What Katy Did vs Under the Lilacs

Both "What Katy Did" by Susan Coolidge, Adele Ledyard, Addie Ledyard and "Under the Lilacs" by Louisa May Alcott are popular choices for readers interested in Children's fiction and Conduct of life, fiction. This comparison helps you decide which to read first — or whether both belong on your list.

Shared Themes

Children's fictionFamily
Cover of What Katy Did

What Katy Did

Susan Coolidge, Adele Ledyard, Addie Ledyard

1873

How is this book unique? Font adjustments & biography included Unabridged (100% Original content) Illustrated About What Katy Did? by Susan Coolidge What Katy Did is an 1872 children's book written by Sarah Chauncey Woolsey under her pen name Susan Coolidge. It follows the adventures of a twelve-year-old American girl, Katy Carr, and her family who live in the fictional lakeside Ohio town of Burnet in the 1860s. Katy is a tall untidy tomboy, forever getting into scrapes but wishing to be beautiful and beloved. When a terrible accident makes her an invalid, her illness and four-year recovery gradually teach her to be as good and kind as she has always wanted.Two sequels follow Katy as she grows up: What Katy Did at School and What Katy Did Next. Two further sequels relating the adventures of Katy's younger siblings were also published--Clover and In the High Valley. The books were frequently reprinted and all are available online. Coolidge modeled Katy on her own childhood self, and the other 'Little Carrs' on her brothers and sisters. The title is a play on the katydid, a species of cricket - which explains the insects on the first edition book cover.

Published 1873
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Cover of Under the Lilacs

Under the Lilacs

Louisa May Alcott

1878

From the gate to the porch went a wide walk, paved with smooth slabs of dark stone, and bordered with the tall bushes which met overhead, making a green roof. All sorts of neglected flowers and wild weeds grew between their stems, covering the walls of this summer parlor with the prettiest tapestry. A board, propped on two blocks of wood, stood in the middle of the walk, covered with a little plaid shawl much the worse for wear, and on it a miniature tea-service was set forth with great elegance. To be sure, the tea-pot had lost its spout, the cream-jug its handle, the sugar-bowl its cover, and the cups and plates were all more or less cracked or nicked; but polite persons would not take notice of these trifling deficiencies, and none but polite persons were invited to this party.

Published 1878
Books like Under the Lilacs

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is easier to read: What Katy Did or Under the Lilacs?
Reading difficulty depends on your familiarity with the genre. Check each book's page count and subject matter above, and start with whichever aligns better with books you've enjoyed before.
Can I read What Katy Did and Under the Lilacs in any order?
Yes — these are standalone works. You don't need to read one before the other unless they're part of the same series.
Which book is better for beginners?
If you're new to this genre, look at the shorter book with broader appeal and start there. You can always come back for the other.

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