Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce is a delightful children’s classic. Its timeless appeal will win readers from all ages.
I had seen the BBC adaptation as a child, and more recently, the movie but I had never read the book until now. It is such a charming read. I loved it.
The novel straddles time as two very different worlds collide when the clock strikes thirteen.
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The Diddakoi by Rumer Godden is a powerful children’s novel for ages ten and over. It is a timeless classic for all.
The reader witnesses how hard it can be to fit in at school when you are seen as different. Children, especially girls, can be cruel but they do have the capacity to be kind too.
It is important to remember our heritage and to keep it alive.
Loss hurts, especially when it seems that everything you know has been taken from you. Seven year old Kizzy needs love, patience and care to heal. She needs people around her who understand her needs.
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Old Enough To Know Better by Jane Wenham-Jones is a contemporary novel about life and love, families and friendships.
The reader meets several families and couples who interact with each other. We see new loves and also older, more established relationships. We learn the importance of talking through things and putting an effort in, in order to make relationships work. We need to keep the channels of communication open.
Each day brings fresh challenges. We need to face them, deal with them wisely and responsibly. We see temptations placed along the way. If we are being tempted, we need to remove ourselves from the source. We also witness a deep love that lasts.
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Five Children On The Western Front by Kate Saunders is a charming children’s historical tale. It follows on from E. Nesbit’s Five Children And It written a century earlier. This novel is set from 1914 onwards and two more children have been born into the original family. It is every bit as delightful and retains the same enchanting quality as the original.
The reader witnesses the love, care and compassion the family members have for each other. The Psammead is a charming but grumpy sand fairy who has a loving bond with the children. The adventures they have are charming.
The Psammead has always been rather selfish and full of himself. His powers are diminished until he learns to repent. We follow his journey through the war years as he softens and learns valuable lessons along the way.
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