Spring Comes to Nettleford

Nettleford #3

by Malcolm Saville

Spring has come to Nettleford, and the Owlers are infected by the urge to explore. And what a glorious discovery they make - a Secret Kingdom of crystal-clear streams, sandy beaches and mysterious islands for their very own!

But is it? Footprints, then figures glimpsed through the trees persuade them that their paradise has been invaded - and their invaders are after the rarest of bird's eggs - the peregrine falcon's.

The Owlers are determined to catch them, so they set up camp in the Secret Kindgdom and pursue their enemies with daring...

Genres: Childrens

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Leonard Malcolm Saville was an English author best known for the Lone Pine series of children's books, many of which are set in Shropshire. His work emphasises location; the books include many vivid descriptions of English countryside, villages and sometimes towns.

(wikipedia)

Reviews

[Sue]

Good characterisation in this children's book, but the adventure mostly involves bird-watching and camping, neither of which particularly interest me.

Worth reading after 'All Summer Through' and 'Christmas in Nettleford', which I finished earlier in the year, or for a child of about 8-12 who's not quite ready for the better-known 'Lone Pine' series by the same author. And I'm glad I've finally re-read these books after, probably, about fifty years.

But although I recalled the series with some fondness - and the children did rather get under my skin - I have no inclination to look for the fourth in the series.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Brian Gowthorpe]

Mmmm. Ann Cleeves remembered how much she enjoyed the adventures that Malcolm Saville wrote for children. She’s only three days younger than me, so I bought a couple of 1960s paperbacks from our local secondhand bookshop. I couldn’t remember his books, nor could my wife, and we were both avid readers. Enid Blyton was no writer by comparison with Richmal Crompton or R L Stevenson, but she was surely better than this. The earnest Christian message of wholesome fun and upright goodness is so white middle class as to be parodic except, of course, it isn’t.

[Rachel]

A fun adventure, evoking childhood memories of exploring the bush, crossing creeks, climbing trees, and building cubbies from sticks. Saville has the gift of making each of his characters feel real and unique. The ending is rather abrupt, and we don't get to see the end of the children's camping holiday, but they manage to catch the villain, so all's well that ends well.