A SELECTION FOR YOUNGER READERS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29698, 16 December 1961, Page 3

A SELECTION FOR YOUNGER READERS

i MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE, by Raymond Briggs, 95 pp., land ANDY AND THE SECRET PAPERS, by ReginI aid Taylor, 96 pp., are in the ’Antelope series published by 'lHamish Hamilton for seven ito nine-year-olds. The first lis a satisfying story of the 'midnight fishing party of two Ismail boys and ends in the I apprehension and capture of I burglars who ransack a golf ; club. The mixture of boyish ‘recklessness, suspense and (heroics coupled with a skillful recording of boys’ badinage will be greatly appreciiated by the age group for I which it is intended. The .second is another book in a ’series about a group of I youngsters who belong to an (English army regiment. In I this story, the children beicome involved in a mishap in 'which secret papers are torn lup for a paper chase and an awkward situation deIvelops around this episode. (Mr Taylor writes with gusto land small boys will enjoy (this. Biro’s illustrations are 'lively and very entertaining. MR GRIMPWINKLE BUYS A BUS, by Joan Drake (Brockhampton Press, 88 pp.), is an amiable little story about an old man’s unsuccessful efforts to buy an old ’bus at an auction. Mr [Grimpwinkle is unique in [that he is able to coni verse with animals and (other unusual objects like (buses. He is therefore able Ito enlist the help of his (animal friends to work out a scheme to make enough (money for his purchase. It is altogether too whimsical (but the six to eight’s will (enjoy it. I LINDY AND JAMES IN LONDON, by Gwenda Allen ; (Angus and Robertson, 48 pp), is an attractively produced, if expensive, book about some of the highlights of a trip taken by an Australian family. In London, ‘Lindy plays a part in a film, helps a pavement artist to make some money, the two [children visit Petticoat Lane and see the Queen. Designed for children from seven to 10 and originally published in the New Zealand School Journal, the book is not j overloaded with burdensome 'detail. The characters are * convincing and well delineated and children will (easily be able to identify themselves with the fortunes of Lindy and James, who are winsomely drawn by the New Zealand artist. Evelyn Clouston.

THE TRUE BOOK ABOUT DESERTS, by Maurice Burton (Frederick Muller, 141 pp.), is a comprehensive and illuminating study by an authority in the field of zoology. In This book Dr. Burton discusses, first, the distribution of deserts, their nature and causes, and then the kinds of life, plant, animal and so on which are to be found m desert conditions. In a final chapter, the experimental work being carried out in Australia. Russia and Israel on the reclamation of semi-desert areas, is described. This is an interesting and well-written book on a topic of economic importance.

THE CARETAKERS AND THE POACHER, by Olive Dehn and A PLAY AT PEBBLINGS VILLAGE, by Modwena Sedgwick, both 124 pp., are two new books in the Wren series for seven to 10-year-olds, published by Burke. The first is about a London family who are caretakers of a house which is about to be taken over by the National Trust. They hope to be allowed to continue this occupation but the adventurous children are likely to endanger this project through their connexions with a poacher and the receiving of stolen goods. The book ends with the promise of more trouble in the future. The second is a fantasy about the doings of a group of village animals which decide to put on a benefit play on behalf of one of their number which has had a run of bad luck. There is some ill-natured opposition to their scheme but everything works out in the end.

In THE RUNAWAY (Rigby, 173 pp.), Ruth Morris has written one of the most attractive children’s stories to come out of Australia for a long time. Joanne Mitchell, an orphan, has always lived in Melbourne; she is looked after by uncles and aunts. It is now time Aunt Lilian and Uncle Fred should take their turn with Joanne; and as they live north of Brisbane she has a long journey by aeroplane and train. Unfortunately Aunt Lilian proves unsympathetic; her one interest is housework. Joanne is relieved when she is told she is to stay for a while with Lilian’s sister Rhoda, who has not been keeping well. Joanne has to make the trip on her own— it is 15 milesdriving Darkle in the sulky. When she arrived at “Four Creeks,” no-one is home and the place looks forbidding. Aunt Lilian had been bad enough, but this is too much. Acting on impulse, Joanne cuts off her hair and drives away, she has no idea w’here. She is going to pass herself off as a boy; and as she is wearing jeans this is not so difficult. She has many adventures on the way, none of them too exceptional to be believed in. At last she meets Peter Mitchell, who is a friend indeed, and after that the story moves quickly to a satisfying conclusion. "The Runaway” is a fanciful but not a fantastic tale. It should greatly please girls of the same age as Joanne herself, that is. 12.

THE REAL BOOK OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, by Eve Merriam (Dennis Dobson, 191 pp ), is an informal eulogistic biography. It traces his development from early childhood through school and university to his emergence as politician and statesman. The career of a political figure is difficult to compress into readable form for children, but Roosevelt's courage, drive and engaging personality make good material for the biographer who. in this case, has written a bright, if somewhat cosy account of his life. This is a well documented book, with an appendix of significant dates. extracts from his speeches, a bibliography, and an index.

The story of the Panama Canal has a romance all its own, even although there have been greater engineering feats and although the scientists of today look out into space to find a field for new achievement. W. Storrs Lee’s CANAL ACROSS A CONTINENT (Harrap, 202 pp), traces the history of the project from the time the Americans took it up in 1904 until the present day. In 1904 President Roosevelt made his famous proclamation, “Tell them I am going to make the dirt fly on the Isthmus.” He was as good as his word, and in a few months it was announced that “barring some great physical cataclysm or unexpected political delay in the United States, a low-level waterway can be opened for larger vessels in 10 years.” Mr Lee’s book explains in some detail how this was done. He also discusses the future of the canal; for the old waterway, through which a quarter of a million ships have passed since August, 1914, is now thought to be inadequate for modern requirements. As he says, “The Panama Crusade isn’t over yet. Men have got to start digging again.” “Canal Across a Continent” will appeal to boys of a practical turn of mind.

Showell Styles is an accomplished writer of children’s books; but his latest, THE SHOP IN THE MOUNTAIN (Gollancz, 191 pp.), is a new departure. Leaving his favourite hero, Midshipman Quinn, who for so many years has been observing Napoleon’s Mediterranean fleet from the deck of H.M.S. Fury, he has now written a modern story set in Wales. The principal outdoor interest here is rock climbing, so the book should have a wide appeal. The Hughes family, Mrs Hughes, a son, Simon, and two girls, Mag and Dilly, have come on hard times, so they retire to Mrs Hughes’s mountain fastness in Wales. This is a property that goes by the name of “The Shop in the Mountain.” It has not been used as a shop for many years; but when it is stocked up with groceries, fruit and soft drinks, a clientele is soon built up among tourists and trippers. That, of course, is only part of the story; for there are plenty of «climbing adventures to record and also some lightly sketched in romantic interest. The pen and ink sketch maps add life to the text and emphasise the Welsh atmosphere.

THE REAL BOOK OF INVENTIONS, by Samuel Epstein and Beryl Williams (Dennis Dobson, 191 pp.). The historical perspective which the authors have given the subject of man’s inventive powers lays proper emphasis on the importance of progress based on primitive inventions such as the wheel. They have covered their subject under separate headings such as the development of invention in transport, the harnessing of power, communication. scientific apparatus and so cn, in a lucid and stimulating manner. This is excellent historical background. The book is indexed and has a bibliography.

Tinny, whose real name was Martina, lived in a beautiful enclosed garden; but she was lonely, for she had no-one of her own age to play with. Everything became worse, when one day her dachshund, Toffy, was stolen. Tinny would have been inconsolable had not her brave uncle Nick come to her aid, with his aeroplane, “The Griffen.” They flew off half-way round the world in search of Toffy and finally ran him to earth in Hong Kong. In all their adventures they had welcome help from children everywhere, and, as a reward. Uncle Nick brought back a small party to stay for a while with Tinny in Europe. While they were having this holiday their greatest joy was what gives the book its name, THE ROUNDABOUT ON THE ROOF. This story is written for young children by Hans Baumann. The publishers are the Oxford University Press, who are to be praised for the reproductions of Ulrik-Schramm’s delightful water-colour sketches that accompany the text.

In THE WHITE WALL (Brockhampton Press, 120 pp.), Eric Houghton has written a story about Brancus, who lived in the third century 8.C., is a village near the approaches to the Swiss Alps. Hannibal’s army had just marched through, ori the way to Northern Italy; and Brancus as he drove his father’s goats up to the high pastures wondered about the great adventure the Carthagenians had undertaken. He was soon to know more, for that same day the treacherous Aliobroges from their mountain fastnesses had made a descent on his village and destroyed it As Brancus was lurking miserably on the outskirts, he saw the Aliobroges intercept a Carthaginian dispatch rider and kill him. On this man’s body there proved to be a map, which the boy took to Hannibal. As he now had no home, he decided to accompany the army, and so he became the helper of the physician Synhalus. The story of the great crossing of the Alps is simply but graphically told. It is enlivened by the episode of Tarascon’s treachery and by the accident to Brancus which for a while made it likely that he would never become a surgeon like Synhalus. “The White Wall” should appeal to children at the Standard IV level.

RAIN IN ARNHEM LAND, by Ann E. Wells (Angus and Robertson, 87 pp.), is a sequel to “Tales from Arnhem Land” and is a collection of five stories of aboriginal origin. In a foreword, Mrs Wells writes that three of the stories are simple outlines of great myths, while the other two are more like folk stories belonging to the totems of different groups of people. She also explains that the fantasy of the animals speaking to the children is not out of place because everyone in aboriginal society has some animal or bird or insect he regards as a close relative. There is much to be learnt here about aboriginal customs, their songs, food and food-gathering, shelter, and the nature of this northern land with its monsoon rains. The illustrations by Margaret Paice are entirely appropriate, particularly those of the bark drawings and the stories, skilfully retold by Mrs Wells, make delightful reading.