The Friendly Five: A Story

"The Friendly Five: A Story" by Mary C. Hungerford is a heartwarming children's story about friendship and understanding in a late 1800s school. It's about a group of girls at Coventry Institute and their interactions with a new student, Mary Ann Stubbs, who is different from them. The story starts as the school year is coming to an end, and the girls anticipating the arrival of Mr. Bellamy's granddaughter, Elfie and a plea for the students to accept her. The beginning builds the foundation for the themes like kindness and differences in social class, setting the stage for relationships and struggles as the girls face school together.