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Hollis Family #2
A Spoonful of Jam
By the author of Goodnight Mr Tom, this is a heart-warming story of a young girl growing up in the immediate post-war era. For Elsie, though, the fighting isn't over. Not only does she have to cope with the indifference of her father, himself adjusting to family life after the war, she also has to run the gauntlet of a vicious bully and cope with being a scholarship girl at the local grammar school. Through her work with the local repertory theatre, Elsie's confidence slowly grows and she finds herself able to confront all her demons.
This is the rich and dramatic story of a young girl who manages to overcome many obstacles in her attempts to lead a normal life. Michelle Magorian's great strength is her ability to understand both the vulnerabilities and the strengths of her characters, and to imbue even the most distressing events with elements of humour and warmth. --Philippa Reece
361 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1998
14 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Magorian
27 books353 followersBritish children's author Michelle Magorian - author of the celebrated Goodnight, Mr. Tom (1981), which won The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize - was born in Southsea, Portsmouth, in 1947. She trained to be an actress, studying at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama, and at Marcel Marceau's L'école Internationale de Mime in Paris. While pursuing an acting career, Magorian became interested in children's books, writing her first novel for young readers (Goodnight, Mr. Tom) over the course of four and a half years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
July 31, 2015
I really liked it
the first book I've read in a while that included themes from actual real life after war. such as the fact of the baby boom and the trauma experienced by the soldiers and how men were awkward and couldn't speak often. also how much actors were frowned upon and how many people disagreed with pursueing a "real" career.
highly recommend it, especially if you like history like me!
the first book I've read in a while that included themes from actual real life after war. such as the fact of the baby boom and the trauma experienced by the soldiers and how men were awkward and couldn't speak often. also how much actors were frowned upon and how many people disagreed with pursueing a "real" career.
highly recommend it, especially if you like history like me!
March 26, 2009
This is the sequel to Cuckoo in the Nest, with Elsie from the first book as the protagonist in this one. It follows on from where Cuckoo left off, including many of the same characters, so it was nice to see how they developed. Elsie has a bit of a stuggle to figure out what she wants from life, and how to achieve it - making a few errors along the way.
December 25, 2008
When I was given this by our English teacher to read I was expecting it to be terrible like most books studyed in English, but it was brilliant! Who would have thought?
June 16, 2014
I really liked this book and it was funny and heartwarming throughout another great example of Michelle Magorian!
November 27, 2017
WARM. This book is one of my comfort books and it is so so warm. If I had to describe it in 3 words it would be charming, wholesome and um. Warm.
I read it as a stand alone without ever realising that it was a sequel so you can too.
The book is about this girl named Elsie who is bullied and in attempt to escape this she tries out for a play. There’s so much more to it than that though. It’s so interesting when you get a child’s perspective because you always wonder how much of the time period will come through. And we see the subtleties of it. Elsie’s dad has returned from the war and we see how that impacts her. We see the houses and the area around it and how it would cost so much to move away and the class difference.
This book also made me feel a sense of deep longing for theatre. I wanted so badly to live near one. To attend shows regularly, to have grown up with it, to have participated. It makes me nostalgic for a life I’ve never lived.
Elsie is a marvelous protagonist and the book has great characters. Elsie’s family for one. I really relate to Elsie because though I haven’t been seriously bullied like she has, I am often the outsider. And this book is all about Elsie’s relationships with people. THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WAS GREAT. THE RELATIONSHIPS. THE CHARACTERS. THE DESCRIPTIONS.
I’m not upset that not many people have read this book because it’s just one of those things you want to keep for yourself.
Also- it was very hard to pick out lines because the glory of the quotes are not the quotes themselves-but the context so these seem very random but it’s more to do with the fact that these are my favourite places in the book.
FAVOURITE LINES:
-The war has unhinged a lot of men
-That’s no excuse
-it was better to be alone and not feel guilty for being happy, than have a friend who wanted you to believe that all life was awful
-Then you’d better stop calling my sister names
-I’ll live a life of adventure and then pop me clogs just before me fortieth birthday
-don’t you go auditioning, next will you?
—I’ll find a way round it. They ‘aven’t got the better of me yet.
I read it as a stand alone without ever realising that it was a sequel so you can too.
The book is about this girl named Elsie who is bullied and in attempt to escape this she tries out for a play. There’s so much more to it than that though. It’s so interesting when you get a child’s perspective because you always wonder how much of the time period will come through. And we see the subtleties of it. Elsie’s dad has returned from the war and we see how that impacts her. We see the houses and the area around it and how it would cost so much to move away and the class difference.
This book also made me feel a sense of deep longing for theatre. I wanted so badly to live near one. To attend shows regularly, to have grown up with it, to have participated. It makes me nostalgic for a life I’ve never lived.
Elsie is a marvelous protagonist and the book has great characters. Elsie’s family for one. I really relate to Elsie because though I haven’t been seriously bullied like she has, I am often the outsider. And this book is all about Elsie’s relationships with people. THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WAS GREAT. THE RELATIONSHIPS. THE CHARACTERS. THE DESCRIPTIONS.
I’m not upset that not many people have read this book because it’s just one of those things you want to keep for yourself.
Also- it was very hard to pick out lines because the glory of the quotes are not the quotes themselves-but the context so these seem very random but it’s more to do with the fact that these are my favourite places in the book.
FAVOURITE LINES:
-The war has unhinged a lot of men
-That’s no excuse
-it was better to be alone and not feel guilty for being happy, than have a friend who wanted you to believe that all life was awful
-Then you’d better stop calling my sister names
-I’ll live a life of adventure and then pop me clogs just before me fortieth birthday
-don’t you go auditioning, next will you?
—I’ll find a way round it. They ‘aven’t got the better of me yet.
August 31, 2021
Argh tenho imensa pena de não ter lido este livro em criança. Apesar de ter uma escrita bastante simples, adorei todo o calão utilizado e a perspetiva das crianças num pós-guerra, em que tiveram de voltar a reconciliar as memórias que tinham dos pais com as dos homens transtornados que regressam a casa. Além disso, este livro lida com uma variedade de tópicos surpreendentemente pesados, mas a sua abordagem pelos olhos da Elsie transportou-me de volta para quando tinha a sua idade e estes eram também os meus problemas. É um livro que permanece bastante relevante e que deixa aquela mensagem eterna de "não tenhas medo de mostrar quem és". Wholesome.
September 28, 2020
Remember buying this as a kid cus it the same author who wrote Goodnight Mr Tom. I remember at the time not liking it so wanted to give it another go.
It definitely reads much more like a children’s book than Goodnight Mr Tom did. It’s fine, it’s a children’s book. I don't like when there’s a story within a story, in this case Elsie was doing a play do you have Elsie’s story and her character’s story too. I never want to know about the second story.
It definitely reads much more like a children’s book than Goodnight Mr Tom did. It’s fine, it’s a children’s book. I don't like when there’s a story within a story, in this case Elsie was doing a play do you have Elsie’s story and her character’s story too. I never want to know about the second story.
May 30, 2024
The story and writing is reflective of the title - it makes you feel warm and happy like you have had a spoonful of jam that you deserved and earned with your bread. Didn’t expect the book to be good, but it surprised it. It is so full of heart and warmth and lightness amid heaviness. It has a good description of post war life that we don’t see often. Elsie, the protagonist, is a darling and stays with you for a long time after you have read the book.
January 23, 2018
I read this book a long time ago, easily when I was nine or ten and I remember really enjoying it, and didn’t find it at all slightly immature (it isn’t designed to be, but I really enjoyed it at that age). I would love to re-read this now and see if and how my opinions have changed.
March 17, 2018
Som sagt rolig och inspirerande när man själv håller på med teater! Innehöll även flera andra bra sidospår. Ibland kändes den dock lite barnslig, långsam och icke gestaltande vilket jag kan störa mig på, men den var ändå kul att läsa!
June 14, 2019
This was a good, warm read but nothing on some of her other books which rank as all time favourites of mine and have had me in tears. I haven't read the first book in the series but don't feel like that impacted my understanding.
December 18, 2019
A lovely harmless tale about a young girl in 1947, still feeling the effects of WW2. It feels like an autobiography as there's no real excitement, it's just run of the mill life events.
Not as good as Goodnight Mr Tom but good in its own right.
Not as good as Goodnight Mr Tom but good in its own right.
April 22, 2020
Heartwarming, not a challenging read but can imagine young teens loving this. Finished in an evening, got plot line although I wish there had been a little more introduction to each character as this became a little muddled in parts!!
January 27, 2023
If you have seen my review on just henry! These books are all conected! They are all kind of based in ww2! Its a amazing book nad its impossible for me to believe that this book was written by a lady in the 21st century!
Byee
☕️Cosy reviews☕️
Byee
☕️Cosy reviews☕️
January 3, 2018
Was ok, nothing on ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’, which made me cry.
March 27, 2018
Really interesting book and very touching and I think some people can relate to Elsie.
September 26, 2018
How Elsie found her voice among the numerous Hollis family
September 26, 2018
liked this one a LOT. read too many family dramas this year oops haha
September 30, 2020
This book is amazing, it's an easy read but you really get invested in the characters and want to know what is going to happen next.
Read
December 25, 2022A very compelling story about the Hollis family and their involvement in the theatre world. Elsie is a sweet little girl.
September 14, 2024
Courtesy of Archive.org. The second Hollis family book, though this one is more of a middle-grade one. Quick and absorbing read.
July 17, 2020
I read this book for some light reading and enjoyed it. I liked how it made me understood PSD and what families have to go through. My favourite part was when they were in the theatre and the mother was encouraged by the fact that she had helped the war effort!
December 2, 2015
Children's/YA Fiction.
Moments of magic to read and enjoy but didn't quite hit its full potential.
I read Goodnight Mister Tom for school and discovered another book by the same author which was this one. The year is 1947, two years after WW2 has ended and the story revolves around grammar school scholarship student Elise. Her older brother Ralph enjoys acting and spends most if not all of his time at the theatre acting in roles.
In this story, I experienced times of emotion as Elise struggles to confront a bully and her gang of friends and the fact that her dad hasn't invited her to his allotment. Elise's family aren't that well off and the dialogue by some of the characters do reflect this, particularly from Elise.
Elise spends a lot of time at the theatre over the summer and her life changes in ways that she couldn't possibly have imagined.
It was an enjoyable read however, there were moments when I had to go back and re-read things because I was confused about who was speaking and what was happening. I loved the ending of the story. I feel that the ending did wrap things up.
Another thing is that I didn't know that this was a sequel to another story. On the copy that I own, it didn't say anything about another book so I found that misleading.
I wouldn't mind reading it again on days when I have nothing to read. But I feel that the writer could have made some parts clearer and the flow a little bit more steady.
Moments of magic to read and enjoy but didn't quite hit its full potential.
I read Goodnight Mister Tom for school and discovered another book by the same author which was this one. The year is 1947, two years after WW2 has ended and the story revolves around grammar school scholarship student Elise. Her older brother Ralph enjoys acting and spends most if not all of his time at the theatre acting in roles.
In this story, I experienced times of emotion as Elise struggles to confront a bully and her gang of friends and the fact that her dad hasn't invited her to his allotment. Elise's family aren't that well off and the dialogue by some of the characters do reflect this, particularly from Elise.
Elise spends a lot of time at the theatre over the summer and her life changes in ways that she couldn't possibly have imagined.
It was an enjoyable read however, there were moments when I had to go back and re-read things because I was confused about who was speaking and what was happening. I loved the ending of the story. I feel that the ending did wrap things up.
Another thing is that I didn't know that this was a sequel to another story. On the copy that I own, it didn't say anything about another book so I found that misleading.
I wouldn't mind reading it again on days when I have nothing to read. But I feel that the writer could have made some parts clearer and the flow a little bit more steady.
October 17, 2019
Uppföljaren till Cuckoo, följer Ralphs lillasyster Elsie. Var rädd för att jag skulle sakna Ralph, och tycka att Elsie som är 12 år eller så var för barnslig men inte alls! Elsies utanförskap och hennes kamp för att passa in i något av de sammanhang hon befinner sig i är mycket tydligare och starkare nu än när jag läste den på mitten av tvåtusentalet (paus för att tänka på att 2020 snart är här & d är fucking crazy.) Elsie är en plugghäst från arbetarklass som är på en finare flickskola pga fina betyg. För att slippa sin mobbare under det långa sommarlovet söker hon & får huvudrollen i Palace theatres sommarföreställning. Älskar allt bröd i flott som de äter, och för stora ylleplagg som sticks!
Read
July 20, 2007A interesting book
showing a side of the war different from other books
Due to a little girls desire to be loved by her father [ as much as her father loves her brother ] ends with serious problems
after a bad hair cut, the loss of many girls clothes & being enroled at a posh, expensive private school this story ends which after a heart touching story, is very sweet.
showing a side of the war different from other books
Due to a little girls desire to be loved by her father [ as much as her father loves her brother ] ends with serious problems
after a bad hair cut, the loss of many girls clothes & being enroled at a posh, expensive private school this story ends which after a heart touching story, is very sweet.
July 20, 2007
I really enjoyed this book as it was a good sourece of information about life after world war 2 and how ellsie had to cope with her family problems.
It was also a chance to see how things have over the years and to see how family relationships have developed.
It was also a chance to see how things have over the years and to see how family relationships have developed.
November 4, 2007
I adore this book! I cheer for Elsie the whole way through, and it's wonderful to see her develop from being this shy mousy thing into a confident girl who knows what she wants. The ending has me in stitches every single time ("What... All alone in the world?" Oh, Annie. ♥)
April 4, 2008
This is a wonderful book about the life of a girl just after the second world war and how her life is. It tells how she is a victim for bullies and how the war even though it is over has had an impact on her life.
January 1, 2008
It's the second year of peace in Britain after World War 2. But Elsie hasn't found peace with the bullies.
In this book, Elsie learns to stand up for herself and to understand her family. I liked the way it ended.
In this book, Elsie learns to stand up for herself and to understand her family. I liked the way it ended.
June 12, 2023
This book is an amazing sequel. I have to admit there were times where I cried and times where I laughed. I really liked how you sore a bit of Ralph’s work through Elsie so you could see how Ralph is getting on.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews