Daybreak

Christmas morning brings whispering children, a hymn and a pillow fight to the orphanage where Kate Daniels and her little sister Frances have recently arrived. Kate fiercely protects Frances and regards the other children with suspicion. Mother Agnes, the caring superintendent, struggles to understand a girl whose devotion to her sister coexists with anger, secrecy and a growing influence over her companions.

Florence Alice Sitwell's story for girls follows childhood hardship through scenes of institutional life, hospital conversations and a train ride towards the sea. Christian belief shapes its treatment of love, conscience and consolation, especially when Kate speaks to Mother Agnes about the unsettling force of divine love. The writing pairs small domestic details with strong emotions. Readers interested in religious children's fiction can find here a portrait of protective affection and the difficulty of accepting care after painful experiences.