"Penelope's English Experiences" is a charming travelogue written by Kate Douglas Wiggin, an American author best known for her classic children's novel, "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm." The book tells the tale of Penelope Hamilton, an American girl who travels to England. The story line unfolds as Penelope, a lively and observant young woman, travels from her native America to England. Throughout her tour, she recounts her observations and experiences of English culture, society, and individuals with wit and humor. Readers are treated to a firsthand description of the stark distinctions and parallels between the two nations as she navigates the complicated world of British customs, language, and social interactions. Penelope's rich observations and humorous comments provide readers with insights into the unique characteristics and idiosyncrasies of English life throughout her travels. The way Penelope account proves to be educational and interesting, through her contacts with British royalty to her observations of the English countryside. "Penelope's English Experiences" through Kate Douglas Wiggin is a charming blend of writing about travel and humor, offering readers with an inside look into turn-of-the-century England through the viewpoint of an endearing and intelligent protagonist. Some stories are gruesome and bizarre, while others softly creep up on you and pull you in.
Kate Douglas Wiggin was an American educator, author, and composer who lived from September 28, 1856, until August 24, 1923. She also created collections of children's songs in addition to writing children's books, most famously the classic Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. In San Francisco, she established the city's first free kindergarten in 1878. (the Silver Street Free Kindergarten). She also started a kindergarten teacher training program in the 1880s with her sister. In an era when kids were often seen as cheap labor, Kate Wiggin dedicated her whole life to the welfare of kids. Wiggin traveled to California to research kindergarten instruction. She started teaching in San Francisco with the help of her sister Nora, and the two were crucial in establishing more than 60 kindergartens for the underprivileged in Oakland and San Francisco. She relocated from California to New York, and because she was out of kindergarten assignments, she focused on literature. Her submissions of The Story of Patsy and The Bird's Christmas Carol were immediately accepted by Houghton, Mifflin & Co. She had storytelling ability in addition to being a good singer, guitarist, and composer of settings for her poems. She was a skilled orator as well.
