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Hopscotch Summer #1
A Hopscotch Summer
Emma Brown is a happy-go-lucky child, content to work hard at school, and to play hopscotch with her friends on the pavement outside her house in the run-down Nechells area of Birmingham. As long as everything is alright at home with her Ma and Pa, her little sister Joyce and brother Sid, then life is good. But after Em’s mother Cynthia has her baby she just doesn’t seem to be able to cope. Her life-long friend and neighbour Dot helps as much as she can, but she has children of her own, and no man to hand; Cynthia’s husband Bob, too, does his best, but begins to feel that he’s losing the wife he has loved so much; and little Em just can’t find enough hours in the day to do all the washing and cleaning. Soon, it seems, the only thing is for Cynthia to go and stay across the city with her tyrannical older sister. With Cynthia away, life only gets harder for Em. Her best friend Kate ostracizes her, leaving only poor, stinky Molly Fox at her side, and when the Board Man comes to call, wanting to know why she’s not at school, things are really bad. When Bob stays out later and later in the evenings, always the worse for wear, and spending too much time with a local very merry widow, Em decides to travel across Birmingham to fetch her mother home, but the mother she discovers is a far cry from the proud, upright and loving figure she has known so well...
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 5, 2009
About the author
Annie Murray
55 books175 followersAnnie Murray was a ‘childhood writer.’ Her career was helped a great deal by belonging to Tindal Street Fiction Group in Birmingham and by winning the SHE/Granada TV Short Story Competition in 1991. She has published short stories in a number of anthologies as well as SHE magazine. Her first regional saga, Birmingham Rose appeared in 1995 and reached the Times bestseller list. She has since published more than a dozen others, including the ‘Cadbury books,’ Chocolate Girls and The Bells of Bournville Green, Family of Women and her latest, A Hopscotch Summer. Annie has four children and lives near Reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 14, 2018
Well written and very hard to put down. Storytelling at it's best.
July 2, 2015
A realistic look into the difficulties of life during the Depression, focussing mainly on 8-year-old Emma Brown. Many of the adults in this book have experienced hardship in the decades leading up to when the story is set in 1931. Cynthia Brown, Emma's mum, was born in about 1904 and lost her mother at age 5 her father remarried soon afterwards and her stepmother and her sons were cruel to her, which is probably a major factor in Cynthia later developing what is now known as Post-Natal Depression, it is now known that girls who lose their mothers at a young age are more likely to develop this after they become mothers themselves. Bob Brown, Emma's dad, lost both his parents as a child and was raised in an orphanage, as a result Em's parents are both quite vulnerable characters. Dot Wiggins, their neighbour (and like a surrogate mum to Cynthia) was widowed as a result of World War 1 15 years earlier but she seems to be a stronger, more resilient person. There are other lesser male characters in this book who have also never got over their World War 1 experiences 15 or so years earlier. Cynthia also lost her brother, the only family member she was close to, in the War when she was 13 in 1917.
When this story opens Cynthia is in labour with her fourth child in eight years, not at all uncommon in the days before contraception was in use. All is well with the family at that time, Emma is one of the most popular girls at school along with her best friend Katie. Another girl, Molly Fox, is always trying to be friends with Emma, but Molly is seen as the school reject due to the way she dresses and because she always smells. This is as a result of bedwetting, likely a result as the sexual abuse she suffers from her grandfather who lives with the family. Her mother is very brutal towards her, her father is damaged from his World War One service and from having an awful wife. Their house always smells putrid, in part due to her father's gangrene.
The Brown family consists of Bob and Cynthia, Emma, 8, Sid (presumably short for Sidney),6 and Joyce, 4. They are joined by Violet in the first few pages of the novel. However Cynthia soon becomes very run down from breastfeeding and caring for yet another child and feels disconnected from everything and often teary - all classic Post-Natal Depression signs. After Joyce goes missing overnight she deteriorates rapidly, often laying in bed all day leaving Em to do all the chores. In those days of course washing was by hand, with a mangle, very heavy work and cooking was a lot more work than now no pre-packaged meals. For a child it would have been especially hard.
Bob seemed a very good husband and father in the early part of the story when things are going well - he has a wife who cooks and cleans for him and sleeps with him, but as his wife's condition deteriorates his character becomes quite nasty. He becomes aggressive towards her and the children, complaining about her not having his dinner waiting for him when he gets home and roaring sentiments such as "The idle cow can get up and see to my tea, that she can! I'll show 'er what a wife is!" and " Stop blarting woman and get on with it". He does not seem to appreciate how much work four children, one a baby, and a running a household in 1931 is. He soon threatens to leave her unless she goes back to the way she was and packs her off to her sister's house - a sister who Cynthia does not get along with, but Bob ignores her protests "I'm not givin' in to you no more" and sends her away anyway, much to the childrens' dismay. He shows no sympathy towards the children missing their mum and makes no effort to care for them, preferring to go to the pub. Their neighbour, Dot Wiggins ends up assisting Em with caring for the Sid and Joyce, the baby having gone away with Cynthia.
When this story opens Cynthia is in labour with her fourth child in eight years, not at all uncommon in the days before contraception was in use. All is well with the family at that time, Emma is one of the most popular girls at school along with her best friend Katie. Another girl, Molly Fox, is always trying to be friends with Emma, but Molly is seen as the school reject due to the way she dresses and because she always smells. This is as a result of bedwetting, likely a result as the sexual abuse she suffers from her grandfather who lives with the family. Her mother is very brutal towards her, her father is damaged from his World War One service and from having an awful wife. Their house always smells putrid, in part due to her father's gangrene.
The Brown family consists of Bob and Cynthia, Emma, 8, Sid (presumably short for Sidney),6 and Joyce, 4. They are joined by Violet in the first few pages of the novel. However Cynthia soon becomes very run down from breastfeeding and caring for yet another child and feels disconnected from everything and often teary - all classic Post-Natal Depression signs. After Joyce goes missing overnight she deteriorates rapidly, often laying in bed all day leaving Em to do all the chores. In those days of course washing was by hand, with a mangle, very heavy work and cooking was a lot more work than now no pre-packaged meals. For a child it would have been especially hard.
Bob seemed a very good husband and father in the early part of the story when things are going well - he has a wife who cooks and cleans for him and sleeps with him, but as his wife's condition deteriorates his character becomes quite nasty. He becomes aggressive towards her and the children, complaining about her not having his dinner waiting for him when he gets home and roaring sentiments such as "The idle cow can get up and see to my tea, that she can! I'll show 'er what a wife is!" and " Stop blarting woman and get on with it". He does not seem to appreciate how much work four children, one a baby, and a running a household in 1931 is. He soon threatens to leave her unless she goes back to the way she was and packs her off to her sister's house - a sister who Cynthia does not get along with, but Bob ignores her protests "I'm not givin' in to you no more" and sends her away anyway, much to the childrens' dismay. He shows no sympathy towards the children missing their mum and makes no effort to care for them, preferring to go to the pub. Their neighbour, Dot Wiggins ends up assisting Em with caring for the Sid and Joyce, the baby having gone away with Cynthia.
February 22, 2017
Excellent story of family life and it's ups and downs - the struggle to survive not only as adults but as children too and the harsh realities it brought because of being poor.
A book you don't want to nor can put down
A book you don't want to nor can put down
August 17, 2012
What an emotional rollercoaster read!
Poor Em, the main 7 year old character whose life dramatically changes through the birth of baby sister and effect this has on her mother. As she is forced to take on more repsonsibility and her family life falls apart, the reader can marvel at her strength and character yet succumb to the sad reality that many children in that era had to face (and many still do today).
Some of the imagery produced by the writing brought me almost to tears as Ems mother struggled against Post-Natal Depression that obviously wasn't diagnosed at the time.
My sympathy for Ems dad came and went as he also struggled with his wife's sudden illness and absence as she fights to recover. Being left with 4 children leds him to drink and other distractions. Of course, family life back then was very different with the man in the house being the bread winner and wifes having duties to keep the house, make sure dinner was on the table and satisfy their husbands.
Neighbour, Dot, who somehow manages to keep the children going in the midst of dispair is a character to look up to and admire - it is characters like this who we are missing most in society today.
The injection of the side story of Molly aims to paint a clear picture of how vulnurable yet defiant children can be and had to be as well as how sometimes it is the friendship of those you least expect that are the best.
I really enjoyed reading this and was distracted from my studies (oops) on one particular day to sit and read a good few chapters for hours after arriving home from work. Would highly reccomend.
Poor Em, the main 7 year old character whose life dramatically changes through the birth of baby sister and effect this has on her mother. As she is forced to take on more repsonsibility and her family life falls apart, the reader can marvel at her strength and character yet succumb to the sad reality that many children in that era had to face (and many still do today).
Some of the imagery produced by the writing brought me almost to tears as Ems mother struggled against Post-Natal Depression that obviously wasn't diagnosed at the time.
My sympathy for Ems dad came and went as he also struggled with his wife's sudden illness and absence as she fights to recover. Being left with 4 children leds him to drink and other distractions. Of course, family life back then was very different with the man in the house being the bread winner and wifes having duties to keep the house, make sure dinner was on the table and satisfy their husbands.
Neighbour, Dot, who somehow manages to keep the children going in the midst of dispair is a character to look up to and admire - it is characters like this who we are missing most in society today.
The injection of the side story of Molly aims to paint a clear picture of how vulnurable yet defiant children can be and had to be as well as how sometimes it is the friendship of those you least expect that are the best.
I really enjoyed reading this and was distracted from my studies (oops) on one particular day to sit and read a good few chapters for hours after arriving home from work. Would highly reccomend.
July 19, 2012
Really enjoyed this book, it was well written. I could really feel what it must have been like for those children being brought up in those times.
October 14, 2020
Set in the 1930s Emma was a happy go lucky child and was looking forward to the new baby but when she arrives her mother seems unable to cope. Even her close friend Dot cant seem to get through to her and in the end her mother leaves to stop with her sister until she feels better.
Unable to cope her father turns to drink and the burden of caring for her brother and sister plus cooking and cleaning falls to Emma. Struggling to cope she is shunned by the girl she considered a friend.
To her surprise a girl who is shunned due to her awful home circumstances becomes her closest friend stepping in to help her despite her appalling home life.
Eventually Emma's mother comes home but she is very different to the mother Emma used to have. Is there any way to get the family back together?
I really liked this story it was very interesting and detailed
Unable to cope her father turns to drink and the burden of caring for her brother and sister plus cooking and cleaning falls to Emma. Struggling to cope she is shunned by the girl she considered a friend.
To her surprise a girl who is shunned due to her awful home circumstances becomes her closest friend stepping in to help her despite her appalling home life.
Eventually Emma's mother comes home but she is very different to the mother Emma used to have. Is there any way to get the family back together?
I really liked this story it was very interesting and detailed
June 3, 2024
I listened to this on audio books. This is set in Nechelles, a area of birmingham, so the narration of the characters is done in a birmingham accent.
It's based around a young child, her siblings and parents. It's an interesting listen, and you really begin to feel you are in this terraced house with not much furniture.
It all begins happy but then takes a turn, and just when you think you know what is going on, another twist that takes you in a completely different way.
I really enjoyed this.
It's based around a young child, her siblings and parents. It's an interesting listen, and you really begin to feel you are in this terraced house with not much furniture.
It all begins happy but then takes a turn, and just when you think you know what is going on, another twist that takes you in a completely different way.
I really enjoyed this.
June 4, 2017
A powerful story about a family in crisis. Bob and Cynthia Brown, their children Emma (8y), Sid, Joycie and newborn Violet. After the birth of Violet, Cynthia experiences what we now know as extreme post-partum depression. This leads to several negative outcomes as the family ties to deal with this. This is a true working class family story with some positives thrown in but even more negatives (child abuse, abandonment, adultery). A very realistic read.
April 21, 2023
This was a good story, a real rollercoaster, with lots going on. Desperately sad at times too, but with lots of twists and turns to keep you reading. If you like family sagas, then I can recommend it. But don't read it if you are a new Mother or have any ongoing issues in your own life. It isn't an easy ride. Looking forward to the next two in the series. Thank you Annie Murray. :-)
October 12, 2018
Interesting story, easy read, wanted to know what happened so had to keep reading.
January 8, 2019
An easy read book that sucks you in to the strong characters' lives. Straight on to the next book in the series
November 5, 2019
See more in https://www.fahasa.com/
May 18, 2020
Could not get into this writer at all.....only read the first 70 pages
January 14, 2023
Loved reading this book
September 13, 2023
I loved that story that was told.
I couldn't put this one down and I thought the situation was heart-breaking.
It had the perfect ending.
I couldn't put this one down and I thought the situation was heart-breaking.
It had the perfect ending.
October 1, 2025
made me sad happy and angry was a really good read
April 15, 2025
Started and finished date - 12.04.25 to 15.04.25.
My rating - Three Stars.
This book isn't my usually read and I found this book okay but I didn't love it also the cover of book was fine. The atmosphere was fine and the writing was okay. The paced of plot was well structured and plot was steady paced. The characters was okay but found boring and I would have like to flash out bit more.
My rating - Three Stars.
This book isn't my usually read and I found this book okay but I didn't love it also the cover of book was fine. The atmosphere was fine and the writing was okay. The paced of plot was well structured and plot was steady paced. The characters was okay but found boring and I would have like to flash out bit more.
February 3, 2017
Its nice, not that much depressing as I have heard about it. But its not so exciting and lacks curiosity. There is no definite climax as well . Its very helpful for someone having the urge to increase vocabulary. Words have been chosen perfectly for every situation.
January 17, 2016
What an amazing book!
This is a book that will stick in my mind for some time.
It's a sad story, and I was very moved, even emotional, but Isn't that what good books are supposed to do - produce a reaction?
As the story begins, Cynthia gives birth to a baby daughter, the forth child to be born into the Brown household. After the birth Cynthia finds life difficult and suffers from what we now know as post-natal depression, but it the 1920's and 30's it was not a recognized condition. The book focus is on Em, the eldest child and only 8 years old when things start to go badly wrong.
The story highlights post-natal depression and how it affects the whole family, but also brings to life the back streets of Birmingham and the struggles of day to day life. The characters feel realistic, and the majority of them are easy to relate to. I am from the West Midlands and found that some of the dialect and old sayings were very familiar to me.
Well done Annie Murray!
This is a book that will stick in my mind for some time.
It's a sad story, and I was very moved, even emotional, but Isn't that what good books are supposed to do - produce a reaction?
As the story begins, Cynthia gives birth to a baby daughter, the forth child to be born into the Brown household. After the birth Cynthia finds life difficult and suffers from what we now know as post-natal depression, but it the 1920's and 30's it was not a recognized condition. The book focus is on Em, the eldest child and only 8 years old when things start to go badly wrong.
The story highlights post-natal depression and how it affects the whole family, but also brings to life the back streets of Birmingham and the struggles of day to day life. The characters feel realistic, and the majority of them are easy to relate to. I am from the West Midlands and found that some of the dialect and old sayings were very familiar to me.
Well done Annie Murray!
August 26, 2015
Read it years ago but still I vividly remember Emma , her family and her friends. Very well written, well etched characters and emotional story. You weep at the helplessness and sadness that engulfs Emma - when she has to stop school to take care of the house, the poverty, her despair for her mom, dad etc. Also, the way things are at poor Molly Fox home is pretty sad too.
May 15, 2013
I could not put the book down I loved it about a girl whose mom had a really bad labour and goes insane for a while leaving a dad who is entangled with another woman and a 8 year old em to bring up her two sisters with Molly as a friend.
June 11, 2010
good old annie murray lightens the heart of all readers
June 1, 2011
Fantastic.
January 1, 2013
Love all Annie Murrays books
March 1, 2013
I found this book extremely hard to get through. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who disagrees with infidelity, or you'll want to scream at everyone in the end.
September 13, 2015
amazing book, loved it!
November 10, 2015
Always enjoyed Annie Murray. A great read as always
December 21, 2016
I didn't like it at all. I'm not big on taking the Lord's name in vain.
October 12, 2012
Ok but the middle section was a bit slow
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews