who remembers Cynthia Harnett - The Woolpack, Ring Out Bow Bells etc?

[bossykate]

I have just re-read these even though they are children's books. Marvellous. Think she is out of print now...

Oh me me me!!!! I have them all. I love them

remember these - fabulous books

have just checked on amazon - there's only one recently published... think she may be out of print... due for a revival surely? may ask my publishing friend...

anyone else?

I still have my old copy of the Woolpack but I've forgotten the story. Must look it out when I get home.

The most wonderful books, bought so many happy memories flooding back. I loved them. If you want a recommendation for another overlooked series Susan Coopers' The dark is rising trilogy. Wizards witches and sorcery fantastic.

Yes, fantastic, I have nearly all.

I specially loved the ones where she did the illustrations herself - lovely crisp outline drawings, whereas there were some that were illustrated a bit splodgily by someone called Gareth something.

that's funny, alipiggie, i was just looking at that series today.

Oh yeah! I loved them. And I'm sure I kept my copies but I can't find them anywhere

Completely forgotten about this until you mentioned it. I loved The Woolpack too. Definitely worth a re-read along with K M Peyton's The Flambards series (also undergoing a revival on Mnet!).

hurrah! more of us!

bump for the evening crowd

I re-read Woolpack recently and was going to look out the rest of them, I have them all somewhere.
I love THe Dark is Rising series as well. Still a good read, even as an adult.

yeah! I recognise the titles, can't remember the stories. Don't have any of my childhood books. Nice to her the titles again.

Oh yes I have The Wool Pack. I keep it with my Rosemary Sutcliffs because I think they would have got on. The Dark is Rising series lives next to the Ursula le Guins. I like to shelve my books with people I think they would be able to talk to!

which is probably pathetic

Mamapyjama are you called that because of the song?

I love your idea slowreader.
I loved the woolpack, also rosemary sutcliffe and also joan aitken and someone else mentioned Elizabeth Goudge the other night, another favourite historical childrens novelist of mine

Love Elizabeth Goudge (who liveswith Emily of new Moon and co). Have you read her biography Joy of the Snow?

I met Joan Aiken once or twice she was like a character from her own books (she lives with E Nesbit) I have them all organised.

How lovely to have met Joan Aiken, you lucky thing
No haven't read the biography, would you recommend it?

oh all right me too - I have never forgotten (a) the description of the boy getting dressed in his best new outfit ("poniards"?) and (b) his meeting of his betrothed (they're both, what, 11?) when she falls out of the tree she's been hiding in (dressed as a boy?) to see whether he's OK to have to marry. And after meeting her he thinks to himself, "well, actually, there's probably nobody I'd rather marry."

But while we're on the subject of those books, how about Geoffrey Trease ? and Henry Treece - I think this is the eerie one about the longship called the Nameless? and of course Rosemary Sutcliff?

Interesting children's books, hurrah. I am sort of thinking of doing some myself.

Ooh yes Bink, I remember (and love) both those moments. Do you remember the picture of Nicholas (?) reaching round trying to do up his points?

Yes Darrell it is very atmospheric especially about her childhood in Wells and The Channel Isles and her haunted house in Ely. Another world.

Where do people get these books from now? Don't say Abe books, they won't take my credit card (probably very wise).

points - of course Kathy they were points, not poniards. Though part of the outfit was a little ceremonial dagger, wasn't it? - that might've been a poniard ...

Lovely Puffin line drawing illustrations.

slowreader - sources - some of them you can get from Amazon, incl. the second-hand bit. The Oxfam specialist bookshops can be good, though you just have to get whatever there is. Otherwise a weekend in Hay-on-Wye, perhaps, with a long long list.

I found a whole heap of my childhood classics still at home and also in Hay on wye which had been sold from a library.
Just waiting for the DCs to get a little older to start reading them.
Henry Treece adn those vikings rang a bell and probably Geoffrey Trease, but I think i'd have to see the book cover.
I also read a few about Polly and Oliver who ended up in loads of battles during probably Crimea type era, any recollections>?
Can't wait to go back to parental home to collect them all, although DH will groan as yet more pesky books ae collected.I won't let him throw/give them away.I do allow trashy airport novels to go to the charity shop.

Cynthia Harnett was a favourite - especially A Load of Unicorn. Geoffrey Trease - Cue for Treason, and also a series of "modern" books based in the Lake District. Henry Treece was the viking books Viking Dawn, The Road to Miklegard and Viking Sunset.I haven't thought about them for 30 years!

My offerings - Willian Mayne,particulaly Cathedral Wednesday, and a series by a writer I've forgotten about a group of children holidaying in the Fells - Fell Farm Christmas was one. Anyone?