[.ca] Secret Language (ISBN 0613067320)

From Amazon.com:
Eight-year-old Victoria North is dreading boarding school, and it turns out to be worse than she expected. If her paralyzing homesickness weren't enough, a stern, whistle-blowing housemother and unforgiving schoolgirls unlock a faucet of tears that just keeps coming. Partly because Victoria hates the Coburn Home School so much, her quirky and opinionated classmate Martha Sherman takes a liking to the shy new girl. And that's when things start looking up. In Martha's world, the word for wonderful is "leebossa" and sickeningly sweet is "ick-en-spick." Midnight feasts are plotted behind closed doors, a fabulous secret hut springs from old scraps, and a hidden world of tiny dolls emerges in a dresser drawer. Victoria's homesickness and Martha's general obstreperousness gradually evaporate as their friendship cements. Acclaimed children's book editor Ursula Nordstrom adeptly captures the anxious, earnest, mysterious world of the young girl, the wondrous "secret language" of childhood friendships, and the quirky 8-year-old logic that makes lavender a girl color and orange a boy color. Young readers will delight in finding a book that's written just for them, and adults will appreciate a strangely vivid trip back in time. (Ages 8 to 11)

Loved it as a child and still love it as an adult!:
I was given this book as a book from my mothers' childhood. I read it as a child and loved every lesson Victoria learned. I gave it to a friend and then purchased a new one for myself because it is such a feel good book. Little girls will be able to relate to trying to fit in to a new world and how to make friends. I also loved the mother/daughter relationship that continued even though her mother couldn't always be with Victoria.

I loved this book!:
I cannot remember how many times I checked this book out at the school and public library when I was a girl! I loved the story of Victoria and Martha's friendship and their adventures at the boarding school I think some books just strike a chord in people and this one really did for me. I am thrilled to see that this book is still being published and look forward to buying it for my daughter.

Good story, somewhat misleading title:
"The Secret Language," by Ursula Nordstrom, is about an eight-year old girl named Victoria. The child of a single working mother, Victoria is sent to a boarding school called the Coburn Home School. Although she has some trouble adjusting, Victoria finds a friend in Martha, a strong-willed classmate. Martha shares with Victoria the "secret language" of the book's title. Much of the book is filled with accounts of the girls' games and projects, which range in results from rewarding success to embarrassing failure. The book celebrates friendship and imagination. One interesting theme is the challenge for children to find a "happy medium" between creative individualism and social conformity. But ultimately I thought that the book gave off a strangely ambiguous message on this subject. One rather disappointing aspect of the book is the "secret language" itself. It really isn't a language at all, but just a few slang words ("ick-en-spick," "leebossa," etc) that the girls sprinkle into their conversation. And although this "language" is hyped up in the title and opening chapters, Nordstrom seems to neglect it as the story is taken over by other elements. This virtual abandonment of the book's title phenomenon strikes me as a real missed opportunity. Still, the novel does have its good points and the story held my attention throughout. Also interesting was the author bio inside the back cover: it notes that author Nordstrom was a book editor who served as director of Harper's Department of Books for Boys and Girls from 1940-1973. So her literary legacy really goes far beyond this novel. One final note: if you do know a young reader who's interested in constructed languages, I recommend you get them a good primer on Esperanto.

Excellent Book for youth ages:
This book is great for children! I read it to my 3rd grade class and they loved it. They talked about it for weeks. I recommend children to read this and for teachers to read it to their class!

A book you'll never forget:
I read this book when I was about 8, from my school library, and have never forgotten it. When my girls were small, I scoured libraries and book stores for it, not remembering the title, but remembering about the secret language, the dresser drawer dolls and the secret hut, but never found it. I'm ordering it now that I've found it through the internet - I can't wait to read it again, & share it with my now grown-up girls & I plan to keep it this time - to read to my grandchildren! I think it is a wonderful story and one well worth reading time & again.