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Granny Was a Buffer Girl
Jess is 18 and is leaving home to go to France for her gap year. She is scared that the home she is leaving will change and that the place she loves will never be the same again. Jess
also has a secret that she must share in case she doesn’t get the chance when she returns.
The rest of the book sees Jess and various members of her family spanning three generations sitting and telling the stories of their lives. Jess learns that everyone has secrets
and that change is natural and builds memories and lives. The book is about change and sharing, with the stories that the family tell each other that night bringing them closer together
and also helping them to understand each other a little better too.
also has a secret that she must share in case she doesn’t get the chance when she returns.
The rest of the book sees Jess and various members of her family spanning three generations sitting and telling the stories of their lives. Jess learns that everyone has secrets
and that change is natural and builds memories and lives. The book is about change and sharing, with the stories that the family tell each other that night bringing them closer together
and also helping them to understand each other a little better too.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
4 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Berlie Doherty
115 books85 followersBerlie Doherty née Hollingsworth is an English novelist, poet, playwright and screenwriter. She is best known for children's books, for which she has twice won the Carnegie Medal.She has also written novels for adults, plays for theatre and radio, television series and libretti for children's opera.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 25, 2022
Berlie Doherty's 1986 (and Carnegie Medal winning) young adult novel Granny Was a Buffer Girl is absolutely and utterly delightful and in particular so if a reader enjoys fiction where the author presents a very specific and wonderfully rendered sense of geographic place, and which in Granny Was a Buffer Girl is the industrial Northern English city of Sheffield. And yes indeed, Berlie Doherty's textual sense for Sheffield, it not only shapes her featured characters, but Sheffield is almost a living and breathing character in and of itself in Granny Was a Buffer Girl and that in any other place other than in Sheffield, at least in my opinion, the characters of inhabiting the pages of Granny Was a Buffer Girl would not really fit and the presented story would therefore not work and would not feel so spectacularly authentic and realistic.
Also and for me really essentially, I vey much do appreciate that in Granny Was a Buffer Girl, Berlie Doherty does not try to make her Sheffield setting and the lives of the characters being described as existing in a grim vision of strikes and industrial malaise (even though these scenarios are of course and thankfully alluded to and not being ignored), but that Sheffield is portrayed in Granny Was a Buffer Girl as a place with a proud industrial heritage, an intense and all encompassing sense of community, of family and that the dramatic countryside of the Peak District beckons past the city with many hills, and wonderful hiking trails.
Now if truth be told and from the book title of Granny Was a Buffer Girl, I certainly was originally expecting a negative and relentlessly soot and pollution filled tale of life in industrial Sheffield in the twentieth century, but fortunately, and much to my immense relief, Granny Was a Buffer Girl has not really been like that at all. For primarily, Granny Was a Buffer Girl is a collection of ten chapters that to all extents and purposes are like individual and totally slice of Sheffield life short stories. And from (and in) each of these sections, we are given by Berlie Doherty snapshots from the life of not only main protagonist Jess but also of her both immediate and extended family, and also some of Jess' friends, each dealing with love in its many differt forms (romantic, familial, platonic), beautifully, realistically and sometimes also painfully and uncomfortably rendered, leaving me with Jess and her family totally feeling liked absolute kindred spirits (both the young and the old), a heart full of both joy and pain, a delightful textual appreciation of Sheffield and definitely a five star reading experience for Granny Was a Buffer Girl.
Also and for me really essentially, I vey much do appreciate that in Granny Was a Buffer Girl, Berlie Doherty does not try to make her Sheffield setting and the lives of the characters being described as existing in a grim vision of strikes and industrial malaise (even though these scenarios are of course and thankfully alluded to and not being ignored), but that Sheffield is portrayed in Granny Was a Buffer Girl as a place with a proud industrial heritage, an intense and all encompassing sense of community, of family and that the dramatic countryside of the Peak District beckons past the city with many hills, and wonderful hiking trails.
Now if truth be told and from the book title of Granny Was a Buffer Girl, I certainly was originally expecting a negative and relentlessly soot and pollution filled tale of life in industrial Sheffield in the twentieth century, but fortunately, and much to my immense relief, Granny Was a Buffer Girl has not really been like that at all. For primarily, Granny Was a Buffer Girl is a collection of ten chapters that to all extents and purposes are like individual and totally slice of Sheffield life short stories. And from (and in) each of these sections, we are given by Berlie Doherty snapshots from the life of not only main protagonist Jess but also of her both immediate and extended family, and also some of Jess' friends, each dealing with love in its many differt forms (romantic, familial, platonic), beautifully, realistically and sometimes also painfully and uncomfortably rendered, leaving me with Jess and her family totally feeling liked absolute kindred spirits (both the young and the old), a heart full of both joy and pain, a delightful textual appreciation of Sheffield and definitely a five star reading experience for Granny Was a Buffer Girl.
May 9, 2015
I'd always meant to read this book as a young teenager - it was heavily promoted as my school - but somehow never got round to it. I spotted a copy in a charity shop last week and dived into it in a fit of homesick nostalgia.
This felt like a very personal read for me. It's set in Sheffield, where I grew up, which isn't a place I've often seen represented in fiction. And when I have, it's tended to be a grim vision of strikes and/or post-industrial malaise. This book portrays the city as somewhere with a proud industrial heritage and sense of community, but just as importantly, a place where the town segues into the dramatic countryside of the Peak District and that has beautiful views from its seven hills.
It wasn't just the setting that got to me either. My Grandma, a Yorkshirewoman born and bred, died last Christmas, and while I don't think she'd been a buffer girl per se, she did work in the steel factories from the age of fourteen, so I wanted to read about the titular Granny to remind me of her.
From the title, I was sort of expecting a fairly gritty tale of life in industrial Sheffield in the early half of the twentieth century, but (almost to my relief) that wasn't really what I got. Instead, this is a collection of ten chapters that to all extents and purposes are individual short stories. Each of them gives a snapshot from the life of one of Jess, the nominal main character's, relatives, and each deals with the broad theme of love, be it romantic, familial, or platonic. This structure reminded me of a teenage version of one of my all time favorite novels, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, and if it never quite reached those heights, there were some really touching moments. I was on the verge of tears at several points, but I think a lot of that was due to the personal resonance. I'm not sure it would hit the average reader as hard.
The history, and the changing times, fashions and mores made for an interesting read. Rather strangely, the book was written in 1986, the year I was born, so the "present day" sections felt almost as historical as the bits set in the twenties or fifties. I can't quite decide if that added to or detracted from the book's appeal.
I have to say there were a few things that sat a little uneasily with me as a modern reader. The implication that it was touching that a woman stayed with her emotionally abusive husband. The suggestion that Jess was overly cruel in pushing aside a slightly predatory OAP. The idea in the titular story (probably my favourite) that the "granny" - then a girl in her late teens - did the right thing by immediately settling for marriage to the boy next door after being rejected by the man of her dreams.
Overall, this is a bit of an oddity, but worth a look, particularly if you have any connection to the area and/or a particular interest in twentieth century social history.
This felt like a very personal read for me. It's set in Sheffield, where I grew up, which isn't a place I've often seen represented in fiction. And when I have, it's tended to be a grim vision of strikes and/or post-industrial malaise. This book portrays the city as somewhere with a proud industrial heritage and sense of community, but just as importantly, a place where the town segues into the dramatic countryside of the Peak District and that has beautiful views from its seven hills.
It wasn't just the setting that got to me either. My Grandma, a Yorkshirewoman born and bred, died last Christmas, and while I don't think she'd been a buffer girl per se, she did work in the steel factories from the age of fourteen, so I wanted to read about the titular Granny to remind me of her.
From the title, I was sort of expecting a fairly gritty tale of life in industrial Sheffield in the early half of the twentieth century, but (almost to my relief) that wasn't really what I got. Instead, this is a collection of ten chapters that to all extents and purposes are individual short stories. Each of them gives a snapshot from the life of one of Jess, the nominal main character's, relatives, and each deals with the broad theme of love, be it romantic, familial, or platonic. This structure reminded me of a teenage version of one of my all time favorite novels, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, and if it never quite reached those heights, there were some really touching moments. I was on the verge of tears at several points, but I think a lot of that was due to the personal resonance. I'm not sure it would hit the average reader as hard.
The history, and the changing times, fashions and mores made for an interesting read. Rather strangely, the book was written in 1986, the year I was born, so the "present day" sections felt almost as historical as the bits set in the twenties or fifties. I can't quite decide if that added to or detracted from the book's appeal.
I have to say there were a few things that sat a little uneasily with me as a modern reader. The implication that it was touching that a woman stayed with her emotionally abusive husband. The suggestion that Jess was overly cruel in pushing aside a slightly predatory OAP. The idea in the titular story (probably my favourite) that the "granny" - then a girl in her late teens - did the right thing by immediately settling for marriage to the boy next door after being rejected by the man of her dreams.
Overall, this is a bit of an oddity, but worth a look, particularly if you have any connection to the area and/or a particular interest in twentieth century social history.
May 12, 2016
I re-read this in advance of an event on the subject of “a sense of place” in literature – with a specific focus on Sheffield – at which Berlie Doherty will be reading from Granny was a Buffer Girl.
Books can be set in Sheffield but fail to capture anything of the spirit or character of the city. Many of the books reviewed in this post are like that, and have sometimes been disappointing as a result. For many you could do a “find and replace” search on a word-processor and substitute ‘Sheffield’ for ‘Derby,’ ‘Darlington’ or even ‘Leeds,’ and nothing would be lost (Sunjeev Sahota’s, or Ben Cheetham’s books for example). Granny was a Buffer Girl, on the other hand, could only be set in Sheffield and the book could not be based anywhere else without a complete re-writing – there is a sense that the place shapes the characters and if you took the characters out of the place you would end up having to re-write the characters.
The title is a good one, iconic almost, but it doesn’t really tell you much about what to expect from the book. It is a coming-of age novel, in similar ways to Dear Nobody, aimed principally at teenagers. It is not a story about someone’s granny. Grandparents back-stories do feature in it, in so far as it is a story about family and how that shapes us, the meaning of love, and growing up. (As an aside on titles: the foreign language titles show an interesting dilemma: in Austria they went for something like “A Dove in Summer Light, ” in Sweden: “An Image of Danny” and in Finland: “Not a Prince, Not a Princess.”)
It is a proper read for any teenager who wants a rest from vampires, fantasy and dystopian books.
One of 36 Sheffield novels reviewed at: http://stevek1889.blogspot.co.uk/2014...
Books can be set in Sheffield but fail to capture anything of the spirit or character of the city. Many of the books reviewed in this post are like that, and have sometimes been disappointing as a result. For many you could do a “find and replace” search on a word-processor and substitute ‘Sheffield’ for ‘Derby,’ ‘Darlington’ or even ‘Leeds,’ and nothing would be lost (Sunjeev Sahota’s, or Ben Cheetham’s books for example). Granny was a Buffer Girl, on the other hand, could only be set in Sheffield and the book could not be based anywhere else without a complete re-writing – there is a sense that the place shapes the characters and if you took the characters out of the place you would end up having to re-write the characters.
The title is a good one, iconic almost, but it doesn’t really tell you much about what to expect from the book. It is a coming-of age novel, in similar ways to Dear Nobody, aimed principally at teenagers. It is not a story about someone’s granny. Grandparents back-stories do feature in it, in so far as it is a story about family and how that shapes us, the meaning of love, and growing up. (As an aside on titles: the foreign language titles show an interesting dilemma: in Austria they went for something like “A Dove in Summer Light, ” in Sweden: “An Image of Danny” and in Finland: “Not a Prince, Not a Princess.”)
It is a proper read for any teenager who wants a rest from vampires, fantasy and dystopian books.
One of 36 Sheffield novels reviewed at: http://stevek1889.blogspot.co.uk/2014...
April 2, 2023
Picked up a couple of Berlie Doherty’s YA books at a sale and thought they’d be fun. This was the better of the two - a series of interconnected family stories about how the various parents and grandparents met up, which was vastly more involving than the teenage main characters' tedious love story which was solely about “getting the boy.” The whole thing seemed to be a framework for a nostalgia-laden going-away party for dull, conventional teen Jess who’s going off to study in France. The only even remotely intriguing voice here was poor Lucy Cragwell who was a cartoon character until she wasn’t, and who turned out to be the most interesting of all. I never did discover more about the “buffer girls” and eventually worked out that they'd worked as polishers in a Sheffield silverware factory. There seemed to be only one mention of this despite it being the title of the book, which was a lost opportunity for local colour.
September 30, 2017
A fascinating, thought-provoking book. I loved the stories of the grandparents and the way we get to see them develop and age. I loved the story of Danny and his special relationship with Jess. I loved the awkward but close relationship between Jess and John. There is such a lot to admire in this book. I didn't like the way the book deals with the old man who frightens here when he meets her alone by the canal. His behaviour is completely unacceptable and no-one now would suggest that the girl should try to cheer him up.
March 19, 2024
Jess is nearly 18 and about to go to France.
As her family gather before she leaves they get to talking of the past, her mam and her father, their first meeting, Bridie and Jack who stayed together despite the odds and divisions within the family, Dorothy who was a buffer, Albert.
Even tales of Jess' siblings.
This was a lovely story made up of moments and vignettes from the past told in glimpses and little family remembered stories.
I get the impression it may be set in the 70s or even more probably the 80s going on technology, music etc but the plot was timeless and a great teen lit book.
I read it aloud with my teen niece for school work and practice and we both enjoyed it.
As her family gather before she leaves they get to talking of the past, her mam and her father, their first meeting, Bridie and Jack who stayed together despite the odds and divisions within the family, Dorothy who was a buffer, Albert.
Even tales of Jess' siblings.
This was a lovely story made up of moments and vignettes from the past told in glimpses and little family remembered stories.
I get the impression it may be set in the 70s or even more probably the 80s going on technology, music etc but the plot was timeless and a great teen lit book.
I read it aloud with my teen niece for school work and practice and we both enjoyed it.
February 23, 2015
Beautiful sequences about a family celebrating different kinds of love and the losses connected to strong feelings.
January 21, 2024
My full review of this YA novella is here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....
July 6, 2025
I was gifted this book by my Nan, who’s Granny actually was a buffer girl, so my great Granny Was A Buffer Girl. I’m really proud of my Sheffield heritage and loved all the references to Sheffield and the Sheffield setting in this book. Sheffield isn’t somewhere often portrayed in the media but when it is, I just love it. I’m so proud to be from here. :)
The book is part narrated by Jess in ‘present day’ (the 1980s) who is 18 and going off to France for a year abroad, and part follows the stories of her family members from 1930 onwards in Sheffield.
The family stories I really enjoyed, particularly Jack and Bridie’s story, Dorothy’s buffer girl story, and Mick and Josie’s meeting. Again, Sheffield was the star. I loved that places I know and love were the backdrop to the normal family stories in this book. I enjoyed that there was no melodrama and that all the stories were very realistic and believable. There were a couple of really moving scenes that did bring tears to my eyes.
I didn’t enjoy the part about the creepy old man on the canal and the implication that Jess should have just…lightened up and felt sorry for him? Nah, very weird. But this book was published in 1988, so coming up to 40 years old, which you can definitely feel when reading. The ‘present day’ scenes don’t feel present day anymore, the whole book reads as historical!
Overall a 3 star read - I enjoyed the generational family stories and seeing how the characters lives changed from 1930 to 1980, I also loved the setting of Sheffield and the mentions of industry and our gorgeous Peak District, but this book certainly doesn’t age well.
The book is part narrated by Jess in ‘present day’ (the 1980s) who is 18 and going off to France for a year abroad, and part follows the stories of her family members from 1930 onwards in Sheffield.
The family stories I really enjoyed, particularly Jack and Bridie’s story, Dorothy’s buffer girl story, and Mick and Josie’s meeting. Again, Sheffield was the star. I loved that places I know and love were the backdrop to the normal family stories in this book. I enjoyed that there was no melodrama and that all the stories were very realistic and believable. There were a couple of really moving scenes that did bring tears to my eyes.
I didn’t enjoy the part about the creepy old man on the canal and the implication that Jess should have just…lightened up and felt sorry for him? Nah, very weird. But this book was published in 1988, so coming up to 40 years old, which you can definitely feel when reading. The ‘present day’ scenes don’t feel present day anymore, the whole book reads as historical!
Overall a 3 star read - I enjoyed the generational family stories and seeing how the characters lives changed from 1930 to 1980, I also loved the setting of Sheffield and the mentions of industry and our gorgeous Peak District, but this book certainly doesn’t age well.
October 28, 2025
Oh how worthy.
Oh how instructive.
Was that the epitome of The Carnegie Prize back then? Lots of teaching. Don't omit any bit of grime or unpleasantness. Dashed dreams, ruined houses, polluted rivers.
The one thing this book does not do is give pleasure.
It doesn't flow. The sequence of the chapters makes no sense.
And to think, about this time, the Americans were honouring Bridge to Terabithia.
I know which I'd prefer.
Oh how instructive.
Was that the epitome of The Carnegie Prize back then? Lots of teaching. Don't omit any bit of grime or unpleasantness. Dashed dreams, ruined houses, polluted rivers.
The one thing this book does not do is give pleasure.
It doesn't flow. The sequence of the chapters makes no sense.
And to think, about this time, the Americans were honouring Bridge to Terabithia.
I know which I'd prefer.
January 1, 2022
A bit ambitious for a family chronicle. Not great, not bad.
August 19, 2023
An interesting construction of different points of view but it felt too short with not enough going on or things to contemplate. Would have liked to get a deeper connection with the characters.
goodreadingguide-com
November 9, 2014TG reviewed @ www.GoodReadingGuide.com
October 31, 2013
A bit confusing
November 11, 2014
it is a intresting story which i have read
December 28, 2016
I read and re-read this one in middle school.
Read
March 12, 2009JF-Doh
May 3, 2010
It was sweet
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews