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Calico Bush
This heartwarming and enthralling classic is the story of a young girl who is left orphaned and alone shortly after her French family arrives in the New World. First published in 1931, this memorable story by a Newbery Award winner offers a historically significant portrait of pioneer life in the eighteenth century. Illustrated.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1931
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About the author
Rachel Field
109 books48 followersRachel Lyman Field was an American novelist, poet, and author of children's fiction. She is best known for her Newbery Medal–winning novel for young adults,
Hitty, Her First Hundred Years
, published in 1929.
As a child Field contributed to the St. Nicholas Magazine and was educated at Radcliffe College. Her book, Prayer for a Child, was a recipient of the Caldecott Medal for its illustrations by Elizabeth Orton Jones. According to Ruth Hill Vigeurs in her introduction to Calico Bush , book of Rachel Field for children, published in 1931, Rachel Field was "fifteen when she first visited Maine and fell under the spell of its 'island-scattered coast'. Calico Bush still stands out as a near-perfect re-creation of people and place in a story of courage, understated and beautiful." Field was also a successful author of adult fiction, writing the bestsellers Time Out of Mind (1935), All This and Heaven Too (1938), and And Now Tomorrow (1942). She is also famous for her poem-turned-song "Something Told the Wild Geese". Field also wrote the English lyrics for the version of Franz Schubert's Ave Maria used in the Disney film Fantasia. Field married Arthur S. Pederson in 1935, with whom she collaborated in 1937 on To See Ourselves.
Field was a descendant of David Dudley Field. She died at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, California on March 15, 1942 of pneumonia following an operation.
As a child Field contributed to the St. Nicholas Magazine and was educated at Radcliffe College. Her book, Prayer for a Child, was a recipient of the Caldecott Medal for its illustrations by Elizabeth Orton Jones. According to Ruth Hill Vigeurs in her introduction to Calico Bush , book of Rachel Field for children, published in 1931, Rachel Field was "fifteen when she first visited Maine and fell under the spell of its 'island-scattered coast'. Calico Bush still stands out as a near-perfect re-creation of people and place in a story of courage, understated and beautiful." Field was also a successful author of adult fiction, writing the bestsellers Time Out of Mind (1935), All This and Heaven Too (1938), and And Now Tomorrow (1942). She is also famous for her poem-turned-song "Something Told the Wild Geese". Field also wrote the English lyrics for the version of Franz Schubert's Ave Maria used in the Disney film Fantasia. Field married Arthur S. Pederson in 1935, with whom she collaborated in 1937 on To See Ourselves.
Field was a descendant of David Dudley Field. She died at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, California on March 15, 1942 of pneumonia following an operation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
May 9, 2011
This is really for an older audience -- 6th grade or above. There is a scene where the main character (a girl of about 12 or 13) stumbles upon a place where people have been killed (burned, supposedly by Indians) and she finds a lock of a child's hair attached to a piece of scalp and a buckle from a child's shoe. There is also a scene where a baby dies after her clothes catch fire because she's gotten too close to the hearth. It is a well-written book, though, and true to the time.
September 18, 2019
First published in 1931, and chosen as a Newbery Honor Book in 1932 - Rachel Field had already been awarded the Newbery Medal itself in 1930, for
Hitty, Her First Hundred Years
- this work of historical fiction for young readers opens in June of 1743, and chronicles one year in the life of Marguerite Ledoux, an orphaned young French girl who, finding herself destitute in Marblehead, Massachusetts, becomes a "Bound-out Girl" for the Sargent family. Accompanying the Sargents to the Maine wilderness, where Mr. Sargent plans to occupy a claim he had only recently purchased, Marguerite - now known as "Maggie" - finds her courage put to the test on more than one occasion, as she must rescue the family cow from drowning, confront a bear intent on attacking the Sargent children, and think quickly in order to defuse tension, when a party of potentially hostile Indians appears. She must also contend with her fellow settlers hostility to her, on account of her French background. When her many acts of courage and kindness are unexpectedly rewarded, and she is given the opportunity to , she must decide who she really is, and where she belongs...
I found Calico Bush - so named because the "calico bush" flower (also known as mountain laurel), and the ballad named for it, have significance in the story - to be an immensely engaging work of fiction: engrossing, often quite moving, and historically realistic. Life in colonial days was harsh, particularly outside of the larger urban settlements, and Field captures that here, with her tale of a young orphaned girl adrift in a world of strangers. She does not shy away from depicting the losses that Marguerite suffers at the beginning of the story - the death of her Oncle Pierre on the sea voyage from France, and the slow decline of her Grand'mère in Massachusetts, where the two find themselves on the Poor Farm - nor does she spare the Sargents, who lose baby Debby in a horrible accident in which she crawls into the fire late one night. Loss, hard work and privation are all here, and so too is prejudice: the prejudice of the Anglo settlers against Marguerite, because of her French blood - something that reveals itself frequently in the sneering remarks of the eldest Sargent boy, Caleb, but also in the occasional comments of some of the adults - and the prejudice and fear that all of them experience in their interactions with the native peoples of the area.
I expected the latter to be particularly offensive, given the frequent dehumanization of native peoples I have encountered in the pages of vintage American children's literature, but although there were elements that felt a little sensational to me - notably, the evil "torture" cave that Marguerite discovers, at one point - for the most part I thought that Field managed to offer a fairly realistic portrait of how people of that time and place would have felt and spoken about "Injuns," without indulging in gratuitous demonization of native peoples, as a narrator. In fact, I was rather impressed by some of the more thoughtful moments, as when Marguerite meets the Indian warrior in the woods, and they exchange Christmas greetings in French. I thought the follow-up to that scene, in which the Sargents are spared attack the next spring, when the same man appears with the group of warriors that gather outside the house, actually served to humanize native peoples, by demonstrating that they (like any other group of people) would respond more favorably to fair and generous treatment, than to open hostility and attack.
I understand that Calico Bush was inspired by the story of a real historical figure - one Marguerite La Croix, who was, together with her family, one of the first settlers on Maine's Little Cranberry Island - which makes sense to me, as the story felt very authentic. All in all, this was a strong work of historical fiction for younger readers, one I would recommend to readers who enjoy that genre.
I found Calico Bush - so named because the "calico bush" flower (also known as mountain laurel), and the ballad named for it, have significance in the story - to be an immensely engaging work of fiction: engrossing, often quite moving, and historically realistic. Life in colonial days was harsh, particularly outside of the larger urban settlements, and Field captures that here, with her tale of a young orphaned girl adrift in a world of strangers. She does not shy away from depicting the losses that Marguerite suffers at the beginning of the story - the death of her Oncle Pierre on the sea voyage from France, and the slow decline of her Grand'mère in Massachusetts, where the two find themselves on the Poor Farm - nor does she spare the Sargents, who lose baby Debby in a horrible accident in which she crawls into the fire late one night. Loss, hard work and privation are all here, and so too is prejudice: the prejudice of the Anglo settlers against Marguerite, because of her French blood - something that reveals itself frequently in the sneering remarks of the eldest Sargent boy, Caleb, but also in the occasional comments of some of the adults - and the prejudice and fear that all of them experience in their interactions with the native peoples of the area.
I expected the latter to be particularly offensive, given the frequent dehumanization of native peoples I have encountered in the pages of vintage American children's literature, but although there were elements that felt a little sensational to me - notably, the evil "torture" cave that Marguerite discovers, at one point - for the most part I thought that Field managed to offer a fairly realistic portrait of how people of that time and place would have felt and spoken about "Injuns," without indulging in gratuitous demonization of native peoples, as a narrator. In fact, I was rather impressed by some of the more thoughtful moments, as when Marguerite meets the Indian warrior in the woods, and they exchange Christmas greetings in French. I thought the follow-up to that scene, in which the Sargents are spared attack the next spring, when the same man appears with the group of warriors that gather outside the house, actually served to humanize native peoples, by demonstrating that they (like any other group of people) would respond more favorably to fair and generous treatment, than to open hostility and attack.
I understand that Calico Bush was inspired by the story of a real historical figure - one Marguerite La Croix, who was, together with her family, one of the first settlers on Maine's Little Cranberry Island - which makes sense to me, as the story felt very authentic. All in all, this was a strong work of historical fiction for younger readers, one I would recommend to readers who enjoy that genre.
April 17, 2020
I liked it.
This book brought to mind Calico Captive and The Witch of Blackbird Pond. If you were to combine these titles in the style and atmosphere they convey, you'll probably have a good idea of this book.
With slightly cliche characters (like Calico Captive - which I did like too), this book follows Marguerite, a French orphan who has become a Bound-Out-Girl to an English family settling in the wilds of New England in 1743. She faces one hardship after another but that doesn't keep her from being courageous and cheerful.
Field likes to focus on seasonal and landscape descriptions and does them well. I could see a beginning reader/listener perhaps getting a little bored through these, but there are definitely some moments of intense suspense and action that make up for the slower parts. There were a few twists I didn't see coming and an ending I'm not quite buying in to, but overall a good read that I'd recommend.
Ages: 8 - 16
Cleanliness: Marguerite enters a cave and finds a button/buckle and a tuft of hair left over from a scalping. A baby gets too close to an open fire and her clothes catch on fire. Both scenes can be intense for younger children. The main character is Catholic and offers some prayers to Mary. Mentions that someone could be a witch (she isn't). There is a love triangle throughout the book - not very descriptive: a mention of a kiss, a kiss at a corn husking, and a young man putting his arm around a girl's waist.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
This book brought to mind Calico Captive and The Witch of Blackbird Pond. If you were to combine these titles in the style and atmosphere they convey, you'll probably have a good idea of this book.
With slightly cliche characters (like Calico Captive - which I did like too), this book follows Marguerite, a French orphan who has become a Bound-Out-Girl to an English family settling in the wilds of New England in 1743. She faces one hardship after another but that doesn't keep her from being courageous and cheerful.
Field likes to focus on seasonal and landscape descriptions and does them well. I could see a beginning reader/listener perhaps getting a little bored through these, but there are definitely some moments of intense suspense and action that make up for the slower parts. There were a few twists I didn't see coming and an ending I'm not quite buying in to, but overall a good read that I'd recommend.
Ages: 8 - 16
Cleanliness: Marguerite enters a cave and finds a button/buckle and a tuft of hair left over from a scalping. A baby gets too close to an open fire and her clothes catch on fire. Both scenes can be intense for younger children. The main character is Catholic and offers some prayers to Mary. Mentions that someone could be a witch (she isn't). There is a love triangle throughout the book - not very descriptive: a mention of a kiss, a kiss at a corn husking, and a young man putting his arm around a girl's waist.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
December 23, 2023
What a wonderful story! Field is a consummate storyteller, and that is what makes a great book! Memorable characters facing incredible hardships who are forced to make courageous decisions, and underneath it all, the setting of the rugged Maine coast and the pioneer spirit of our ancestors.
1743: the stirrings of the French and Indian War are making life difficult for those who are trying to tame the American wilderness. And the French are just as despised as the Indians - so Marguerite Ledoux, a French orphan bound out to a family of settlers who need an unpaid servant, has to hide her French heritage and her language to become just Maggie, the bound-out girl. But Maggie is tough and has immense courage, and as her difficult life plays out in the company of the Sargent family, they come to understand and respect her. Eventually, she earns her freedom - but chooses to remain with the family, friends, and community she has come to love.
1743: the stirrings of the French and Indian War are making life difficult for those who are trying to tame the American wilderness. And the French are just as despised as the Indians - so Marguerite Ledoux, a French orphan bound out to a family of settlers who need an unpaid servant, has to hide her French heritage and her language to become just Maggie, the bound-out girl. But Maggie is tough and has immense courage, and as her difficult life plays out in the company of the Sargent family, they come to understand and respect her. Eventually, she earns her freedom - but chooses to remain with the family, friends, and community she has come to love.
August 23, 2021
This book reminded me of Calico Captive, and not just because of the title. It’s about the hard life of settlers in Maine. The story is told from the point of view of Marguerite, their French bound girl, who is very resourceful and becomes a real help for the family. I liked the character of the wise old woman who is their closest neighbour.
November 3, 2012
Marguerite has been orphaned and is now a "Bound Out" girl to the Sargent family for the next 6 years. The Sargents are settling in a new area, an area where there has been trouble with the Indians. Neighbors (living on nearby islands) warn the Sargents not to settle there, but they have paid money for the claim and are determined to settle there.
This realistically portrayed the difficulty of life in the mid 1700's. Marguerite suffers from negative stereotyping because of her French background and she must work very hard. But overall the Sargents are fair and decent people. I appreciated Marguerite's courage and the way her encounters with the native people were handled...much more positively than might be expected from a book written in the 1930's. I especially liked the ending.
This realistically portrayed the difficulty of life in the mid 1700's. Marguerite suffers from negative stereotyping because of her French background and she must work very hard. But overall the Sargents are fair and decent people. I appreciated Marguerite's courage and the way her encounters with the native people were handled...much more positively than might be expected from a book written in the 1930's. I especially liked the ending.
September 22, 2019
In 1743, Marguerite is an indentured servant to a colonial family settling in the middle of Indian territory on the coast of Maine. Because she is French, she is scorned and ridiculed by her English employers, and is expected to work hard to tend to the children of the family. During their first winter on the small farm, Marguerite and the family struggle to survive in the harsh conditions, and face the threat of an attack from local tribes.
I was so enchanted with this book! The plot is interesting, the history is fascinating, and the characters feel wonderfully real and honest. It's no wonder that this book won a Newbery Honor Award!
Marguerite is an excellent main character. Even though she is a simple servant girl, she has her own little dreams. She is incredibly brave and intelligent, proving her worth to her employers and winning the hearts of the children she cares for. And yet, she is quite humble and sweet.
The most heart-wrenching moments are when she is mocked for her French ways by the English people she serves. They are sometimes inclusive with her and praise her for her good deeds, but at other times, they ridicule her for having different manners and ways than they do. I have experienced this cultural difference for most of my life, feeling out of place among people from another culture. Marguerite's experiences with culture shock felt real and true, and added a lot of depth to her story.
I loved the plot, which reminded me strongly on the Little House on the Prairie books, with hunting, fishing, building a log cabin, making maple syrup candy, spinning wool, and making quilts. For much of the book, they are just trying to survive each day, and then there are also bigger moments of action with threats from wildlife, storms, and the Indians. It definitely kept my interest through every page!
Trigger Warning: There is a scene where a baby is injured and dies. It's heart-breaking, and might be too emotional for young readers.
I was so enchanted with this book! The plot is interesting, the history is fascinating, and the characters feel wonderfully real and honest. It's no wonder that this book won a Newbery Honor Award!
Marguerite is an excellent main character. Even though she is a simple servant girl, she has her own little dreams. She is incredibly brave and intelligent, proving her worth to her employers and winning the hearts of the children she cares for. And yet, she is quite humble and sweet.
The most heart-wrenching moments are when she is mocked for her French ways by the English people she serves. They are sometimes inclusive with her and praise her for her good deeds, but at other times, they ridicule her for having different manners and ways than they do. I have experienced this cultural difference for most of my life, feeling out of place among people from another culture. Marguerite's experiences with culture shock felt real and true, and added a lot of depth to her story.
I loved the plot, which reminded me strongly on the Little House on the Prairie books, with hunting, fishing, building a log cabin, making maple syrup candy, spinning wool, and making quilts. For much of the book, they are just trying to survive each day, and then there are also bigger moments of action with threats from wildlife, storms, and the Indians. It definitely kept my interest through every page!
Trigger Warning: There is a scene where a baby is injured and dies. It's heart-breaking, and might be too emotional for young readers.
May 27, 2017
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
Calico Bush is the story of Marguerite, a French immigrant to the United States who is orphaned soon after her arrival. With no family to look after her, she becomes a bound out girl, contracted to the Sargent family for six years. As the Sargents work to settle their homestead in the Maine wilderness, under threat of violence from local American Indians, Marguerite, called Maggie, does her best to blend into the family and be of use to them, while also trying to remain true to her heritage.
I had a very frustrating time reading this book. My husband loved it and insisted that I read it, but I kept pausing every 30 pages or so and asking when something was going to happen. Lots of things almost happen, but then the author backs away from them, which made me feel like I was being strung along but never rewarded. When something finally does happen, it's a terrible tragedy involving a young baby that is so unspeakably sad, it feels like a punishment. I had a really hard time connecting with Marguerite, and I also found it difficult to keep track of who was who among the other characters. Only Aunt Hepsa, the wise, elderly neighbor who takes a special liking to Maggie stands out, and that is really only because of her quirkiness.
This book reminded a lot of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which I also didn't enjoy that much, so this may just be a matter of personal preference regarding stories set in colonial New England. I can't say there was anything wrong with the writing, or the storytelling, or even the characterizations. This book just did not click with me, no matter how hard I tried.
Calico Bush is the story of Marguerite, a French immigrant to the United States who is orphaned soon after her arrival. With no family to look after her, she becomes a bound out girl, contracted to the Sargent family for six years. As the Sargents work to settle their homestead in the Maine wilderness, under threat of violence from local American Indians, Marguerite, called Maggie, does her best to blend into the family and be of use to them, while also trying to remain true to her heritage.
I had a very frustrating time reading this book. My husband loved it and insisted that I read it, but I kept pausing every 30 pages or so and asking when something was going to happen. Lots of things almost happen, but then the author backs away from them, which made me feel like I was being strung along but never rewarded. When something finally does happen, it's a terrible tragedy involving a young baby that is so unspeakably sad, it feels like a punishment. I had a really hard time connecting with Marguerite, and I also found it difficult to keep track of who was who among the other characters. Only Aunt Hepsa, the wise, elderly neighbor who takes a special liking to Maggie stands out, and that is really only because of her quirkiness.
This book reminded a lot of The Witch of Blackbird Pond, which I also didn't enjoy that much, so this may just be a matter of personal preference regarding stories set in colonial New England. I can't say there was anything wrong with the writing, or the storytelling, or even the characterizations. This book just did not click with me, no matter how hard I tried.
June 16, 2019
There are many classics that I would defend as valuable still today, with some explanation from an adult who understands the racial difficulties of the history presented. This one, unfortunately, I think has past its time. The entire book is an example of the fear and superiority of colonialism. Even the moments that seem to be showing the wrongness of the white opinion that they deserve the land, still present the "Injuns" as backwards and childlike. The only one to be beyond that to some extent is a French-speaking Christian.
Otherwise, this was a good read, but not great. Though I appreciate the decisions by season, the sections were so long. I had a hard time staying engaged. The book have a good picture of life in Maine at this time, and several of the characters were well-drawn, but most were fairly one-dimensional.
Otherwise, this was a good read, but not great. Though I appreciate the decisions by season, the sections were so long. I had a hard time staying engaged. The book have a good picture of life in Maine at this time, and several of the characters were well-drawn, but most were fairly one-dimensional.
April 17, 2018
I read this aloud to my daughter as part of our homeschool history curriculum. It's a realistic portrayal (including the language and prejudices) of what life might have been like during this time period settling a wild, remote location. While it's not my favorite of this genre, it's well done and enjoyable with a likeable heroine.
August 17, 2016
Remarkable in its depth.
October 5, 2022
Amazing historical fiction tale of a girl with grit!
August 18, 2022
I read both this and Little House on the Prairie this month. That was too much log-cabin building, too close together for me.
I won't review this story more, as innumerous readers surely have already. But this edition has a very annoying typo of "sales" for "sails" (ISBN 9780689822858), which I find unforgiveable. And I suspect the witch hazel plant was meant to not be "flowering" rather than "flowing", though I'm not sure on that as they were harvesting both bark and flower, so maybe it referred to the sap.
I won't review this story more, as innumerous readers surely have already. But this edition has a very annoying typo of "sales" for "sails" (ISBN 9780689822858), which I find unforgiveable. And I suspect the witch hazel plant was meant to not be "flowering" rather than "flowing", though I'm not sure on that as they were harvesting both bark and flower, so maybe it referred to the sap.
September 22, 2021
This is a Newbery Honor book from long ago that would not even get consideration today. It is the story of a girl who is an orphan and binds herself to a family for 6 years. The story follows the first year of this as it looks at the four seasons.
July 19, 2016
First published in 1931, this book tells the story of Marguerite "Maggie" Ledoux, a 12-year-old French orphan who is bound-out to a Massachusetts family as they head up the coast to settle in Maine. The journey is difficult and though Marguerite is treated kindly, the Sargent family do not understand or like Marguerite's French ways and Marguerite feels like an outsider. when the family reaches the Maine coast, they learn of the hostilities between the Indians and the local settlers. Neighbors encourage the Sargent's to settle elsewhere but Joel is determined to settle on the acreage he bought. During the first year of settlement, Maggie and the Sargents must learn to tame the wilderness and be strong and brave during difficult times. The far of Indian attack is always on their minds and it's up to Maggie to save the family she has grown to care for. Finally, Maggie must decide whether she is French or American or both and make a monumental decision about her future.
This is a Newbury Honor book, though it may be difficult for modern readers to understand the historical usage of derogatory terminology used to describe the Indians and their traditional ways. Modern readers may also find the story slow and lacking in a cohesive plot. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the scenery and the struggles the family went through. I had a problem with the historical accuracy of the fashions, some of which belong to the 19th century instead of early 18th century. The same holds true for patchwork quilts, which were more common after the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 18th century. The story was interesting though very sad in some parts. I don't have any memories of reading this book as a child but I am certain I must have, therefore, it wasn't very memorable and I don't think it will be all that memorable this time around either. This book would be best enjoyed by older children and their parents.
This is a Newbury Honor book, though it may be difficult for modern readers to understand the historical usage of derogatory terminology used to describe the Indians and their traditional ways. Modern readers may also find the story slow and lacking in a cohesive plot. I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of the scenery and the struggles the family went through. I had a problem with the historical accuracy of the fashions, some of which belong to the 19th century instead of early 18th century. The same holds true for patchwork quilts, which were more common after the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 18th century. The story was interesting though very sad in some parts. I don't have any memories of reading this book as a child but I am certain I must have, therefore, it wasn't very memorable and I don't think it will be all that memorable this time around either. This book would be best enjoyed by older children and their parents.
July 30, 2012
A little scared when I realized this was written by the same woman who wrote Hitty, her first hundred years, which I forced myself to finish. I was pleasantly surprised to be reading an interesting story of pioneer life in Maine. The bonus was that I was vacationing in Maine at the time, and thinking of the things early settlers had to contend with illuminated my understanding of the area.
"It was only by the next afternoon that Marguerite could get her swollen feet into her shoes and limp as far as the little grave. It looked a very small mound, even for Debby....When she had said all the prayers she could remember, she still lingered. The wind blew sharp from the sea and already what sunlight there had been was going fast. Once more Marguerite folded her hands that were still sore and frostbitten and sang the little lullaby she had so often rocked Debby to sleep by:--
"The log house rocked on its foundations to the winds that raged for upwards of two days and nights. Marguerite marveled to hear them tell of it and how all this tumult meant that far away to the south the sun was crossing the equator. All this commotion that the days and nights might be of equal length, and then slowly the days would grow longer and warmer, and it would be summer again."
And for something completely different, this quote is probably true to the language of the time period; no sugar-coating, no worrying about being politically correct..."Tim he's pleasant-spoken an' a good worker, but he's cross-eyed, poor fellow--born in the middle o' the week an' lookin' both ways for Sunday, that's how my mother used to call it."
"It was only by the next afternoon that Marguerite could get her swollen feet into her shoes and limp as far as the little grave. It looked a very small mound, even for Debby....When she had said all the prayers she could remember, she still lingered. The wind blew sharp from the sea and already what sunlight there had been was going fast. Once more Marguerite folded her hands that were still sore and frostbitten and sang the little lullaby she had so often rocked Debby to sleep by:--
Do, do, l'enfant do,
L'enfant dormira bientot,
Do, do, l'enfant do,
L'enfant dormira tantot.
"The log house rocked on its foundations to the winds that raged for upwards of two days and nights. Marguerite marveled to hear them tell of it and how all this tumult meant that far away to the south the sun was crossing the equator. All this commotion that the days and nights might be of equal length, and then slowly the days would grow longer and warmer, and it would be summer again."
And for something completely different, this quote is probably true to the language of the time period; no sugar-coating, no worrying about being politically correct..."Tim he's pleasant-spoken an' a good worker, but he's cross-eyed, poor fellow--born in the middle o' the week an' lookin' both ways for Sunday, that's how my mother used to call it."
August 31, 2019
I really enjoyed this story of a young french girl in early group of Maine settlers. She came from France with her grandmother and uncle, but after their deaths, was taken as a bound-out girl to a family who was moving to the wilderness coast of Maine to take over a small settlement that another family had left. Only upon their arrival did they learn that the family had left because of the dangers of the local tribe of "Injuns," and the house they were supposed to find waiting for them had been burned to the ground, causing them to have to start from scratch. In four sections depicting the four seasons of the year, the life of Marguerite (or Maggy, as the family insists on calling her) and the Sargent family is told. It is not an easy life, by any means, and the details are depicted in an engaging and realistic manner. I hope I can get Lizzie to read this one, because it is quite enjoyable. I did find myself keeping Google Translate nearby for those times when something French was written but no translation was given. There is also a moment when, during a festive evening with neighbors, Marguerite dances a French dance that leaves some of the women disapproving, but after looking it up, all I could find of a dance by the same name was a very dull courtly dance which doesn't seem to have fit the description in the book at all. At those times, I had a more difficult time feeling engrossed in the story. Overall, though, as I was reading several books at one time, this is the one that I wanted to reach for over the others. I'm quite sure I have passed on this one during my book hunting at thrift stores, and now I will be quick to grab it when I come across it again.
October 9, 2013
I wasn't a huge fan of Maggie's story. I found myself getting frustrated at how she was treated and how passive she seemed about the situation. I still don't understand or agree with her final decision, but I guess that makes the story for a lot of people.
I really enjoyed the Christmas scene with the Indian and the way Maggie was willing to make friends with those around her. I loved her relationship with the old neighbor lady, which was what kept me reading. Other than those parts, however, I was pretty bored.
I really enjoyed the Christmas scene with the Indian and the way Maggie was willing to make friends with those around her. I loved her relationship with the old neighbor lady, which was what kept me reading. Other than those parts, however, I was pretty bored.
August 17, 2012
In the 1740s, a family pioneers on the coast of Maine. Good middle grade novel with a well-drawn main character, the bonded servant Marguerite.
March 3, 2013
Liked this a lot. It felt very authentic, and I loved the way Maggie turned into a sort of superhero. Also the wonderful descriptions of the coast of Maine.
January 9, 2014
Educational and a good read to boot.
June 14, 2025
Read this one because I was confusing the title with Elizabeth George Speare's Calico Captive. (Happy to know I'm not the only one; I saw a few other reviewers struggled with the same problem.) I chose to read this one first, since I've already read some of Speare's works. Seems to me that both authors write very good historical fiction!
Marguerite is a teenager when her guardians, Grandmère and Oncle Pierre, pass away as they all travel from Europe to America. To complete her journey to Maine from Marblehead—in Massachusetts, from what I can tell; it's a 5-day trip by boat—Marguerite is taken on as a bound-out (indentured) girl by the Sargent family, who call her Maggie. This book covers the first year of the group's settlement, with one chapter for each season, starting with the Summer of their arrival on one of the islands off the coast of Maine.
I could determine the general area the story takes place from the book's descriptions and a road atlas. One of the landmarks that was easier for me to locate was the Desert Mountains. Another review suggested the Sargent's lived on Little Cranberry Island (44.259N 68.232W), which sounded right to me when I found a reference to the Maypole from the book there. But even after using a list of islands on Wikipedia, I was unable to confirm which one was Sunday Island. (I had no idea Maine had so many islands! Thousands!) I guessed it was Jordan Island (44.413N 68.126W), since that's where the neighboring Jordan family lives, but I don't know if someone could see Little Cranberry Island from there the way the Jordan's could see the Sargent's…
The title Calico Bush is shown in the book to come from the name of a local flower and of a melancholy ballad whose lyrics are in the text. (I forget if the book pointed this out or if I found out some other way, but marguerite is French for daisy.) I think that may be Marguerite quilting on the cover of the edition I read (Yearling Newberry 1990), although until nearly the end that activity seemed to be done more often by other characters. I would like to read up on the French & Indian War because, although my understanding is this story in the 1740s is set a little before that conflict, there are references to building tensions.
One of the takeaways I had from the book was how risky being a settler was. When the Sargent family arrives at their destination in Maine, it's not exactly how they were expecting it to be. Later, losing even one or two farm animals can be costly, especially with winter approaching… (There's a really gripping scene that involves walking between islands over an ocean that has frozen over.)
I enjoyed the book so much, I found myself wishing for more. Marguerite is from a convent in Le Havre, but I don't know as much about the Sargent family. Caleb, the eldest of the 6 Sargent children, once uses muckling, which the dictionary traces to England, Germany, and Scotland; I wondered if they could have been from the British Isles. Similarly, at the end, Marguerite must make a decision. I like the choice that she made but I still wanted the story to go on for a little longer to see how it worked out. The book ends at a good place, though, so I think what I wanted was an epilogue.
Incidentally, the book pulled a little bit of an Ethan Frome and had some names from our family in it (e.g., Joel, Andrew, Judy). And maybe also a W.C. Fields, because our last name is in here as a mild oath ("by Godfrey!"). This book was so good, I don't know which I want to try first: one of Field's other books like Hitty, Her First Hundred Years or Speare's Calico Captive!
Marguerite is a teenager when her guardians, Grandmère and Oncle Pierre, pass away as they all travel from Europe to America. To complete her journey to Maine from Marblehead—in Massachusetts, from what I can tell; it's a 5-day trip by boat—Marguerite is taken on as a bound-out (indentured) girl by the Sargent family, who call her Maggie. This book covers the first year of the group's settlement, with one chapter for each season, starting with the Summer of their arrival on one of the islands off the coast of Maine.
I could determine the general area the story takes place from the book's descriptions and a road atlas. One of the landmarks that was easier for me to locate was the Desert Mountains. Another review suggested the Sargent's lived on Little Cranberry Island (44.259N 68.232W), which sounded right to me when I found a reference to the Maypole from the book there. But even after using a list of islands on Wikipedia, I was unable to confirm which one was Sunday Island. (I had no idea Maine had so many islands! Thousands!) I guessed it was Jordan Island (44.413N 68.126W), since that's where the neighboring Jordan family lives, but I don't know if someone could see Little Cranberry Island from there the way the Jordan's could see the Sargent's…
The title Calico Bush is shown in the book to come from the name of a local flower and of a melancholy ballad whose lyrics are in the text. (I forget if the book pointed this out or if I found out some other way, but marguerite is French for daisy.) I think that may be Marguerite quilting on the cover of the edition I read (Yearling Newberry 1990), although until nearly the end that activity seemed to be done more often by other characters. I would like to read up on the French & Indian War because, although my understanding is this story in the 1740s is set a little before that conflict, there are references to building tensions.
One of the takeaways I had from the book was how risky being a settler was. When the Sargent family arrives at their destination in Maine, it's not exactly how they were expecting it to be. Later, losing even one or two farm animals can be costly, especially with winter approaching… (There's a really gripping scene that involves walking between islands over an ocean that has frozen over.)
I enjoyed the book so much, I found myself wishing for more. Marguerite is from a convent in Le Havre, but I don't know as much about the Sargent family. Caleb, the eldest of the 6 Sargent children, once uses muckling, which the dictionary traces to England, Germany, and Scotland; I wondered if they could have been from the British Isles. Similarly, at the end, Marguerite must make a decision. I like the choice that she made but I still wanted the story to go on for a little longer to see how it worked out. The book ends at a good place, though, so I think what I wanted was an epilogue.
Incidentally, the book pulled a little bit of an Ethan Frome and had some names from our family in it (e.g., Joel, Andrew, Judy). And maybe also a W.C. Fields, because our last name is in here as a mild oath ("by Godfrey!"). This book was so good, I don't know which I want to try first: one of Field's other books like Hitty, Her First Hundred Years or Speare's Calico Captive!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2017
Gymnastics and Maggie
After my first year of gymnastics, I eagerly signed up for a gymnastics camp—what a fun week I’d have! However, although I loved the activities, I soon felt forsaken: only my roommate talked to me. I came back home with a strange mix of feelings: elated by the wonderful week of activities, but brokenhearted by the loneliness I experienced. Because of this experience, I feel a strong kinship with Maggie Ledoux, who not only experienced loneliness but also scorn.
Calico Bush, by Rachel Field, tells the story of Marguerite “Maggie” Ledoux. When her uncle and grandmother die on the voyage from France to the Americas, Maggie is orphaned and becomes a “bound-out girl”—she must work for a family to earn her board and keep. Maggie faces all kinds of new dangers when the Sargents—her employers—move to a rural island off the coast of Maine. Even with four children to mind, food to keep track of, and “Injuns” to watch for, Maggie nevertheless learns to love the job that was forced upon her, and makes the best of an impossible situation.
Maggie is an interesting character to observe because she is always being scorned (due to her French heritage). One episode that particularly struck me was when Aunt Hepsa—an old, able woman—dances. She receives whoops and cheers at the end of her performance. Subsequently Maggie dances, but receives only rebukes and sniffs. Yet when Maggie finally gets the chance to leave the Sargents, she decides to stay because she feels she has finally found a home.
Calico Bush gave me powerful insights on pioneer life. Settlers are more frightened than I had ever imagined: “Injuns” are the monsters of the New World, it seems. Pioneers only talk about Native Americans in low voices. They are considerably superstitious as well; bad omens are seen everywhere, like when a child hurts himself and spills blood on the doorstep.
Calico Bush is a wonderful book. I learned many things by reading it—sheep laurel was sometimes called calico bush, maple syrup on snow is not just a Canadian treat, and the scarcity of gunpowder is not to be taken lightly in the winter—but most importantly, loneliness is a tribulation we can learn to live with. And if you'd like to read more youth-written book reviews, go to my blog, bookshelfexplorer.com
After my first year of gymnastics, I eagerly signed up for a gymnastics camp—what a fun week I’d have! However, although I loved the activities, I soon felt forsaken: only my roommate talked to me. I came back home with a strange mix of feelings: elated by the wonderful week of activities, but brokenhearted by the loneliness I experienced. Because of this experience, I feel a strong kinship with Maggie Ledoux, who not only experienced loneliness but also scorn.
Calico Bush, by Rachel Field, tells the story of Marguerite “Maggie” Ledoux. When her uncle and grandmother die on the voyage from France to the Americas, Maggie is orphaned and becomes a “bound-out girl”—she must work for a family to earn her board and keep. Maggie faces all kinds of new dangers when the Sargents—her employers—move to a rural island off the coast of Maine. Even with four children to mind, food to keep track of, and “Injuns” to watch for, Maggie nevertheless learns to love the job that was forced upon her, and makes the best of an impossible situation.
Maggie is an interesting character to observe because she is always being scorned (due to her French heritage). One episode that particularly struck me was when Aunt Hepsa—an old, able woman—dances. She receives whoops and cheers at the end of her performance. Subsequently Maggie dances, but receives only rebukes and sniffs. Yet when Maggie finally gets the chance to leave the Sargents, she decides to stay because she feels she has finally found a home.
Calico Bush gave me powerful insights on pioneer life. Settlers are more frightened than I had ever imagined: “Injuns” are the monsters of the New World, it seems. Pioneers only talk about Native Americans in low voices. They are considerably superstitious as well; bad omens are seen everywhere, like when a child hurts himself and spills blood on the doorstep.
Calico Bush is a wonderful book. I learned many things by reading it—sheep laurel was sometimes called calico bush, maple syrup on snow is not just a Canadian treat, and the scarcity of gunpowder is not to be taken lightly in the winter—but most importantly, loneliness is a tribulation we can learn to live with. And if you'd like to read more youth-written book reviews, go to my blog, bookshelfexplorer.com
October 24, 2022
"There, there," put in Dolly Sargent. "Quit your crying, Jacob. They'll not do any shooting if folks behave theirselves. 'Tis only Injuns and the wicked French in Canada they're after."
Marguerite's cheeks flushed under their sea tan. She reached down and took Jacob's hand in hers. This was not the first time she had heard such words about her people, and it was not to be the last. (PG. 25)
John Newbery Honor Award-- YA-- 1931
This little novel was such a nice surprise. This should have been a winner for Rachel Field. The chapters are split into 4 sections. Each chapter is a season so we see the transformation and the troubles and beauty in Maine.
The story is set in the year 1742 when the new settlers were claiming their land in the New America. We are introduced to the main character, French-born thirteen-year-old Maguerite Ledoux. She was meant to be traveling with her Oncle and her Grandmere but they unfortunately passed within a year of each other. She gets contracted to the Sargent's and their five kids until she is of age, also known as a "bound-out girl."
The family, and Maggie as she is now known, travel to Maine. They meet the new settlers and learn about the area. They must also learn about the dangers: Indians, Bears, Winter, Lack of Food, Disease, etc...
This was an interesting look at being a settler in a new land. The reader can't help being empathetic to Maggie and her plight. She is strong, loyal, and smart for her age.
Such a great, quick novel. I've always wanted to visit Maine as it is on the Northernmost point in America and I love lighthouses. I would LOVE to hike to one in Maine and have some good food. I recently saw Phil Rosenthal do an episode in Maine and I am all in.
The pictures by Allen Lewis give it extra enjoyment.
Marguerite's cheeks flushed under their sea tan. She reached down and took Jacob's hand in hers. This was not the first time she had heard such words about her people, and it was not to be the last. (PG. 25)
John Newbery Honor Award-- YA-- 1931
This little novel was such a nice surprise. This should have been a winner for Rachel Field. The chapters are split into 4 sections. Each chapter is a season so we see the transformation and the troubles and beauty in Maine.
The story is set in the year 1742 when the new settlers were claiming their land in the New America. We are introduced to the main character, French-born thirteen-year-old Maguerite Ledoux. She was meant to be traveling with her Oncle and her Grandmere but they unfortunately passed within a year of each other. She gets contracted to the Sargent's and their five kids until she is of age, also known as a "bound-out girl."
The family, and Maggie as she is now known, travel to Maine. They meet the new settlers and learn about the area. They must also learn about the dangers: Indians, Bears, Winter, Lack of Food, Disease, etc...
This was an interesting look at being a settler in a new land. The reader can't help being empathetic to Maggie and her plight. She is strong, loyal, and smart for her age.
Such a great, quick novel. I've always wanted to visit Maine as it is on the Northernmost point in America and I love lighthouses. I would LOVE to hike to one in Maine and have some good food. I recently saw Phil Rosenthal do an episode in Maine and I am all in.
The pictures by Allen Lewis give it extra enjoyment.
December 8, 2020
I really, really enjoyed this book. It had adventure, it had emotional connections, and more. There was the one sad part during it though, if you've read it, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I think that the main character, Marguerite, was a great character, and I loved her. The people that she was bound out to, called her 'Maggie' rather than Marguerite, because it was less French. This was taking place during the French and Indian war, so the English, and the Americans, and everyone tried to avoid the "savage" French and Indian people. These people were just people though, and should have been treated as such. But, the book stated that the English/American word for a marguerite flower, is actually a daisy, so I kept commenting while I was reading it with my Mom, that they should have called her Daisy! I mean, like, some people DO name their children after flowers LIKE DAISIES!!! But there is a sad part in it, with little baby Daisy, but I think that the story, and Marguerite (DAISY!!!) had wit, and the story itself was really fun. As I mentioned, I read it earlier, my Mom pre-read the book before reading it with me, and said that something sad had happened in the part we were going to read that day for homeschool, and that it explained it with great detail, and that if I wanted that we could skip over the part, but now I knew what had happened, I said I wanted to skip over it. The story had sad parts, and fun parts, adventurous parts, and scary parts, and other types of parts. I think the story had really great detail, but there are some things, you just don't want that kind of detail. You know what I mean?
April 18, 2022
"Calico Bush" is a Newberry Honor Book, set in the 1700s in northern Maine. Marguerite Ledoux, a French orphan, is serving an English family as a 'bound-out' girl as a means of survival. When I first read about a bound-out person, it was a boy growing up in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. That was a children's book too. There was no explanation of that condition of servitude in that book, but "Calico Bush" offers a much clearly picture of the arrangement. It isn't a cruel condition, at least in this case, but rather a written contract exchanging household labor and chores in exchange for food and shelter. Marguerite, or Maggie as her keepers name her, does have to endure anti-French taunts and jibes at her Catholicism, but her family and neighbors come to both rely on and genuinely care for her.
The family's experience along this rugged stretch of Maine coastline is difficult, and at times hard to read. There are a few incidents in this book that a parent may want to read prior to giving his or her child this book for self-paced reading. Nothing out of the ordinary for that time and place, but a little caution is warranted.
The family's experience along this rugged stretch of Maine coastline is difficult, and at times hard to read. There are a few incidents in this book that a parent may want to read prior to giving his or her child this book for self-paced reading. Nothing out of the ordinary for that time and place, but a little caution is warranted.
April 30, 2025
This book was a Newberry Honor Book some years ago. It takes place in 1742 when a twelve year old French girl named Marguerite, is called Maggie, and bound out to the Sargent family for six years. This is an indentured servant status. They travel north to the Portsmouth (Maine?) wilderness where the family settles. Maggie is scorned for being French, since there is a French and Indian War, enemies of the settlers, going on. She is in charge of the 5 young Sargent children. The book details the struggles throughout the seasons of the settlers, who fear Indian attacks. Their efforts in building a log home, with the help of nearby neighbors, finding food for the family, keeping warm during a harsh winter, and the rudimentary medical intervention when something goes wrong. It gives the reader an appreciation for all of the settlers who came before us. Then the Indians do come and it's up to Maggie to keep the family safe.
I'd say that this book was not for younger children. I don't know if kids today would even enjoy it.
I'd say that this book was not for younger children. I don't know if kids today would even enjoy it.
August 29, 2017
This an historical novel set in 1743 Maine. Marguerit Ledoux is a 12-13 yr old bound-out girl, ie. an indentured servant to be freed at 18, who was "bought" from a poor house by the Sargent family to help them as they move from Marblehead to a homestead in the forests of Maine. It's a largish family, Dolly and Joel and his brother Ira, their children Caleb (13-14), the twins Becky and Susan (6), Patty (4), Jacob (3), and the baby Debbie. She has a dress and a pair of shoes, and mementos of her uncle and grandmother both of whom died on arrival in the New World. Being French and Catholic is an additional hurdle for her to overcome. Written in 1931 this is a very even-handed account of colonial life over the course of one year. It touches on British colonization and conflict with the French and Indians. I read this for my Newbery challenge and for my 2017 Reading Challenge "a title that doesn't contain the letter 'e'" (Read 52).
May 27, 2020
A classic story of a pioneer family settling in Maine 200 years ago. The main character is a "bound-out" orphan, Marguerite. Her French ways are strange to the family, but her bravery, common sense and skill with a needle win them over. The family undergoes many hardships, but are resilient. Of course, there are Native American encounters. The warriors are described as fearsome and uncouth, easily entertained and put off with food. Marguerite's method of feeding, speaking to, and entertaining the men is better than the settlers' attitude of shoot first. The settlers also treat the Native holy, fall gathering place indifferently. Rather than respecting that location and trying to make peace with the neighbors they are displacing, the settlers stake their claim and are surprised at reprisals. Typical behaviors of the white settlers. Rachel Field at least presents an alternative treatment.
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