Hatty and Marcus

Excitement fills the Lee household as the children await ten-year-old Hatty's return from a visit to her grandmother. Her brother Marcus races through the house, younger children add drums and trumpets to the noise, and their tired mother tries to settle a crying baby. Behind the bustle lies a serious change: Hatty has written home about her Christian faith and her wish to become kinder. Marcus, who likes to give his sister advice, begins to examine his own behavior.

Aunt Friendly builds this children's story around small decisions within family life. Later, Hatty gives up an eagerly anticipated church visit to keep Aunt Barbara company, fetching her spectacles and Bible as the older woman sits in her room. These domestic scenes connect religious teaching with patience, practical help and consideration for others. Readers interested in older children's fiction will find a direct account of moral education through sibling relationships and everyday responsibilities.