The Saturdays

"The Saturdays" introduces the charming Melendy family, four siblings living in a New York City brownstone with their widowed professor father and beloved housekeeper, Cuffy. Tired of their small allowances limiting their fun, they devise a brilliant plan: the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club (I.S.A.A.C.). Each week, they pool their money, and one sibling gets to spend the entire sum on their chosen adventure. This classic novel beautifully captures the spirit of childhood independence, cooperation, and the joy of discovery in a bustling pre-World War II New York. It's a heartwarming story that explores themes of family bonds, resourcefulness, and the unique personalities of each child as they navigate their individual escapades, from Mona's theatrical ambitions to Oliver's unexpected circus adventure.

New York City, the year before Pearl Harbor. The four Melendy children and their father -- a brilliant, impecunious scholar and lecturer -- live in a dilapidated house in the city, under the care of a strict but loving housekeeper. Their allowances don't stretch to much as individuals, so they decide to pool their cash and on each of four subsequent Saturdays one sibling gets to blow the lot. This is a well-written book that doesn't talk down to its audience; the chapter where the youngest boy goes to the circus, gets lost, and comes home riding a policeman's horse should be read out loud for the flavor of the prose. \