The Adventurous Summer

by Mabel Esther Allan, Isabel Veevers (Illustrator)

includes short story Silver Rose

Genres: Childrens, Historical Fiction, Classics

219 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1948

About the author

A 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.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an unexpected delight! I had never heard of this author before I became acquainted with Girls Gone By Publishers. This is a sweet and lively story about Sorrel and Nick who move from London to a small rural town in the Cotswolds to live with their aunt, uncle, and cousin while their parents tour in America for work. They meet the local kids, including the Earl’s granddaughter Caroline who is full of spunk, and attend the local school. They form an Adventure Club and have hilarious and spooky and marvelous adventures together. Everything ends happily and well and they have formed lifelong friendships. Plus their nomadic writer Uncle appears in a caravan and sets into motion some exciting plot points!

[Capn · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's an awful lot of action in this one, and probably too much for one story. It's not the action I object to - moonlight picnics, haunted houses, making new friends and forming an Adventure Club, picnicking on Roman mosaics, near-drownings, electrical storms, being caught in your undies in a greenhouse in the early hours of the morning, two major fires, a separate midnight bonfire on a burial mound, a May Day morning of washing in the dew, a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, two plays, a serious concussion, secret hiding places in the Manor house, camping under the stars, a runaway child and more (yep, more on top of that!) - it's the endless unlikely coincidences and happily-ever-afters that kept popping up that irked.

Spoilers follow. It's one of those stories where there's mention of a long-lost relative off gallivanting across the globe, and then a stranger appears, and in the middle of night, in the middle of a storm, in the middle of woods, to save the day. Guess who. And the offspring of a famous celebrity is rumoured to be sequestered in the village. And look, we just met a mysterious new kid. Guess who. It gets worse - 3/7 of the kids are already related (protagonists Sorrel and Nick who go to stay with their cousin Joy), but by the end, effectively, 5/7 are now family (and those are separate kids, not siblings, joining in), and 6/7 (or is it all 7?!) will be all going to school together in the Cotswolds, despite half of the kids being from London and not the Cotwolds anyway. And there's a dream of one of the kids that comes true so revoltingly improbably (alright, none of the happily-ever-afters seemed very plausible to me, but I'm willing to overlook the quaintness in these stories as they are meant for mid-century children after all), and then to make it worse, she added another unlikely twist of fate that suddenly makes her family now, too! Throw in a few of the standard, "Don't worry, we've fixed it all up to work out exactly as you hoped, dear."-variety plot devices, and that was it for me. Couldn't really enjoy it. It went too far.

All in all, this really is one Adventurous Summer. It's not the adventures that are the problem - it's the improbable inter-connections of everyone and everything, and having every little dilemma turn out to be no problem at all, once it wasn't needed to move the story along.

"The Silver Rose", a good chunk of an unfinished sequel to this story, thoughtfully tacked on by the lovely Girls Gone By Publishers at the back of this story, was an unexpected but welcome bonus. The illustration in there was gorgeous (as were Isobel Veever's illustrations throughout the main feature, I should mention! She's always very good).

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet book! This was my first Mabel Esther Allan book and I really liked it. Her writing style is lively and fun, easily keeping me interested from the very first page.

I usually don't gravitate towards adventure books, but this one was just the right type of adventure. Kids going to the Cotswolds, school tales, country estates, midnight picnics and overnight caravan excursions...so fun!

I'll be looking forward to reading more of her books soon. I'm crossing my fingers that I can find a copy of Chiltern School to read!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming and pastoral book intended originally for children, but I think best enjoyed by adults today who are looking for that quiet, comfortable, cottage core feel.
The book opens with two children being sent to the countryside to stay with a relative while the parents go to America because of the husband’s job. Whilst in the country, the children are introduced to other children in the vicinity and form a club called the Wyndstane Adventurer’s Club. Together they go on one adventure after another, often with one of the characters, Caroline the Earl’s granddaughter getting into mischief.
I have a beautiful copy of this book from Girls Gone By press. It’s wonderful that they re-print these vintage feel good books.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book by Mable Esther Allen that I've read. I decided to branch out with my Girls Gone By choices and not just stick to Elinor B-D and Dorita F.B.
I'm glad I did. Yes, there are so many crazy coincidences in this books, but it's a fun book for children and I can go elsewhere for 'serious' literature. The characterisation is a lot better than in some books from this genre and it's a shame there aren't more books featuring them.
However, M.E.A. had an extensive output, and I am definitely putting her on my list of authors to look out for.

[Christine McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable story. Plenty of adventures occur, some planned and some not. Mabel Esther Allan is in good form here.! The descriptions of rural life are an added bonus.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nearly a five. Excellent characterisation.