Miss Read Tales from a Village School

I just finished the first book in my self-imposed Miss Read challenge. For my first book I chose HER first book, Tales from a Village School. This books is not actually short stories nor is it written in chapter form but rather, it is episodic. Each episode depicts an event or maybe an entire day in the life of Miss Read, a village school teacher.

Even though this book is set in the English village of Fairacre in the mid-1950's, it is strongly reminiscent of my kindergarten year at our neighborhood Methodist church, also in the mid-1950's. As I read along, I visualized not this village school in a faraway land but rather the large, pink, asbestos shingled barn-like kindergarten building that I attended. The activities were quite similiar -- like going outside for recess and pretending to be horses, or balls, or pins. Or, perhaps, getting ready for the Christmas program. Or maybe the orange juice and dreadful gingersnaps. At any rate, this book had a very familiar tone to it and a very comfortable feeling.

Also, parents reading this books will recognize the antics of ALL children, EVERYWHERE -- boys will be boys and girls will cry. Yet, it was all handled with the deft nurturing of Miss Read and all was well in the end.

Very good book, makes me look forward to the next.