2022
WISE Score
A 19th-century survival story about an orphan girl with more grit than most modern action heroes.
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If your kid liked A Little Princess or Anne of Green Gables, this is the logical next step. It’s a beautifully written, high-stakes story about a girl navigating a world that has essentially deleted her.
Fair warning: it’s a classic, which means it doesn't move at TikTok speed. But for a kid who can settle into a story, the payoff is a deep, emotional connection to a character who survives on nothing but her own wits and kindness. It’s the kind of book that leaves a mark.
Best for ages 10 and up. While a strong 9-year-old could handle the plot, the 19th-century writing style and the heavy themes of loss make it a better fit for middle-schoolers or as a family read-aloud.
It is a masterclass in resilience and character. Perrine's journey through poverty and isolation is heavy, but her kindness and refusal to be broken by circumstances make it deeply moving.
While it is a realist novel without magic, the world-building of 19th-century France is incredibly immersive. It invites kids to imagine a completely different way of life.
Extremely safe in terms of modern 'red flag' content. The 'danger' here is the emotional weight of abandonment and the harsh realities of 1800s poverty, but it is handled with 19th-century decorum.
This is a vocabulary and empathy goldmine. It hits the 'language comprehension' strand of the reading rope hard, teaching history, class dynamics, and grit.
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