Sun（）

Author: (American) Virginia Douglas Jordan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-04-01
Features: A magical book about entertainment, positivity, cheerfulness, kindness, and curiosity about the world! Since its first publication, Rebecca of Sunnyside Farm has had a history of decades, yet its charm has never faded. Over these decades, translations in fifteen languages have been spread around the world, with cumulative sales of over twenty million copies including the English version. The protagonist, Rebecca, is a happy girl full of curiosity about everything. Due to her family's poverty, she had to live alone in a strange environment. To survive alone in an unfamiliar place is a situation most people encounter in their youth—whether it's feeling lost, not adapting to strangers, not being liked by others, or experiencing other emotions? The world's motivational master Napoleon Hill (1883-1970) once said, "How do you face a new, unfamiliar environment? It doesn't depend on the environment itself or how people here treat you. It only depends on your attitude toward life—Rebecca taught me this."
A young man was about to travel to New Orleans, and he asked his father's old friend—then the literary giant Jack London—to give him a book. Jack London did not choose any of his own works but solemnly handed him a small book. "It might seem a bit childish," he said, "but it's my favorite, and I hope you read it seriously. This little book is not just for traveling entertainment; it's truly beneficial to you." Indeed, this book is Rebecca of Sunnyside Farm. Presidents of the 20th century like Ronald Reagan, George Bush, music genius Michael Jackson, and even the scientific giant Stephen Hawking have all taken Rebecca as their life model, using her attitude as a beacon in adversity.
The world's motivational master Napoleon Hill (1883—1970) said, "How do you face a new, unfamiliar environment? It doesn't depend on the environment itself or how people here treat you. It only depends on your attitude toward life—Rebecca taught me this." Mark Twain praised this book as "excellent, warm, and satisfying!" Jack London once wrote to Virginia: "Should I thank you for creating Rebecca? I would search the world to claim her as my own. Alas, is it my fault for being born too early or her for being born too late? Why wasn't she my daughter?" Mayor Giuliani of New York, widely recognized after the 9/11 incident, once said, "A Rebecca of Sunnyside Farm built the entire success spirit of America—optimism, positivity, cheerfulness, kindness, and curiosity about the world."
If you're looking for a book that's both enjoyable and engaging, you won't want to miss this one. If you find yourself in a strange and lonely environment, you'll feel its warmth. If you're a young person just beginning to grow, I recommend this book. Rebecca of Sunnyside Farm is a book about growing up. Author Kate Douglas Wiggin, in this 160,000-word novel, tells the story of a girl named Rebecca with a humorous and witty tone, recounting her growth and the series of happy, relaxed, or wise stories that happen along the way. This lovely, kind, and optimistic Rebecca reminds me of the Japanese animated series Sakura Momoko that I watched a few years ago, which is now widely known in China. Just as Sakura Momoko is not just for children, Rebecca of Sunnyside Farm is suitable for readers of all ages and cultural backgrounds, making it a wonderful motivational book for life.
Cheerful and lively Rebecca is naturally optimistic, a bit impulsive and willful, loyal to her friends, and always willing to help. She is also righteous and faces life with optimism, never avoiding reality. The entire novel is a mix of laughter and tears, filled with humor and joy. Rebecca has a small parasol, but she never uses it when the sun is shining. She explains, "I hardly use it! I worry it will fade. I always carry it when the sky is cloudy, and sometimes the sun suddenly comes out, so I quickly close it. It's really a fun thing in my life. It's my favorite thing, but taking care of it is quite troublesome." This logic is quite different from what we usually understand, but it truly reveals Rebecca's innocence and cuteness.
To avoid embarrassing Minnie in front of the Simpson children, Rebecca "compromises" by giving her a piece of coral. When she discovers Minnie still calling the Simpson children "prisoners," Rebecca furiously writes a limerick and personally hands it to Minnie:
Among all wicked girls,
None are as as Minnie.
I'll take back what I gave her,
And turn her into mincemeat.
Thus intimidating the weak and timid Minnie.
For example, unable to endure the cruelty of the rigid and picky Aunt Miranda, Rebecca wants to escape back to the beautiful Sunnyside Farm to reunite with her mother and family. But because she fears her mother's sorrow, she decides to stay and even learns the ancient Spartan custom of punishing herself for her mistakes, gradually earning Aunt Miranda's affection and changing her perspective on life. Stories like these are abundant throughout the novel, like bright pearls strung together, shining with the wisdom of a child. At the same time, they are so real and believable, without any artificiality. Reading a good book is joyful, but if it leaves us with some reflection and lingering after we close it, it becomes even more precious. Rebecca of Sunnyside Farm is just such a book.
Ten-year-old Rebecca leaves Sunny Meadow Farm, a bit curious and uneasy, and comes to live with her two unmarried aunts. Here, she studies, plays, makes new friends, and occasionally gets into small troubles or laughs. For her, life is like a path lined with roses yet filled with thorns. She rejoices in the beauty of life, even on the hardest days, her tears sparkling with hope. Like a sapling sprouting in spring, this innocent girl grows slowly into a charming and captivating young woman.
This is a lovely book that radiates the warmth of sunshine. Anyone fortunate enough to open it will inevitably fall in love with Rebecca. Whether you're six or sixty, whether you've left your childhood behind or not, please open this book and revisit a date with innocence. In 2002, the book was selected by Amazon as one of the "50 Books from the 20th Century That Significantly Influenced Human Mentality," and the film adaptation, starring Shirley Temple, was released.