Look what's NOT back in print...

I used to love Helen Cresswell's Bagthorpe Saga. The earlier books in the series are easy and cheap to get, but the last book in the series, which I still haven't read, is on sale on Amazon for £197.93!!!!

The old Jean Ure's were really good - she lowered her target age after the 90's, I think; but See You Thursday, After Thursday, If It Weren't For Sebastian, A Proper Little Nooryeff, the Plague 99 trilogy, are really her best work. They're on my shelves still right now/

Thanks, thaliablogs. My sister also remembered it (as "My name is Rachel") but wondered if if was Lynne Reid Banks. No luck so far, but maybe reading "Sarah and after" will trigger that middle-aged memory of mine a bit more!

charlotte sometimes third time lucky?

with link corrected http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Sometimes_%28novel%29 charlotte sometimes

I'm so with all of you. I have been collecting my favourite children's books since I was a young adult, so via a combo of never selling or giving away anything, and buying the ones |I had always borrowed from the library (masha/the youngest lady in waiting) I've got a lot of the age 8 and up, (esp streatfield/forest/wynne jones/aiken/storr/farmer) but less good on the little kids ones.

By the way, did anyone know http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Sometimes_%28novel%29 charlotte sometimes was the third in a series of books about the makepeace sisters? Just found out while googling for this thread. Also that there was a version where charlotte does not get the package from Emily, which surely must ruin the end of the book?

sprout have you tried to see if this is a Lynne Reid Banks book (bearing in mind 'My Darling Villain', which I loved as a teenager BTW)? I know she wrote 'Sarah and after', which is about another of the biblical matriarchs - www.goodreads.com/book/show/613406.Sarah_and_after

I don't know your Rachel/Leah books, I'm afraid, sprout. 'See you Thursday' was by Jean Ure, and I remember reading that.

I'm massively excited today because 'Maddy Alone' arrived from Amazon! I've still got 'The Swish of the Curtain' but Maddy alone was one I borrowed from the library and only read once, about 35 years ago.

yes, i do.
i shouls imagine they're waaaaay out of print now.
couldn't tell you the author.

Oh, so many great memories! Can anyone remember a book set in Old Testament times, basically retelling the story of sisters Rachel and Leah? I can visualise it now in our local library... possibly "teen/young adult" section. I could have sworn blind it was called "I am Rachel" - but neither Google or Amazon have turned up anything and I'm starting to think I've misremembered it. I think I read it around the same time as "Up a Road Slowly", "My darling villain" and "See you Thursday", if that helps place it at all.

Five Dolls in a House on Amazon for £2.28....

My parents kept all our books, but the problem is that with 3 of us, there is no real way of saying who any given book belonged to (there are exceptions, given that I was the only girl) so in an attempt to stop DB1 just taking them all they have decreed that they all stay there and can be read by visiting GC..

By the way, I am so jealous of people whose parents kept all of their childhood books. I found some of mine up in the attic but an awful lot got given away as my mother was fed up of books all over the house - and in fairness when I was in my twenties I didn't really envisage a time when I would feel nostalgic about children's books. I have held onto a few Noel Streatfeilds and found some of the Wells books, a Drina book, a Jill book, a couple of Enid Blyton's and some Bobbsey Twin books (remember them) in mum's attic recently. Also a very battered copy of Little Women. But there are loads of other books I wish I'd held onto.

Re my query on the dolls house book: Yes, it was definitely Five Dolls in A House. Thanks for that.
I have to say, I'm loving this thread. I didn't realise so many other people would remember the same books as I do.

vasela - i'll have a go! :)

nickel, please get out of my head. I was watching episodes of the Old Bear tv show on youtube yesterday after this thread!

I may have to start a thread about this book, it's bugging me!

Found Oldchildrensbooks, although most of the books on this thread sound vair English, so don't think it will help many people?

nickeldaisical - I started a thread on books back in print (here) - would be very grateful if you could add to it anything you come across!

but the description says they rescue him from the attic!

that's a shame Horse.
there was something else that came back into print, too - Jane Hissey's Old Bear Stories.
but no clothes so I didn't think it would be that./

stealthsquiggle You're welcome! I know what it's like to ache for a book you had as a child. We've still got all the Teddy Robinson books. I don't recognise the teddy bear in the attic I'm afraid.

Nickel, it's not Teddy Robinson...but by happy coincidence that's another book (Dear Teddy Robinson) I loved when I was a kid & have been looking for! So thanks!

Yes, I agree the book that justfloatingby is thinking of could be "Five Dolls in a House". I had that as a child. The snooty one was Vanessa, and one of them (Jacqueline I think it might have been) was a "paying guest".

Bagthorpes are out of print, yes.

reshetima - if it's on AbeBooks, then it's 99% certain to be out of print. :)

AWomanCalledHorse is it teddy robinson?

sowornout thank you for the lovely offer - but I gave in to temptation this morning and ordered cheap used copies of Ordinary Jack and Absolute Zero this morning - they would appear to all be out of print, but widely and cheaply available.