about it, but it sounded nice. Some weeks ago I was chatting to my girlfriend, complaining about being stressed and tired. This is it: the most wholesome children's book I've ever run into.
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