Changes at Fairacre

When I can pick up a book and instantly be removed from the real world to a world of sweeter times I know I will read the book more than once!

I love all of the Miss Read books; they are witty, and filled with infectious, gentle humor, and periodically, a nice verbal dart to burst a pompous bubble. Much as I love the Fairacre and Thrush Green series, it is always difficult when a beloved character, like Dolly Clare, dies. Once you are drawn into Miss Read's universe, you never want to leave. It's such a warm, comforting, soothing place; you feel as though you know every character and their quirks after just a few books. So you feel as though Miss Clare is a much loved old friend. It's difficult not to admire and love her; the British Empire must have been built on the sturdy backs and common sense, and faith of millions of men and women like Miss Clare. She never makes a big splash in the way of the world, but she influenced, and was loved by all of her pupils and neighbors. She had rare common sense, and humor, allied to a keen intelligence, and she had courage. These books are a journey into a lost world. When I was a child, there were still neighborhoods and people like Miss Clare, and her friends. Those have all but vanished, but you can revisit them over again, in Miss Read's lovely books. Prepare to shed a few tears, or a lot of tears, over the passing of gentle Dolly Clare, but rejoice with Miss Read that Dolly has left her the cottage and it's contents, and secured her future. I have every book in the Fairacre and Thrush Green series, and I find myself rereading them every year, or every other year. No matter how many times you have read them, you can't escape their gentle spell, and kinder worlds. Despite the fact that Dora Saint sometimes switches facts in the same or subsequent books, you just smile, because it's something we all do, from time to time. For instance, in one of the first books, the Coggs twins are already in Miss Clare's class, but at the end of the book, Mrs. Coggs appears to be just registering them for school! The sex of Tibby the cat goes from female to male, and back again, without any explanation. One can assume that Tibby dies and is replaced by another Tibby, but not within the span of pages! That is the only fault I find with these books, other than the fact that there are only so many of them. Any time is right for a Fairacre fix, so sit down with a cup of tea, your very own Tibby, and prepare to be enchanted. Don't say I didn't warn you. If you enjoy Miss Read, then you have probably also discovered D.E. Stevenson and Jan Karon, who also write about small towns and villages, and recurring characters. If you haven't discovered those ladies, yet, let me suggest that you do. You are in for a treat.