CCPL

Do it Yourself Book Club


Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster
Daddy-Long-Legs
by Jean Webster

Click here to see the status of this item in the catalog.

All sorts of things begin to happen when an orphaned boarding school student finally meets the wealthy guardian with whom she has corresponded for years sight unseen.

Discussion

Why does Jerusha Abbot get chosen to get the scholarship to college?

What are some things about college Jerusha tells Daddy-Long-Legs?

What does Jerusha do during the summer vacations?

Why does Jerusha want to leave the John Grier orphanage? Would you want to live there?

Who do you like better, Jimmie or Jervis Pendleton? Why?

Does Jerusha's explanation of college make you want to attend? Why or why not?

What kind of a person is Mrs. Lippett?

Did you enjoy the book or was it too old fashioned for you? Do things that happened in the book still apply today?

Did you like the illustrations in the book? Did they add to the story or distract from it?

What would you say in a "thank you letter" to Daddy-Long-Legs?

When did you figure out who Daddy-Long-Legs was? Did you ever think it would be someone else?

Do you have a favorite letter? If so, which one?

Who would you like more as a friend, Julia or Sallie? Who makes the story more interesting, Julia or Sallie?

Does this story remind of you of any others you have read or even movies you have watched? If so, how does it compare and contrast?

What do you think happened after the book? What does Jerusha become? Do her and Jervis get married?

What kind of activities does Jerusha take part in at school? Is she any good at them?

What would you change about the book?

Would you recommend this? If so, to whom?

What makes a book a classic? Would you consider this book a classic?

Activity

Learn to Write a "Thank You" Letter
FromTheMorningNews .com

You will need:

  • Paper
  • Pen/Pencil

What to do:
Greet the Giver
Dear Aunt Sally, That's the easy part, but you'd be surprised how many people forget it. Blue-black ink is always the number-one choice, but black will suffice in a pinch. Even if your handwriting is poor, you must still hand-write your notes. Do not type them or, worse, use a word processor.
Express Your Gratitude
Thank you so much for the slippers. This first paragraph seems like it would be the easiest, but it is actually the most complicated. Use the present-perfect tense, which essentially means write as if whatever you say is happening in the moment. Also, and this is important never directly mention money. Don't worry if it sounds too simple; the point of writing the note is to create a simple expression of a heartfelt sentiment.
Discuss Use
It gets very chilly here in the winter, so they will get a lot of use when winter comes. Say something nice about the item and how you will use it But don't lie, even though some etiquette books may tell you it's okay. After all, there's always a truth that can be extracted.
Mention the Past, Allude to the Future
It was great to see you at my birthday party, and I hope to see you at Dad's retirement in February. Why did they give you the gift? What does it mean to your relationship with the giver? Let the giver know how they fit into the fabric of your life.
Grace
Thanks again for your gift. It's not overkill to say thanks again. So say it
Regards
Love,
Leslie Simply wrap it up. Use whatever works for you. Then sign your name and you're done.
What's Not There
Any news about your life. This isn't the time to brag about your new job, a hot girlfriend, or number of surgeries. The thank-you is exclusively about thanking somebody for their kindness. While you may want more than anything to show them once and for all you amounted to something, this is not the forum. Save that for your annual Christmas letter.
Now get it in the mail. Even if your friends and relatives aren't of the note-writing variety, be the one who sets the precedent. Thank-you-note writing is one of the loveliest traditions to have been utterly compromised by the information age. Let's start a movement to revive a little gracious living.

Recipe

Hazelnut Cookies (Daddy Long Legs)
From Freegroups.net

Ingredients:

  • 5 oz Unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 c Granulated sugar
  • 2 lg Eggs, room temp.
  • 10 oz Whole hazelnuts, toasted
  • 2 1/4 c Unsifted all purpose flour
Prepraration:

  • In the large bowl cream the butter with an electric mixer at med. low speed until smooth, about one minute.
  • Beat in sugar at med. speed until well combined and slightly fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until well combined.
  • Lower speed, add the whole nuts all at once, then add the flour gradually.
  • Mix just until thoroughly blended. Some of the nuts will remain whole, which gives a nice mosaic pattern to the finished cookies.
  • Divide dough into four equal portions. With floured fingertips, form each portion into a rectangular brick 10 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 3/4 inch high.
  • Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm, for at least 4 hours.
  • It is important to refrigerate for this length of time because the nuts absorb some of the moisture, making it easy to slice uniform cookies without the nuts breaking.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut 3/8 inch thick slices and place them, cut side down, 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet.
  • Bake, one sheet at a time, for just 8 minutes.
  • The cookies' surface will be dull, not shiniy.
  • Remove baking sheet from the oven and turn cookies over with a metal spatula.
  • Return to oven and bake about 7 to 10 minutes more or until pale golden and crisp.
  • Remove with a metal spatula to a wire rack to cool.
  • Stack in an airtight metal container and store at room temperature up to ten days.