The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe; Or, There's No Place Like Home

"The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe; Or, There's No Place Like Home" by Amanda M. Douglas is a feel-good kids' book from the late 1800s that follows Granny Kenneth and her six orphaned grandkids as they deal with being poor, finding love, and sticking together as a family. Inspired by the nursery rhyme about the old woman in a shoe, the story is told in a fun and imaginative way. We're introduced to the fun-loving family of Granny Kenneth and her grandkids, especially Hal, Joe, Flossy, and their younger siblings. The children joke around, imagine exciting futures, and think about how hard it is to be orphans. Joe makes a funny observation that they're like the kids from the nursery rhyme, which leads them to playfully think about their run-down house as a 'shoe.' As the children wait for their grandmother to come home from work, their different personalities shine through, showing both the good and bad times they share, and preparing us for a story full of never giving up and loving your family.