Another help me remember this book thread - help please!

[DuckyMcDuck]

It's from the 1970's, children's book which was the autobiographical story of a young girl call Jane (or Janey).

It starts with her taking the 11+ and failing because she forgot to turn the page over and missed the last question. There was also a chapter about the games she and her friends played such as kick the can and knock down ginger. I think they also played on bomb sites.

The cover was mainly white and I think it was published by Penguin (there was definitely a bird logo in the bottom left hand corner).

It's been driving me mad for years! Any ideas please?

Private Keep Out by Gwen Grant? I think there was another as well.

Not that one but thanks for the suggestion.

Hopeful bump!

@DuckyMcDuck The book you’re looking for is Life With Lisa by Sybil Burr.

Mumsnet always knows! Bravo!

That's a solve in record time!

Actually now I’m having second thoughts! I’ve just looked at the book and though it has the 11+ failure I can’t find the bit about the missed page in the exam. So may not be the one after all!

I was born in the 50s and didn't play on bomb sites

(BUT I did play in derelict houses which kids today wouldn't be allowed to do)

I wonder if you have got some mixed memories in there. By the 70s most places in the UK had gone comprehensive and, although some schools had entrance exams, most schools didn't do the 11+.

I was 11 in 1966 and we didn't do 11+ although there were some entrance exams for some schools.

Thank you for all the replies.
You're probably right @NannyGythaOgg, I read the book in the late '70s but it could have been set earlier.
I'm afraid it's not Life with Lisa @pollyhemlock although that looks like a good book.

I think the title is something like King of the Hill or Mountain (but it's not King of the Barbarians which I also read at about the same time).

The book cover was predominantly white and wasn't smooth but a bit bumpy.

I have a habit of reading books numerous times so some parts I feel I can quote verbatim but I can't remember the blasted name of the book!!

Thank you for all the suggestions.

It wasn't 'I Capture the Castle' was it.

Probably not - but that is what your description brought to mind so I thought it was worth a shot

The exam bit rings a bell with me. It couldn’t be a book that was part of a series, could it? Eg. Chalet School or somesuch.

Was it published in the 1970s or set in the 1970s? Obviously could be both, but if it was set earlier and published in the 1970s that could explain the 11+ and bomb sites. Also, the 11+ Wasn’t scraped everywhere, Kent even still has it.

Essex still had the 11+ throughout the 70s. A few places in Devon still sit it now.

I'm not certain when it was set but I read it in 1978/79 but it could easily have been from earlier.
I'll check out the Dodie Smith one, thanks.

No, not that one sadly.
The narrator was definitely called Hane or Janey.

Any other suggestions very welcome!

This is really bugging me because I know I’ve read or reread this book comparatively recently. That’s why I was so sure it was the Life With Lisa one. Will continue to rack brains.

I love Life With Lisa!

The 11+ bit sounds familiar to me but I can't think which book it's from.