- Who is it for?
- Ages 10–14
- How long is it?
- 31 min
- What does it include?
- Synced read-along and a quiz
- What does it cost?
- Premium access in Emma's Library
About this audiobook
Ten-year-old Rebecca Rowena Randall is sent from her impoverished family home at Sunnybrook Farm to live with her stern Aunt Miranda and gentle Aunt Jane in Riverboro, Maine. Rebecca is a highly imaginative, expressive, and dramatic child, which immediately clashes with Miranda's rigid, practical, and demanding expectations. Despite constant criticism and the pressure to conform to strict New England standards of decorum, Rebecca’s warmth and poetic nature win over her classmates, her teacher, and the local community, including the wealthy young businessman Adam Ladd. Over the years, Rebecca excels in school, sells soap to help a poor family, and gradually softens her aunts' household, though Miranda remains outwardly harsh. When Rebecca graduates from the Wareham Academy as class president, her future looks bright, but she is called back to nurse her ailing mother and manage Sunnybrook Farm. Following Aunt Miranda's death, Rebecca inherits the brick house and a modest fortune, allowing her to secure her family's financial future. She stands on the threshold of adulthood, having successfully balanced her artistic, free-spirited soul with her deep sense of duty and devotion to her family.
Why it's worth a listen
Step into the vibrant, poetic world of Rebecca Rowena Randall as she is sent to live with her two stern, old-fashioned aunts in Maine. This classic tale explores the clash between a child's irrepressible imagination and the strict, duty-bound expectations of New England society. Listeners will be charmed by Rebecca's resilience as she transforms her community and learns the true meaning of family responsibility.
What listeners will learn
Subjects: literature, storytelling, historical imagination.
- character
- setting
- conflict
- choice
- consequence
- theme
- retelling
- rebecca
- sunnybrook
- farm
Questions for after listening
- Retell the central conflict in order.
- Name one important choice and what happened because of it.
- How did the setting or tradition shape the story?
A question to keep
How can an individual preserve their creative, poetic spirit when confronted with rigid social expectations and the demands of duty?
Chapters
- The Stagecoach to Riverboro
- The Brick House and the Iron Rule
- The Color of Riverboro
- The Rose-Red Soap and Mr. Aladdin
- The Academy and the Call of Duty
- A Question to Keep
Editorial review
Quality reviewed · 98/100 on . Certificate EL-FC03-9E5A is bound to the exact narrated script.
The review checks factual care, audience fit, teaching quality, structure, tone and source honesty. Read the editorial standards.
Published 2026-07-13 · Updated
