Rereading: THE COMPASS POINTS NORTH by M. E. Atkinson

Cover and illustrations by Harold Jones

The third book of holiday adventures featuring the Lockett children: Oliver, Jane and Bill, begins with a new family of four children who are camping just on the English side of the Scottish border. They’re led by fiery Fenella, who reminds me a bit of Nancy Blackett in the Arthur Ransome books: full of ideas, ready to find an enemy to fight. The other Sinclair children are sensible Edward, practical sister Podge, and young brother Pip. They’re stuck at this camp because their mother’s car has broken down, and there’s no telling when it might get fixed. Fenella is delighted to find out another group of children has arrived in the small village, and begins to plot. Those children are Bill and Jane Lockett (brother Oliver goes on to stay with an Uncle in Edinborough) and sisters Morwenna and Esmé with their French governess Mademoiselle. Bill and Jane are disgusted to be staying under the thumb of a governess, but at least they can get out on their own once in a while. Also with them is another friend, young Bobby, who becomes the target of Fenella. She has decided that her own family represent the Ancient Britons, and the others are the Scots and Picts. A border war is called for, and it begins with the kidnapping of Bobby.

Before long a battle ensues, but later the two families join forces and work together to several ends. Bill and Edward are into fishing, Jane, Fenella and the sisters make friends with an English woman, Mrs. Hardy and her daughter Elspeth, living in a neighboring cottage, and learn that she is very worried about their future, as they are running out of money and have no income. The girls hatch plans to help her open a tea shop. Meanwhile Esmé is trying hard to match the toughness of Jane and Bill, and has some dangerous adventures of her own, and she and Pip also become detectives.

Great fun if you like British holiday adventures, as I do. Fine illustrations by Harold Jones, too. Recommended.

The Compass Points North by M E Atkinson

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