"Hitty: Her First Hundred Years"
by Rachel Field, illustrated by Dorothy P. Lathrop.
Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, 1929, 207 pages.
The Newbery Medal has been awarded for 100 years. The winners of this prestigious award are some of the finest writing ever published in children’s literature. Like all of literature, the literary works chosen were written during a certain cultural time period. The pre-World War II books tend to move at a slower pace than those written in recent times.
The cultural themes portrayed in the books reflect values held important by the society. In the works of the early winners, few minority people are prominent in the books. In today’s winners, this has changed dramatically. This is a positive movement. But the neglect of these early works is a loss for everyone. Though they may use phrases considered inappropriate today, they often tell powerful stories of their times.
I chose Rachel Field’s "Hitty: Her First Hundred Years," the 1930 winner, for this column to demonstrate the fine quality of writing found in these early winners and show the depth of human emotion found in these books.
Hitty begins her life as a wooden doll carved by a traveling Irish workman. She is given to a child named Phoebe Preble. The family lives in Maine and Mr. Preble is a sea captain. Phoebe loves Hitty and cares for the doll. Hitty in turn wants to be close to Phoebe and loves being held. Being only 6 inches tall, Hitty can be easily held and will fit into a small girl’s purse.
The sea captain decides to take the family to the coast to prepare his whaling vessel for a long sea trip. Hitty is excited to see all the new birds, fish and ocean sights. When the ship finally gets to the whaling waters, a terrible storm smashes into the ship and causes the mast to break. Shortly after this, a fire breaks out and the ship sinks. Hitty is thrown into the water and floats to shore. As Hitty lies there, she wonders if Phoebe will find her or if she will be lost.
Suddenly, some islanders find Hitty and take her to their village. They are in awe of the doll and think she is a spiritual being. But, a member of Phoebe’s party searches for Hitty and snatches her away from the villagers. Hitty wonders if the villagers will attack Phoebe’s party as they try to escape. They row furiously in a boat away from the island. The first of Hitty’s many adventures is about to begin.
How many adventures does Hitty have? How does she wind up going through so many countries? How is it possible for a doll to be so sought after? To find out the answers to these and other questions, go to the library and check out, "Hitty: Her First Hundred Years" by Rachel Field.
This book has a particular charm that will endear it to certain readers. Rachel Field clearly intended this book for girls, as nearly all the characters and events have a feminine touch. Hitty’s adventures are many and varied. As with many books from this era, the plot requires sustained reading.
The many descriptions of doll clothes require a certain background. Only knowing that dolls wore dresses, skirts or blouses, I was ill-prepared to understand what a chemise was. The dictionary informed me that it was a light undergarment for a dress, similar to a slip.
But books are written for those for whom they are written. For a thoughtful girl, looking for a series of adventures, Rachel Field’s Hitty may be the ticket.
