Humbug

by Nina Bawden

While her parents are away on a business trip, Cora goes to stay with the next-door neighbors and is tormented by mean-spirited and deceitful Angelica, but she receives unexpected support from Angelica's elderly grandmother.

Genres: Childrens

133 pages, Hardcover

First published September 21, 1992

About the author

Nina Bawden was a popular British novelist and children's writer. Her mother was a teacher and her father a marine.

When World War II broke out she spent the school holidays at a farm in Shropshire along with her mother and her brothers, but lived in Aberdare, Wales, during term time.
Bawden attended Somerville College, Oxford, where she gained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Her novels include Carrie's War, Peppermint Pig, and The Witch's Daughter.

A number of her works have been dramatised by BBC Children's television, and many have been translated into various languages. In 2002 she was badly injured in the Potters Bar rail crash, and her husband Austen Kark was killed.

Bawden passed away at her home in London on 22 August 2012.

Reviews

[Sarah Thornton · Rating 3 out of 5]

As deeply unsettling as her other works, as full of human commentary as I could have hoped for such a short book.
I only wish she had extrapolated more.

[Katelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute book to read ♥

[Books Kids Like · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cora, Alice, and William stay with their grandparents while their parents go to Japan. Grandma breaks her leg while climbing an apple tree and goes to the hospital. Alice and William stay to help take care of Grandpa, but Cora must go live next door with the Dearhearts. Angelica Dearheart has one brown eye and one green. The green eye often snaps or glows, and Cora is soon convinced that Angelica is a witch. Despite her pretty features and heavenly name, Angelica is a liar and a sharp-mouthed tease. Cora is horrified at the way Mrs. Dearheart ridicules and demeans her own mother, Ma Potter, and the way Angelica is allowed to behave. Ma Potter befriends Cora and teaches her to say, "Humbug," whenever Angelica's lies and snipes get too much to take, but Cora finds that even "humbugs" don't help. Mrs. Dearheart accuses her of stealing her diamond ring, and for awhile Cora’s entire world spins out of control.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this books years ago as a child, interesting characters.

Is anyone able to answer please? Does cora strangle Angelica at the end and accidentally kill her? I read this years ago when I was a little girl and are not sure if I remember correctly or not?