This story, often used in classrooms in the U.S., is actually about a TCK from the 1700s. Kit leads an idyllic life on her grandfather’s plantation in Barbados. His death, however, forces her to set out for the colonies to find her mother’s sister, always described as beautiful and carefree. She arrives unannounced in the bleak New England settlement, and struggles to fit into the household run by her stern, Puritan uncle and meek, though gentle, aunt. Accustomed to having slaves to care for her, Kit has difficulty learning the tasks required to keep a home running, and she often feels lonely and misunderstood.
By chance she discovers an old woman, shunned by the community for her Quaker faith, and in this new friend Kit finds a soulmate. Although the book is written in third person, its tone evolves as Kit adjusts to her new life. Extremely harsh in its presentation of Puritan life in the early parts of the book, it softens later on as Kit is able to understand and even enjoy aspects of her life in the colonies. Though ultimately she finds herself drawn to a broader life than she finds in the tiny settlement, she is able to appreciate its good points as well, giving her the ability be comfortable in either world.
Reading level: age 11-14 years