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The Night Wind
Orphaned at age twelve, Robin describes her struggle to accept the realities of her first year at the Children's Home.
212 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1974
12 people want to read
About the author
Mabel Esther Allan
230 books33 followersA prolific British children's author, who also wrote under the pen-names Jean Estoril, Priscilla Hagon, Anne Pilgrim, and Kathleen M. Pearcey, Mabel Esther Allan is particularly known for her school and ballet stories.
Born in 1915 at Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula, Allan knew from an early age that she wanted to be an author, and published her first short stories in the 1930s. Her writing career was interrupted by World War II, during which time she served in the Women's Land Army and taught school in Liverpool, but the 1948 publication of The Glen Castle Mystery saw it begin to take off in earnest. Influenced by Scottish educator A.S. Neill, Allan held progressive views about education, views that often found their way into her books, particularly her school stories. She was interested in folk dance and ballet - another common subject in her work - and was a frequent traveler. She died in 1998.
Born in 1915 at Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula, Allan knew from an early age that she wanted to be an author, and published her first short stories in the 1930s. Her writing career was interrupted by World War II, during which time she served in the Women's Land Army and taught school in Liverpool, but the 1948 publication of The Glen Castle Mystery saw it begin to take off in earnest. Influenced by Scottish educator A.S. Neill, Allan held progressive views about education, views that often found their way into her books, particularly her school stories. She was interested in folk dance and ballet - another common subject in her work - and was a frequent traveler. She died in 1998.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 28, 2021
Robin’s parents are dead and she has been living with her aunt and uncle, but her uncle doesn’t want her and is brutal, so she is being moved to a children’s home. The home is a good one, run by kindly people, but she is still acutely unhappy there. She is an orphan, unlike most of the other children there, who generally come from broken homes, parents violent or in prison or run off etc. She does manage to make some friends eventually, but nobody she really cares about until the arrival of the dazzling temperamental Tafline, who transforms life for Robin and brings excitement and even danger.
This is a good story with some interesting characters and the atmosphere of the home and the tensions between the children is very convincing. A rather sad story in some ways, all the children have their troubles and sadnesses, but with some happy incidents and a glimmer of hope for the future
This is a good story with some interesting characters and the atmosphere of the home and the tensions between the children is very convincing. A rather sad story in some ways, all the children have their troubles and sadnesses, but with some happy incidents and a glimmer of hope for the future
Displaying 1 of 1 review