The Peterkin Papers (version 2)


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.8 stars; 8 reviews)

The Peterkin Papers is a book-length collection of humorous stories by Lucretia Peabody Hale, and is her best-known work. The Peterkins are a lovable but comically inept family with ingenuity, logic, resourcefulness, and energy—but not common sense. Many chapters show the family trying to solve some problem in a roundabout way, failing, and eventually being rescued by "the wise old lady from Philadelphia," who cuts the Gordian knot with an effective but prosaic solution. The charm of the story is not in the plot, but in the telling, building up layers of complication, and the affectionate fun poked at the not-quite-cartoonish characters. The "wise old lady's" solution is usually obvious to the reader, even the young listener, from the start. (summary from Wikipedia) (4 hr 28 min)

Chapters

Dedication & Preface 3:15 Read by Laura Caldwell
The Lady Who Put Salt In Her Coffee 12:07 Read by LMTobias
About Elizabeth Eliza's Piano 2:27 Read by J. M. Smallheer
The Peterkins Try To Become Wise 5:53 Read by Katie Gibboney
Mrs. Peterkin Wishes To Go To Drive 5:18 Read by Mary Anderson
The Peterkins At Home 3:44 Read by Katie Gibboney
Why The Peterkins Had A Late Dinner 5:56 Read by Katie Gibboney
The Peterkins' Summer Journey 9:43 Read by LMTobias
The Peterkins Snowed-Up 9:29 Read by Katie Gibboney
The Peterkins Decide To Keep A Cow 8:27 Read by Xe Sands
The Peterkins' Christmas-Tree 9:30 Read by Melissa
Mrs. Peterkins Tea-Party 14:03 Read by Mary Anderson
The Peterkins Too Late For The Exhibition 9:45 Read by Katie Gibboney
The Peterkins Celebrate The "Fourth" 17:24 Read by Katie Gibboney
The Peterkins' Picnic 15:20 Read by Mary Anderson
The Peterkins' Charades 11:07 Read by Melissa
The Peterkins Are Obliged To Move 17:36 Read by Mary Anderson
The Peterkins Decide To Learn The Languages 13:01 Read by Melissa
Modern Improvements At The Peterkins' 15:35 Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021)
Agamemnon's Career 17:17 Read by LMTobias
The Educational Breakfast 22:26 Read by Kara Shallenberg (1969-2023)
The Peterkins At The "Carnival of Authors" In Boston 20:05 Read by Melissa
The Peterkins At The Farm 19:20 Read by Mary Anderson

Reviews


(5 stars)

Very entertaining. My kids loved all the fun situations the Peterkins get into.


(5 stars)

Came to this text through www.livingbookpress.com so been reading along with this recording. Amusing short stories about this family for young & old. Voices of North American female readers agreeable and pleasant. Easy on the ear.