Jane Austen Children Stories: Sense and Sensibility

Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen Children’s Stories #3) by Jane Austen adapted by Gemma Barder

Two of my nieces have their birthdays right next to each other. For the older one I purchased The Next Great Jane while the younger one I needed to find a gift for her. I had purchased a cute unicorn skirt but I still needed to find her a book. After all:

This time I didn’t even have to think about it as I knew the perfect one: another book from the Jane Austen Children’s Stories series.

Yep, I’m going to buy all of these for the kids in my lives as it will hopefully brainwash spark a love of Jane Austen in them.

The Jane Austen Children’s Stories series takes the text of Jane Austen and adapts it for children who are reading on their own and want something longer than a beginning reader, but not quite ready for thick chapter books. Each novel has easy to read text, illustrations, but at the same time still retain the plot of the original novels.

The recommended age for this series is 7-10 years old. The series has adapted Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and Love and Friendship. You can buy them individually at ~$7 a paperback (hardcover is ~$12 per book) or in a set of all seven in paperback form (plus a journal) for ~$17.

The elder Dashwood sisters are nothing alike. Elinor is the eldest; reserved, quiet, sensible, and thoughtful. Marianne is the middle daughter; outspoken, emotional, and impulsive. Everything changes when their father dies and the estate passes to their half-brother. They are left with little and forced to move away. Before they leave they encounter Edward Ferrars, their brother-in-law, and Elinor falls for him, yet chooses not to act on her feelings. In their new home; their kindly but meddling neighbors set their sights on uniting one of the girls with their friend Colonel Brandon. However Marianne falls for the handsome and dashing Mr. Willoughby; but is he everything that he seems? Will the girls find their true paths? Is Mr. Willoughby really a romantic hero? What is better sense? Or sensibility?

I really enjoy this series, as you can see I have purchased almost every book. I love that the adaption doesn’t shy away from the points of the the story, but presents all of the original work just in a slightly pared down way; making it understandable to children. I was a little worried about how they would address Eliza and Willoughby’s surprise pregnancy but it was very tasteful.

The illustrations were cute and fun, especially how mean Fanny Dashwood looks.

And Colonel Brandon? How did Marianne think he was an old man and not cute? Seriously, look at that guy.

Soooo cute!!!!

It was fantastic and a very good abridged adaption for children. I hope my seven year old niece likes it as much as I did. I definitely recommend it!

For more Jane Austen Children’s Stories, go to Jane Austen Children’s Stories: Persuasion

For more Jane Austen books for children, go to Jane Austen Children’s Stories: Emma

For more kid’s books, go to The Next Great Jane

For more on Sense and Sensibility book adaptations, go to Incense and Sensibility

For more on Sense and Sensibility, go to I Was Asked to Be a Guest on the Podcast What the Austen? + My Review of Her Episode Disney Villains x Northanger Abbey with Ann from Paper.Hearts.Library

Jane Austen Children’s Stories: Persuasion

Persuasion (Jane Austen Children’s Stories #6) by Jane Austen adapted by Gemma Barder

It was time to shop for a birthday gift for my friend’s daughter, and I always give her a book. Why?

I didn’t even have to think about it as I knew the perfect one: another book from the Jane Austen Children’s Stories. 

As I mentioned in my previous reviews any time I spot a children’s book that has to do with Jane Austen, I try and purchase it to gift to kids in my life and hopefully brainwash spark a love of Jane Austen in them. After all:

The Jane Austen Children’s Stories series takes the text of Jane Austen and adapts it for children who are reading on their own and want something longer than a beginning reader, but not quite ready for thick chapter books. Each novel has easy to read text, illustrations, but at the same time still retain the plot of the original novels.

The recommended age for this series is 7-10 years old. The series has adapted Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and Love and Friendship. You can buy them individually at ~$7 a paperback (hardcover is ~$12 per book) or in a set of all seven in paperback form (plus a journal) for ~$17.

Persuasion is a story that spans over several years. When Anne Elliot and Fredrick Wentworth are young they become engaged, and Anne is persuaded to turn him down as he could die, she could be left with nothing, they are young, he is leaving for the Navy, her family won’t approve, etc. He thinks it is solely because she from a rich distinguished family, and he is not. He becomes angry, takes a lot of chances in the war and increases his wealth and stature. He returns to find Anne unmarried and her family has had a reversal of fortune, letting their mansion out to Fredrick’s sister and brother-in-law. Anne has never gotten over Fredrick and is shocked to see him enter her life again. Intrigue happens as some women are striving for Frederick’s heart, a woman has a ploy to snag Anne’s father Sir Walter Elliot, and an estranged relative reappears planning to go after his inheritance and cousin. Will the two get their happy ending together? Or has too much time passed?

I really enjoy this series, as you can see I have purchased almost one of each book. I like that the adaption doesn’t shy away from the points of the the story, but present all of the original work just in a slightly pared down way; while making it understandable to children.

I really enjoyed the art as well as I felt they really captured the characters.

I thought it was a very good abridged adaption for children and I hope the eight year old likes it as much as I did. I would definitely recommend!

For more Jane Austen Children’s Stories, go to Jane Austen Children’s Stories: Pride and Prejudice

For more Jane Austen books for children, go to Jane Austen Children’s Stories: Emma

For more kid’s books, go to Tea for Me, Tea For You

For more on Persuasion book adaptations, go to Recipe for Persuasion Audiobook Narrated by Soneela Nankani

For more on Persuasion , go to The Lost Dreams of Elizabeth Elliot or How Elizabeth Elliot is the “Sad” Version of Emma Woodhouse