Nesthäkchen's First School Year facts for kids
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| Author | Else Ury |
|---|---|
| Original title | Nesthäkchens Erstes Schuljahr |
| Translator | Steven Lehrer |
| Illustrator | Franz Kuderna |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Nesthäkchen, volume 2 |
| Genre | Fiction/Adventure |
| Publisher | SF Tafel |
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Publication date
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2016 |
| Media type | Print (trade paper) |
| Pages | 244 pp (trade paper edition) |
| ISBN | 1500686204 |
| Preceded by | Nesthäkchen and Her Dolls |
| Followed by | Nesthäkchen in the Children's Sanitorium |
Nesthäkchen's First School Year is the second book in the popular Nesthäkchen series. It was written by the German author Else Ury. The main character is Annemarie Braun, a doctor's daughter from Berlin. She is a slim girl with golden blonde hair. The books follow Annemarie through her whole life. They show her journey from being a baby to becoming an old woman with grandchildren.
This book, Nesthäkchen's First School Year, was first published in Berlin in 1915. It tells the story of Annemarie's very first year at school.
Contents
What Happens in the Story?
Annemarie starts her first class with fifty other students. Her teacher, Miss Hering, is a kind and friendly lady. Annemarie quickly makes new friends. These friends include her neighbor, Margot Thielen, and two cousins, Marlene Ulrich and Ilse Hermann. She also finds herself drawn to Hilde Rabe, who is a bit naughty.
School Life in the Past
The book shows what school was like in Germany a long time ago. In class, students were seated based on how well they performed. The best students sat at the front. Those who struggled sat at the back. Annemarie is a good student at first. However, she does not stay in first place for long. Teachers graded students not only on their schoolwork. They also looked at their behavior and how organized they were.
Annemarie is soon passed by her friend Margot Thielen. Margot is not as naturally smart as Annemarie. But she is a very well-behaved and tidy child.
Learning Important Lessons
In older versions of the book, Annemarie's mother tells her that being tidy and well-behaved is more important for a girl than getting good grades. Annemarie continues to be messy. One day, she forgets to give her pet canary, Mätzchen, fresh water. Sadly, the bird dies. This sad event makes Annemarie realize for the first time that being messy can have serious results.
For Christmas, Annemarie gets a new bird. She believes it is her old bird, Mätzchen, reborn. After this, she becomes a much tidier child. As a reward for her improved behavior, she is allowed to host a children's party.
Summer Adventures
Annemarie also learns how to knit from her grandmother. This is a skill that takes a lot of practice. During the summer holidays, Annemarie travels with her parents. They go to a place called Johannesbad in the Riesengebirge mountains. This is a beautiful area where they enjoy their vacation.
What Kind of Book Is It?
The Nesthäkchen books belong to a German type of literature called the Backfischroman. This is a type of girls' novel. These books describe a young girl growing up and becoming a young woman. They were written for readers aged 12 to 16 years old. A "Backfisch" was a term for a teenage girl, usually between 14 and 17.
Popular Stories for Girls
Backfischroman novels were very popular from about 1850 to 1950. They often showed traditional ideas about how girls should grow up. The stories usually ended with the main character getting married. She would then become a Hausfrau, which means a housewife.
Besides Else Ury, other famous Backfischroman authors included Magda Trott and Emmy von Rhoden. Emmy von Rhoden wrote the well-known book Der Trotzkopf. Henny Koch was another popular writer in this style.
More Nesthäkchen Stories
Else Ury originally planned to end the Nesthäkchen series with the sixth book, Nesthäkchen Flies From the Nest. This book was supposed to describe Nesthäkchen's marriage. However, her publisher, Meidingers Jugendschriften Verlag, received many letters. Young fans begged Ury to write more Nesthäkchen stories. After some thought, Ury wrote four more books. She even mentioned her initial doubts in the seventh book, Nesthäkchen and Her Chicks.
About the Author: Else Ury
Else Ury was a German writer. She was born in Berlin on November 1, 1877. She wrote many children's books. Her most famous character is Annemarie Braun, the blonde doctor's daughter from the Nesthäkchen series.
Else Ury wrote ten books about Annemarie's life. These books follow Annemarie from her childhood all the way to her old age. The Nesthäkchen books were very successful. A six-part TV series was made in 1983. It was based on the first three books. A new DVD version was released in 2005. These stories have been enjoyed by millions of readers and viewers.
Sadly, Else Ury died on January 13, 1943, in the Auschwitz concentration camp.
