I borrowed this book from the school library when I was about 12. Reading “Daddy-Long-Legs”, I fell in love with the idea of having penfriends and the art of letter writing.
Jerusha Abbott (later called Judy) is an orphan at the John Grier Home, which is nothing like loving atmosphere of the orphanage in John Irving’s The Cider House Rules.
Already 18, Judy’s future is uncertain until one day, the matron delivers some good news:
Hearing that she’s a budding writer, a trustee will sponsor her college education and even give her a monthly allowance! However, she has to write him (addressed to a fictitious “John Smith”) a letter every month but he will never reply
Mystified by these strange conditions, Judy sets herself to be a good student at college and dedicates her time well in writing her monthly updates to her trustee.
One day, she catches a glimpse of his tall, sinewy shadow or silhouette and starts calling him “Daddy-Long-Legs” instead.
The book is filled with Judy’s description of life at college, some amusing and some not so especially when she remembers her shabby background. Her letters to “Daddy-Long-Legs” fill up a good portion of her book, including cute stick drawings 
I could identify with Judy when I read the book because:
- I loved to write letters;
- I had a kind uncle who’d buy me things a young girl loved (who couldn’t afford them) e.g. pretty stationery, cool sneakers, cool t-shirts, books etc and
- I also had strange and sometimes unfortunate escapades when I was a kid.
“Daddy-Long-Legs” is definitely one of my favourite books (read and re-read many times!) and reading Jean Webster’s biography, she’s my sort of heroine too!
[rating: 5/5]
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting info on Jean Webster. I haven’t read Dear Enemy yet – will get to that later. Is it still Judy who’s writing the letters?
Josette – Gee…I can’t remember what “Dear Enemy” is about as I read it ages ago. But I think it’s also a book of “letter writing” and it’s a funny one
PLEASE EXCUSE UPPER CASE USED FOR REASONS OF SIGHT AND NOT EMPHASIS:
TWO GENERATIONS OF MY FAMILY HAVE ENJOYED THIS BOOK, AND WE ARE STARTING ON A THIRD.
SALLY, A ROOMMATE OF JUDY IS “MESMORIZED” INTO
TAKING CHARGE OF THE.”JOHN GRIER HOME”(WHERE JUDY WAS “RAISED”. SHE PROTESTS, THAT SHE IS A SILLY SOCIALITE WITH RED HAIR WHO WILL NOT BE UP TO THE TASK. HOWEVER, AS THE STORY UNFOLDS WE
FIND HER TRUE METTLE. I WILL NOT WRITE A SPOILER.
HOWEVER, I LOVED THIS BOOK AS A YOUNG GIRL.
AND WHILE WE ARE AT IT, WHY HAS NO ONE EVER DONE A PROPER SECOND FILM VERSION OF,” DADDY LONG LEGS”. AND WHY HAS NO ONE EVER ATTEMPTED A MOVIE OF DEAD ENEMY. I AM READING THE FIRST TO MY GRANDDAUGHTER, AND IN A FEW MONTHS WILL BEGIN THE SECOND. SHE IS TEN AND CAN READ BY HERSELF, BUT STILL LIKES THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING READ TO.
“MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU”
SORRY THIS IS A SAYING THAT MY THE WHOLE FAMILY
USES BECAUSE MY TWO BOYS LOVED AND STILL LOVE
STAR WARS. HOWEVER, TRY THAT I MIGHT I COULD NEVER GET THEM INTERESTED IN THE AFORESAID MENTIONED BOOKS.
SORRY, I NEED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON MY OWN REVEIW. I OBVIOUSLY MEANT “DEAR ENEMY”, AND ” DADDY LONG LEGS”. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I FIND WITH WRITING A COMMENT IS THAT IT DISAPPEARS BEFORE I CAN PROOF READ IT. IF SOMEONE HAS SUGGESIONS OR GUIDANCE THEY WOULD BE GRATEFULLY APPRECIATIED.
P.S. AS A FOOT NOTE JEAN WEBSTER; THE AUTHORESS, WAS A FABIAN SOCIALIST. SHE WROTE THESE BOOKS FOR TWO REASONS. AS TALES FOR ALL; AND AS SOCIALIST TRACTS. SHE DIED TOO YOUNG GIVING BIRTH TO HER ONLY CHILD: A DAUGHTER.
6020forsythe – Wow, three generations of Judy Webster fans is an excellent achievement!
While my grandfather, my father and I love reading, I’m not sure if we like any particular author – I can only think of The Reader’s Digest being a shared interest
Interesting bit about her books being Socialist tracts. The previous centuries never fail to surprise me with allegories, hidden messages and etc.
Since Jean Webster’s books feature girls as the central figures both on their covers and plots, it WILL be hard to convince a boy to pick them up unless it’s part of a reading list at school.
Do your Star Wars fans read at all? I hope they do because I’m a huge Star Wars fan myself