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The Finding
Since nobody knows Alex's birthday (he was found abandoned, at the age of 5 months next to Cleopatra's Needle on the Embankment), he celebrates his finding day every year. On his eleventh finding day, Alex's gran takes him to visit old Mrs Angel, her neighbour, who gives him a photo of a girl in an old photograph frame. The girl in the photo, Mrs Angel's daughter who disappeared years ago, looks a bit like Alex. When Mrs Angel dies a few days later, it is discovered that she has left a fortune to Alex. Mrs Angel's nephew, her only relative and an extremely nasty man, is furious. Soon the local papers get hold of the story and Alex's family is pestered by reporters. Eventually Alex can't bear to see his mother so upset and, feeling it's all his fault, he runs away. After an adventures which becomes frightening, Alex is reunited and everything is sorted out.
- GenresChildrens
153 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
52 people want to read
About the author
Nina Bawden
62 books93 followersNina Bawden was a popular British novelist and children's writer. Her mother was a teacher and her father a marine.
When World War II broke out she spent the school holidays at a farm in Shropshire along with her mother and her brothers, but lived in Aberdare, Wales, during term time.
Bawden attended Somerville College, Oxford, where she gained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Her novels include Carrie's War, Peppermint Pig, and The Witch's Daughter.
A number of her works have been dramatised by BBC Children's television, and many have been translated into various languages. In 2002 she was badly injured in the Potters Bar rail crash, and her husband Austen Kark was killed.
Bawden passed away at her home in London on 22 August 2012.
When World War II broke out she spent the school holidays at a farm in Shropshire along with her mother and her brothers, but lived in Aberdare, Wales, during term time.
Bawden attended Somerville College, Oxford, where she gained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
Her novels include Carrie's War, Peppermint Pig, and The Witch's Daughter.
A number of her works have been dramatised by BBC Children's television, and many have been translated into various languages. In 2002 she was badly injured in the Potters Bar rail crash, and her husband Austen Kark was killed.
Bawden passed away at her home in London on 22 August 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 12, 2020
"Prayer concentrates the mind."
Nina Bawden is a wonderful writer, and The FInding is heartwarming, with just enough of a mystery to keep you hooked until the very end. I gave it four stars instead of five because the ending was rather too abrupt, and could have been fleshed out a little more.
Nina Bawden is a wonderful writer, and The FInding is heartwarming, with just enough of a mystery to keep you hooked until the very end. I gave it four stars instead of five because the ending was rather too abrupt, and could have been fleshed out a little more.
April 11, 2014
Spoiler alert!
Alex, who was abandoned as a baby, visits Mrs. Angel with his gran. It appears that Alex might resemble Mrs. Angel's daughter who disappeared years ago. Is Gran planting seeds of a connection in old Mrs. Angel's mind? Then Mrs. Angel dies and leaves Alex all of her (considerable) money. A nasty nephew shows up thinking he deserved the money. Is Alex entitled to the money? Is it a scam? Is the nephew dangerous? When news of Alex's inheritance is made public, the stress is too much for his mother. Feeling guilty, Alex runs away and is taken in by a kindly woman who keeps company with an unsavory bunch. Realizing his mistake, Alex now wants nothing more than to go home. In the end, all is resolved.
Given all the twists and turns and plot elements this could have been a gripping, couldn't-put-it-down kind of book. However the suspense just wasn't there for me. Is it because I'm older? Or maybe because the book is older and written in a more staid style than today's children's books? If you like an old-fashioned kind of read, you won't be disappointed.
Alex, who was abandoned as a baby, visits Mrs. Angel with his gran. It appears that Alex might resemble Mrs. Angel's daughter who disappeared years ago. Is Gran planting seeds of a connection in old Mrs. Angel's mind? Then Mrs. Angel dies and leaves Alex all of her (considerable) money. A nasty nephew shows up thinking he deserved the money. Is Alex entitled to the money? Is it a scam? Is the nephew dangerous? When news of Alex's inheritance is made public, the stress is too much for his mother. Feeling guilty, Alex runs away and is taken in by a kindly woman who keeps company with an unsavory bunch. Realizing his mistake, Alex now wants nothing more than to go home. In the end, all is resolved.
Given all the twists and turns and plot elements this could have been a gripping, couldn't-put-it-down kind of book. However the suspense just wasn't there for me. Is it because I'm older? Or maybe because the book is older and written in a more staid style than today's children's books? If you like an old-fashioned kind of read, you won't be disappointed.
August 17, 2015
One of my favorite books as a child, I must have read it at least twenty times in primary school.
It's one of the reasons I love reading so much today.
It's one of the reasons I love reading so much today.
September 30, 2017
C. fiction, children's, abandonment, Mom's stash, discard
February 11, 2015
It was o.k., but it was geared towards pre-teens and I would not let a child that young read it. I'm not keeping this one in my library. Even when my boys are older, there are much better books to read.
April 7, 2009
Grades 4+. An adopted English boy inherits a lot of money from a lady who was probably his real grandmother, causing him to run away.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews