Edith Nesbit 
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew 

The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew tells how the Peppers live, learn, and play in their little brown house. They are poor, and Mamsie must work constantly to keep the wolf from the door, but their lives are unexpectedly happy. They make do with whatever they have and the older children help the youngest ones. Though bad times may befall them, they bear it as best they are able and make the most of the good.