Always a pleasure to spend time with Miss Read. She beautifully blends an observant love of nature with compassionate humanity for her neighbors and students. I always feel refreshed and better about the world after reading one of her novels! In this installment, we reconnect with Mrs. Pringle's walking wreck of a relative, the messy, fertile, wild spirited Minnie. And the school is in danger of being closed. Arthur Coggs is up to his usual unrepentant ways, but now Mrs. Coggs has unsuccessfully taken up petty larceny. However, as always, a ray of sun brings harmony and beauty to balance the world. ( )

This book goes back to the formula of little vignettes from Fairacre village life, with small upsets, small triumphs and a lot of gossip. Minnie Pringle (no better than she should be!) has some tribulations regarding men. There's still discussion about if the school should be closed. Arthur Coggs gets pinched for stealing (no better than he should be!) and the vicar is endearingly vague. What's not to like? ( )