One's Pool

by Ray Pope, Phillida Gili (Illustrator)

"One is one and all alone," the children sang, looking at David who had no brothers and sisters and lived so far from the school that in holiday time, when the school bus didn't run, he had no chance of coming to the school pool. "One is the saddest-looking Infant," the Juniors decided, and led by Mark, three of them set out to do something about it. The long bike ride uphill was discouraging, but above One's house a stream trickled into a secret valley and the children realised they could build a dam to make a pool of their own. How the dam grew, and One's self-confidence with it, makes a warm-hearted and finely-observed story of country children working and playing together, and the telling of the tale is in words and phrases simple enough for One's contemporaries to read to themselves.

Once read by Prunella Scales on 'Jackanory' a BBC TV childrens story telling program.

86 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1969

About the author

Ray Pope (1925-79) studied at Goldsmiths College London UK before becoming a geography teacher and childrens author of many titles including The Model Railway Men series. He grew up by the sea in Shoreham where his father was Harbour Master. He was a radio operator in the Navy during the war. He lived the latter part of his life in a village near Bath UK. He had a keen interest in anything nautical which is reflected in some of his writing. His inspiration seems to have come from life experiences of both himself and his children, one of whom, Rae Beth has her own books available on Amazon. Ray had a large model railway in the attic of the house where he would spend time with his two sons Glenn and Mark. The books maintain their popularity perhaps because of their timeless appeal set before the internet and video games. He wrote many childrens stories including Nut Case, Desperate Breakaway, Strosa Light and One's Pool. The latter was read on Jackanory (a BBC TV childrens story reading program) by Prunella Scales. However, he was perhaps best known for The Model Railway Men series.