Little Mother Meg (Woolcots, #3) by Ethel Turner

Little Mother Meg (Woolcots, #3) Reviews

• 
  Nadia King

  I loved this book published in 1902. Turner gives us suspense, tragedy, romance and comedy in this story of Meg the oldest of the Seven Little Australians. I was really impressed and have ordered Turner's diaries.
• 
  Marianne

  Little Mother Meg is the third of the Woolcot Family series by Australian novelist Ethel Turner. It is set three years after The Family at Misrule, so Meg is now 24 and married to Dr. Alan Courtney, with a baby son. There has been a complete reversal of this small family’s fortunes, due to a mining failure and serious eye trouble, and they now live in a house/surgery near Misrule, struggling to make ends meet. The vehicle of choice for the Woolcots becomes a bicycle, so that by the end of the book, Pip, Nell, Bunty (John), Poppet, Peter and Essie all have one. New neighbours with unusual customs, Islander servants and a tragic secret buy the house next door and Poppet, Peter and Essie are fascinated by glimpses of children not allowed to play with them. Nell fancies herself in love with a man Bunty describes as a bounder, but retains her dignity in the face of disrespect and heartbreak. The younger children still get up to mischief; Esther still has trouble enforcing discipline; the older children are maturing and making wiser decisions. The now-promoted Major Woolcot is mostly absent from this tale. The November heatwave that sends the frailer members of the family over the mountains is told about mostly in the form of letters. Peter is now old enough to realise his debt to Judy in some tender moments at her grave. This has much of the magic and humour of the first book.
• 
  Kit

  I could read about the seven little Australians again and again and never get tired of hearing of the things they do. I only wish that Ethel Turner had written sequels enough to finish up the stories of all the children, right down to Meg's little boy.
  
  I'm glad I had the chance to read this book.
  
  Favourite bits:
  
  Bunty and Poppet are still very close and have grown up to be good friends and helpmates to each other.
  
  Nellie has learned sense, to a degree, and gained and continues to gain wisdom and dignity.
  
  Meg and the others realise what a big sacrifice it was for Esther to give up her happy life to come and try to be a mother to such an unruly mob of children.
  
  A little bit of reflection about Judy, her story still has the power to make me cry. Little Judy! She should have been happy and running about, growing up in her energetic and passionate way. I still grieve for her and cannot agree with Esther's words.
  
  So in conclusion, I hope you are able to find a copy and read this for yourself, perhaps it will be put on Gutenberg?
  
  The only thing to complain about us that I was left wanting for more, but truly, would I ever be satisfied with any amount of stories about my seven little Australians?
• 
  Sam

  This was always my least favourite of the stories about the Woolcots, simply because a coming of age story is less interesting when it's more about young adults being foolish (Pip) than about childhood 'scrapes'. Having said that, I still read it with nostalgic delight.
• 
  Charise

  I had a tear (or two) in my eye when Judy was remembered!
  Such a good book, such a good series, and so much of Australia is captured without being forced down the throat. Love, love, love.
• 
  joy

  wasn't as good as the first one but still recommend
• 
  Laura Walin

  This book continued the series of two previous works, and was indeed a stedy continuum for them. Again there were some great sorrows and fears, some romance, and growing wisdom of the seven as they grow up. Nothing spectacular but still a very easy reading giving a nice glimpse into the life back then. I missed the witty language of the previous two books as I had to read this one in Swedish, the only language in which the book was available in the library.
• 
  Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore

  The third instalment of the Woolcots’ adventures finds Meg married with a little baby while the others have grown up some more. Meg has to face a reversal of fortunes which she does both bravely and cheerfully while Misrule has new neighbours- a family with children but they have a secret! Once again an engaging read- sweet story and likeable characters (the Woolcot children, though children they are no longer).
• 
  Lisa Rich

  After reading Seven Little Australins and The Family at Misrule I just had to read Little Mother Meg and it didn't disappoint.
• 
  Lizbet

  See review for The Family at Misrule.
• 
  Rlouiseg

  This book is no more about Meg than any of the others. I've found it the most interesting with all the mysteries of the neighbours. But of course it wouldn't be so exciting if you didn't know the characters already. It ended at a strange place. And I'm still wondering about what King Baby's actually name is. A great book which cost me some sleep.