In a Blue Velvet Dress

by Catherine Sefton

With the help of a ghost in a blue velvet dress, bookworm Jane survives the disaster of finding herself on vacation without a single book at her disposal.

Genres: Childrens, Ghosts, Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Novels

160 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

A pen name for Martin Waddell

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anybody who has had the misfortune of making an extended visit somewhere where there are no books and consequently starving for something to read will surely respond to the premise of this enchanting book. 11-year-old Jane, extreme bookworm, is in exactly that situation. While her parents go on a sailing holiday to Scotland, Jane has to leave her Belfast home to make a visit to an elderly couple, friends of the family, in a town by the Irish Sea. With admirable foresight, as her hosts are kindly sorts but not readers, she packs one small bag of clothes, and one enormous suitcase of books. But tragically, her suitcase has gotten mixed up with the one containing her geologist father's rock samples (and I love the realism of this -- what else but a suitcase full of rocks could be as heavy as a suitcase full of books). Jane's desperation and the lengths she goes to to find reading matter reminded me of the plight of the sisters in Hilary McKay's The Exiles . However, there is hope for Jane: one night a mysterious book, a queer old fashioned one, appears at her bedside. The Bracelets, or, Habits of Gentleness by early 19th century moralist Maria Edgeworth would never have been her first choice of reading (our Jane is a Chalet School fan), but she devours it gladly anyway. When she wakes up in the morning, it's gone. Each night, a different book appears, always a very old one, always smelling faintly of lavender. Meanwhile during the day, when she normally would be shut inside reading, Jane explores the town and becomes involved with a neighboring family of eight rowdy children. On a picnic with them in the hills above the town she finds the ruins of a house, and a garden overgrown with lavender... Of course she eventually figures out the nature of her nightly visitor, and discovers that they have something in common besides a love of books. I have to say though, that the last third of the book with its revelations and explanations was not nearly as interesting to me as the beginning -- I was just so curious and interested to find out which book would be left by Jane's bedside next!

I've had In a Blue Velvet Dress sitting on my shelf unread for years, and am so glad I finally got around to it. This one's a keeper.

Incidentally, I was surprised to learn here on Goodreads the Catherine Sefton is a pen name of Martin Waddell, author of Owl Babies and other picture books -- never would have guessed it.

[Kaija · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was about ten years old, I got it into my head to organize my bookshelves and make them into a "library". I thought it would be a wonderful idea to set up a system of marking my books so that my brother, my friends, and my parents could borrow them and I could feel very important as I kept careful records of who had taken what out, and when. In a Blue Velvet Dress was one of the few books whose inside cover was awarded a sticker reading "Speciul permishun book"––meaning that I had to personally decide who could take it out and for how long.

The library system never really got off the ground, but the sticker has remained in the book, and now every time I open the front cover, I see it and smile. I have read this book perhaps fifteen times. It is the book I curl up with when I'm trying (and failing) to get to sleep in a strange place. I almost know it by heart. The story is delightful and original. It is by turns funny, moving, sad, and whimsical. Sefton's style is beautiful, and it only adds to the atmosphere of the story; the last line of the story, especially, has stuck in my memory as perfectly fitting.

This book may not appeal to those who enjoy fast-paced thrillers or terrifying ghost stories. In a Blue Velvet Dress is a gentle story about a friendly ghost––yes, they exist––and one girl's encounter with someone she thinks needs help but who, it turns out, is only trying to help her.

[Deborah Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lent this book to a friend of mine -- well, to her daughter, but of course my friend read it as well. The main character of this novel is a reading fiend who likes to draw up mental lists of her favorite books. My friend was amazed at how many of these books she'd never even heard of, let alone read.

Quite aside from being an excellent source of titles to look out for, this is a terrific story, alternately funny and touching.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great old-fashioned ghost story. A girl, trapped in a house with no books to read? That totally freaked me out. :^)

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 1994 but could have been written much earlier. Any bookworm who has ever found themselves trapped away from home with nothing to read will relate to this story! It reminded me strongly of a visit to a beloved aunt in 1996. Even in her late 70s she was constantly on the go. It wasn't till a rainy afternoon that I discovered there were almost no books in her house; I suppose she never sat down long enough to read anything. I found myself reduced to reading a compilation of rather unfunny newspaper comics. It was that or a 19th century hymnal.

I wonder who chose that particularly uninspired title for this book. Yes, one of the characters wears a blue velvet dress, but it doesn't actually draw you in to pick up the book, does it? If I had seen it on shelf somewhere instead of reading a GR friend's review, I probably would have passed it by. And that really would have been too bad. I laughed out loud a couple of times reading Jane's adventures as well as her thoughts on the bookless Hildreths and their life. The description of the book room seemed drawn from my own thoughts of the perfect place to sit and read. If there was a weakness it was in the ending; there's a big buildup and then Jane falls asleep and--well, anyway. I was left saying, "Really?"

[Ann aka Iftcan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story set in the early 70's. Back before we had computers, Ipads, I-phones and all the rest of the things we clutter our life with. With a ghost from the turn of the LAST (i.e. 20th) century, we have some minor history thrown in as well. Set in a tiny village in England.

[Suriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2017: Un libro que compraste en un viaje.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books from childhood. I used to have my local library's copy out so often I didn't realise until fairly recently that I don't actually have my own copy. Well, I do now, obviously. Possibly the sweetest ghost story ever written.

[Domino · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg. i don't even know what to say, its so good.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adorable book about a little girl marooned on 'holiday' in an old house in an Irish seaside town without books....

[A B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been on a bit of a kick with reading books that I *think* I would have liked as a child.

Now I am wondering if I should reread the ones I did like to see if I still feel the same.

This one hit a chord with me because the protagonist goes on vacation and leaves her suitcase of books behind. The horror, the horror! I remember filling an entire suitcase full of books to go to my grandparents' house in 7th grade...for a 3 day trip.

However, Jane is such a hard protagonist to like. She is borderline cold to her babysitters, who are thrilled to have a child in the house. She just sits around sulking because there are no bookstores in the village and no books in the house (really?).

Books start appearing overnight and Jane thinks they may be tied to a pretty girl in a blue velvet dress that pops up occasionally. She and a few neighborhood children explore the area and learn more about a wealthy family with a tragic end. However, it's a fairly minor part of the story. It is more about Jane's burgeoning relationships with some children in the area, though she never does learn to be nice.

While Jane's delight at all things E. Nesbit delighted me as well, I just couldn't like Jane. There is a cruel sequence in which her friend spends not only all of her money, but her siblings' as well to buy a hideous hat for their mother. I don't think children getting ripped off is funny, but thought it was poor writing for Jane not to buy a new hat. Sounds silly but something about that really rubbed me the wrong way. That would have made me cry as a child.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have loved this book as a child! Not only do I share a name and a love of reading with the main character, we like the same books, particularly The Chalet School series, but also books by Pamela Brown, E. Nesbit, Enid Blyton, and others. Sent to stay in a house with no books in a town without a bookstore or a library, jane Reid is crushed when she discovers the suitcase she brought contains not her books, but her father's rock samples. How will she survive without anything to read? Mysteriously, each night after she falls asleep, a book appears. Who is leaving them for her? And why?

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟I loved this book! The writing was wonderful and (though I say it so often) I adored the illustrations. Jane was such a sympathetic character, even though you don’t know too much about her except that she loves books. The best part of this book was when Jane listed all of her favorite authors and children’s books. It made me want to read them all and buy more books! If you love a spooky story and are also a book lover, I highly recommend this book to you. Such a hidden treasure!

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up late to finish this last night. Absolutely the type of book I needed to read right now. Jane Reid is a welcome addition to main characters from children's books who value reading above all else. I appreciated that she was kind*, but also a bit pretentious. (Same.) The ghost element was very sweet and had me tearing up in the end. Past-me, I have a book to lend you!

*Okay, well she does push a boy over into tar, but besides that...

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not great, but very good. I so identify with the panic of young Jane who discovers she and her father have switched suitcases and that she is stuck in a strange place for some time with no books. Thank goodness for Kindle.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet ghost story. I used to read "helpful ghost" stories like this when I was younger and I think I would have really liked this one back then. It's nice that this one had a little twist about who was helping who at the end. I enjoyed it.

[Xia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine someone who randonly lets you borrowbtheir books.... HOPE ALL¿?!!?!???

I ADORE JANE SO MUCH,, this book made me remember a child's innocence:'(( oh, to go back to the days where my mind is just filled with running around all dat and reading storybooks before bed:((

[Daniela Jannuzzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bella e malinconica storia sul piacere della lettura. Un libro per ragazzi e non solo.

[Aramis62 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually read this for the first time in grade school. As a fellow bookworm, I really felt sorry for Jane being stuck in a house with no books! I'm glad to be reunited with this old favorite.

[Victoria Dunne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another childhood favorite. I identified so much with Jane; if my books were not within reach I was lost. This is one of the books that set me up to love mysteries.

[Shawna Finnigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really cute and I’m surprised that I actually enjoyed it. It’s definitely not the best book out there, but it did have some interesting and enjoyable moments.

[Dusty Luthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revisited this juvenile novel from my childhood. Truly enjoyed it as much as an adult as I did a youth.

[Stephanie C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of atmosphere in this one, but from my perspective reading it for the first time as an adult, not much plot.

[Madame Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cheekily-written mystery about bookworm Jane Reid and a ghost. Another quality book from the past.

[Jo Chorlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childhood favourite. It is written with humour and a love of reading. Perfect for any one for whom a lack of books would be the worst disaster.

[Anna Mussmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This vintage children’s novel has some cute and charming scenes, but the friendly ghost thing didn’t work for me and I found the ending rather weak. Not a keeper.

[DocNora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was me when I was a child. Curiously heartbreaking and enchanting.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never read this book as a child. It's quite a magical story that isn't really scary. An amusing read and all about my favourite subject, books! :-)

[Ella Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good rainy day read! Cute story, but simple.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this when I was a kid, particularly the "dream" sequence - a bookworm's fantasy! It holds up pretty well.