Poor Stainless

The Borrowers #4.5

by Mary Norton, Joe Krush (Illustrator), Beth Krush (Illustrator)

Juvenile fiction, The borrowers

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Short Stories, Childrens, Middle Grade, Classics, Young Adult

Library Binding

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Mary Norton (née Pearson) was an English children's author. She was the daughter of a physician, and was raised in a Georgian house at the end of the High Street in Leighton Buzzard. The house now consists of part of Leighton Middle School, known within the school as The Old House, and was reportedly the setting of her novel The Borrowers. She married Robert C. Norton in 1927 and had four children, 2 boys and 2 girls. Her second husband was Lionel Boncey, who she married in 1970. She began working for the War Office in 1940 before the family moved temporarily to the United States.

She began writing while working for the British Purchasing Commission in New York during the Second World War. Her first book was The Magic Bed Knob; or, How to Become a Witch in Ten Easy Lessons published in 1943, which, together with the sequel Bonfires and Broomsticks, became the basis for the Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Mary Norton died of a stroke in Devon, England in 1992.

Reviews

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is a very short story, I did like reading it. I just wonder why they made it a seperate small story instead of putting it in the big books. Still great to read for a Saturday!

[Rasha | رشا · Rating 3 out of 5]

ظريفة.

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one's a short story, really. Just Homily telling a story to Arriety, from the days when there were many Borrowers in the house. It's nice to see so many, and more of their customs -- though you have to wonder how they come to be so few -- and it ends as a sort of cautionary tale about eating too many sweets. It's not long enough to be satisfying as a story, really, but it adds juuuust a little detail.

[Nicki Hinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute little story! Not a book, but rather a short story that is told by one of the Borrowers to another in the larger book, The Borrowers Aloft.

I have really enjoyed Mary's writing. I somehow missed these books growing up and they were a great start of summer read for me this year!

[Nadine Keels · Rating 3 out of 5]

A world of miniature people live close enough to borrow what they need from human beings without being "seen." When one of the youngest borrowers goes missing one day, his family and neighbors go out to either find him safe or to discover his unfortunate fate in Poor Stainless by author Mary Norton.

I much prefer one subtitle for this short story over another: A New Story about the Borrowers (oh, yay!) rather than The Last Borrowers Story (aw, man). While I first read about the borrowers almost three decades ago, I only recently learned of this additional story's existence, and I had to check it out.

Granted, although this quick tale is technically a standalone, I don't think many folks who aren't already familiar with this classic children's fantasy series and its characters would care much about this little bonus piece. I myself didn't find the story the most interesting until toward the end.

But, hey. It's nearly time for me to read the fifth, longest, and last novel of the series for the first time. I'm excited but a little nervous to see how it'll all wrap up, and what better way to stall than by reading a bonus story first?
___________
Update after reading The Borrowers Avenged, the fifth and last book of the series:

I'd recommend either getting your hands on an original copy of Book Four, The Borrowers Aloft, or finding Book Four's original conclusion online somewhere. Then let that original ending be The End.

A few more of my thoughts are here.

[Kate H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Norton was one of my all time favorite authors as a child and I am pleased to say that her books stand the test of time as I still enjoy them as an adult. I find her premise to be super creative and well thought out and I really like her characters. I think the books are wonderful and I also think you should never watch the movie as it's awful and shouldn't even share a name with the novels.

[Sarah Wolfe Ellison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute and cozy. I love the illustrations and the world. My only critique, which is honestly a critique of all of Mary Norton's work, is that Norton is a product of her time and perpetuates female stereotypes in the character of Homily and it gets very annoying. Homily is a foil to her daughter Arriety so it is likely that Norton charicatured her to show that contrast.

[Diane Close · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too bad the latter books in the Borrowers series didn't contain more stories like this! It was fun to hear about their adventures searching for others while being content in their home, instead of constantly trying to escape to a new location. This very short tale was nicely different and I enjoyed it very much.

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and enjoyable little story. I think though that it would have been better listed as a prequel story, since it takes place before the events of book one and the jump back in time to Homily and Arietty under the floor in the big house was jarring.

[Samantha Venter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hoping that this book would conclude the last series a bit more, but actually it was just a lovely short story all on it's own. I love Mary Norton's imagination and have loved delving into this world. I enjoyed this book just as much as the others!

[Dorrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely little novella in the Borrowers universe following a wild and lively young borrower called Stainless and the japes and peril he got up to. We listen in as Homily recounts these tales to Arriety, an enjoyable and fun-filled addition to the series.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/4/18 age 7 - The part in this book that I liked was when the boy was on the window shade with two people in bed sleeping.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

[Beata · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5*

[ThePinkCarrot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darling book!

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming addendum to The Borrower’s books is vaguely reminiscent of the plot found in W. Somerset Maugham’s short story, “The Luncheon.”

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read, enjoyable and cosy.

[Lorraine Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming (as all Borrowers stories are) but wish it was longer. A great find in a charity bookshop for just £1 though and will treasure it.

[Shon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, nothing too special. We do get some backstory on Homily's childhood though.

[A.R. Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of boring compared to the novels. I don't really see the point of the author writing this; I guess she wanted to show us what Firbank was like when full of borrowers, but the story doesn't have enough words to get me interested, which is a shame because it is and interesting idea. It just doesn't live up to the atmosphere of the almost-empty house that Norton creates in The Borrowers.

[TSStechAngel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this short story that's at the end of The Borrowers aloft. Telling an extra story about how it used to be in the old house with so many other borrower families living in it. Give all of these a read!

[Beka · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story about Homily's childhood.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short, but good for kids who have read the other borrower stories.

[Ruth Koontz]

not as great as the main books, but a decent read!

[Jess Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story to finish of the series, short but sweet (good pun there!)

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short story that takes in the reminiscences of Homily of when she was a girl. A nice little addition to the borrowers story as a whole.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short borrowers tale which is well illustrated and offers a little back story on Homily, but doesn't have the depth or character development of the other stories.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

i'm not familiar w/the borrowers - there was little(?) in here to encourage me to want to read the rest of the series.