Opening couple of paragraphs of a certain book I just received in the mail.
It had rained every day since Grandma arrived in London. Every single day. Not the nice fat sort of rain that makes gentle plopping noises on your rainhat, or umbrella if you happened to have one, which Grandma hadn’t as she’d left it on the overnight bus from Yorkshire, but the nasty thin sort of rain that runs down your nose and the tops of your Wellington boots and makes your hair stick out all over the place, especially if it’s curly, which Grandma’s was.
In fact it was the sort of weather you wouldn’t turn a dog out in, if you liked dogs that is, which Grandma didn’t anyway.
Grandma sighed deeply as she gazed out of the window. “Just think,” she said gloomily, “if I hadn’t done my ankle in at the Over 60’s do, I would be visiting strange new places on the Cook’s Coach and Paddle Boat Mystery Tour, instead of sitting here staring at this awful rain.”
She handed a curler to Mother, who was trying to set Grandma’s hair, which Father said stuck up like steel wool after Mother had cleaned the inside of the oven with it.
“And if daft Betty from the shop hadn’t shoved half a box of soap flakes all over the dance floor, I wouldn’t have slipped in the first place.”
“Or if she’d kept you off the vicar’s homemade wine,” Father murmured.
Grandma ignored him.
If you’ve followed along on my site, you will recognize – from a few of the plot points – what book this is
I have not read it since I was probably 10 years old, but I remembered that opening paragraph almost word for word. I used to love to read it out loud because obviously I understood it but there was enough about it that was different from my own life (“soap flakes”, “vicar”) that made it seem delightfully British, and I adored that. I have been looking through the book at the illustrations and most of them I remember well. Illustrations by Laurence Hutchins. Very funny caricaturish drawings – almost like Doonesbury.
Who knows why I get separation anxiety when I realize I do not have a certain book from my childhood in my possession, but I do, and thanks to Amazon, I can get these books for a penny a pop. It’s brill. It’s hardcover too – with the same cover I remember as a kid. Even better.
I’m so excited for you. After reading your last post about this book, I realized that the book I have been looking for since about 1980 could probably be found on the internet (ya think?). I have looked through bins and used bookstores but had not googled. I found it immediately. It was most reasonably priced at a bookseller out of the UK and is still on the way. It was called “Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls.” I can recite large passages of it and am so excited to see it again. It should be here any day.
Love it!!!
As a “ghastly girl” myself, it is nice to see myself represented in children’s literature.
Somehow the title reminds me of Arthur Ransome’s We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea. I haven’t read it, but his Swallows and Amazons is very good.
Oh, I’m so happy for you that you finally got your book!
Hooray!!!!
I stumbled on this site and ended up on the passage you wrote on cary grant back in 04 is it? It was great. Its funny I was watching she done him wrong which just arrived from amazon.com today lol. I myself love cary grant…in fact I named my band HIS GIRL FRIDAY…if ur on myspace check it out u may enjoy the music..the first song is called cary grant and there is a video for it..i will more than likely get sued for the footage lol.
peace
shawn
A – its all thanks to you! Because basically you understand how to use this new-fangled contraption called Google while I remain in the dark – and I am very grateful! I read the first chapter last night and it’s so good! So funny and wacky and British with fish and chips and words like “daft” – and the family is insane and the rain won’t stop and suddenly … at one point … the house dislodges from its foundation and floats down the street.
How on earth they end up running away from cannibals in the South Sea Islands will all become clear.
Shawn – I will definitely check it out! Thanks for the heads up!
She Done Him Wrong is so fun, isn’t it? He’s still finding his way – not quite a leading man yet – but it’s so fun to watch him with mae West, I think.
Good luck!