''The Middle Moffat'' by

Eleanor Estes Eleanor Estes (May 9, 1906 – July 15, 1988) was an American children's writer and a children's librarian. Her book ''Ginger Pye,'' for which she also created illustrations, won the Newbery Medal. Three of her books were Newbery Honor Winners, ...

is the second novel in the children's series known as The Moffats. Published in 1942, it was a

Newbery Honor book The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished cont ...

. The title comes from Janey Moffat, who feels a little lost among her three siblings. Being neither the oldest or youngest, she decides to become the 'Middle Moffat' to help herself feel more important. ''The Moffats'' is set in small town Cranbury, Connecticut during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Plot

Ten-year-old Jane Moffat decides that moving into a new house means a new start, and decides to create a new, more interesting, identity, so she christens herself 'the mysterious Middle Moffat'. She befriends the oldest man in Cranbury and appoints herself his secret protector to be sure he lives to be one hundred years old. Janey is in a new school, making new friends, and much of the book deals with her establishing herself outside of the family. Wanting to uphold the honor of the Moffats, she decides she needs to win the basketball championship all by herself, while coping with stockings that continually fall down and hair she can't keep off of her mouth. She also resolves to read every book in the library, including the ones she's not very interested in, like "The Story of Lumber". The book follows several of her adventures over the next year, each chapter presenting a different episode as Jane grows, learning about friendship and responsibility. ''The Middle Moffat'' "rejoices in the process of separation from the security of the family".Cech, John (editor), ''American Writers for the young and the restless, 1900-1960'', Gale Research, 1983, pg. 149;

Reception

Besides winning the Newbery Honor award in 1943, ''The Middle Moffat'' received positive reviews. ''Kirkus Reviews'', in a

starred review A starred review is a book review __NOTOC__ A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is merely described (summary review) or analyzed based on content, style, and merit. A book review may be a primary source, opinion piece ...

, "for books of remarkable merit", said it was funnier than the previous one. Even today, the simple story pleases. ''Children's Literature'' reviewer Betty Hicks praised Janey's personality and went on to say that "readers will relate to problems that are timeless… The charm of these stories lies in their subtle humor and abundance of heart." Comparing it and ''

Rufus M. ''Rufus M.'' by Eleanor Estes is the third novel in the children's series known as The Moffats. Published in 1943, it was a Newbery Honor book. The title character is the youngest of four children growing up in a small town in Connecticut in 1918 ...

'' to the first book in the series, children's book expert Anita Silvey finds it even more perceptive, and noted the strong portrayal of World War I.Silvey, Anita (editor), ''The Essential Guide 2 Children's Books and Their Creators'', Houghton Mifflin, 2543, pg. 144;

Formats

''The Middle Moffat'' is available on CD from Princeton, N.J.: Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic; Braille and eBook through Harcourt Brace and Co.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Middle Moffat, The 1942 American novels American children's novels Novels set in Connecticut Newbery Honor-winning works 1942 children's books