What do you think?
Rate this book
Knock and Wait
The lively, lovable lass from Nottinghamshire, whom we first met in Private - Keep Out!, is back again.
She is dismayed when she learns that she must spend a whole year in an Open Air Hospital, but you can't keep our heroine's spirits down for long.
EXCERPT:
I've written this book to remind me of all the horrible things that have happened over the last year. Not as I'll need reminding. I can practically see them tattooed on my forehead.
One thing I have learnt is that it's a good job elephants never forget because it looks as if they're the only ones in the entire world with any memory at all. Everybody at our house seemed to have forgotten me by the time I'd got one foot over the front doorstep.
When I woke up this morning, I laid and stared at our Lucy, waiting for her to open her eyes and say, "Hello, dear little sister!" She woke up, looks straight at me, and goes, "Aagh! Who're you?" I told her who I was and then she leaned over and prodded our Rose in the back. '"Ere," she says. "Do you know who this long, thin lass is in our bed?" Our Rose turns over, opens one eye, looks at me and says, "Never seen her in my life."
She thinks she's so funny. Next time I have to go away from home, I'm going to make a graven image of myself like it says in the bible and stick it on top of the wireless in the front room with my name written right across it. At least then they'll know I've been.
Or they could read this book.
She is dismayed when she learns that she must spend a whole year in an Open Air Hospital, but you can't keep our heroine's spirits down for long.
EXCERPT:
I've written this book to remind me of all the horrible things that have happened over the last year. Not as I'll need reminding. I can practically see them tattooed on my forehead.
One thing I have learnt is that it's a good job elephants never forget because it looks as if they're the only ones in the entire world with any memory at all. Everybody at our house seemed to have forgotten me by the time I'd got one foot over the front doorstep.
When I woke up this morning, I laid and stared at our Lucy, waiting for her to open her eyes and say, "Hello, dear little sister!" She woke up, looks straight at me, and goes, "Aagh! Who're you?" I told her who I was and then she leaned over and prodded our Rose in the back. '"Ere," she says. "Do you know who this long, thin lass is in our bed?" Our Rose turns over, opens one eye, looks at me and says, "Never seen her in my life."
She thinks she's so funny. Next time I have to go away from home, I'm going to make a graven image of myself like it says in the bible and stick it on top of the wireless in the front room with my name written right across it. At least then they'll know I've been.
Or they could read this book.
112 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 1979
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 27, 2020
*2.5 stars
I didn't enjoy this one as much as Private - Keep Out! as it was away from the fun family shenanigans and to be quite honest, the abuse she suffered at the hands of the nurses in the Open Air School was a bit hard to stomach at times. Supposedly all for her own good, but where was the compassion and consent?! It was more boring too. What was nice about it is that we get to view her family in a nicer light than we got in the first book; now that she's away from them she can't wait to get back. Plus it's nice to have her make a friend.
I didn't enjoy this one as much as Private - Keep Out! as it was away from the fun family shenanigans and to be quite honest, the abuse she suffered at the hands of the nurses in the Open Air School was a bit hard to stomach at times. Supposedly all for her own good, but where was the compassion and consent?! It was more boring too. What was nice about it is that we get to view her family in a nicer light than we got in the first book; now that she's away from them she can't wait to get back. Plus it's nice to have her make a friend.
May 12, 2023
not as good as the first one but still a fun throwback
July 23, 2020
I loved this as a kid and my kids loved it too, although I had to do a lot of explaining about things like filling a bath tub from a kettle not from a tap!
February 9, 2020
This was my favourite book as a child and the first book I can remember that made me cry. I read it repeatedly as a child and always kept a copy but haven’t read it in probably 30 years. When I read it again today I still remembered every part of it and still thoroughly enjoyed it. In it a young girl from the north of England is sent to a hospital school at the other end of the country as she is anaemic. This story tells the adventures and mischief she gets up to whilst missing her family. Very funny and touching at the same time.
August 1, 2012
Hilarious. I've read this over and over in the last 15 years. I am still a little in love with Golden Miranda, and never have I been so thankful for modern medicine.
January 6, 2013
As with private Keep Out, I loved this as a child and love it as an adult. This is a must read .... For adults and children alike!!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews