and her own children look down on her and treat her badly. Poor Elsie is having a really hard time and her father does not seem to know how to help her. Something suddenly changes and he turns to God for guidance and spiritual escape.

An amazing book that above all teaches morals and standards in children, showing them how to believe in themselves and be better human beings.

Martha Finley (1828-1909) was an American teacher and author. Quite prolific, she wrote many books for children, teeming with sentimental and strictly religious beliefs. Her most noted created is the 28-volume 'Elsie Dinsmore' series (1867-1905). She also wrote under the pen name Martha Farquharson. Many of her early works were short stories contributed to the children's sections of Sunday-school papers.