Another book read for Kaggsy and Simon Stuck-in-a-Book‘s #1962Club, and this was a surprise extra entry. I’m so grateful to Calmgrove for mentioning this book as I had forgotten it existed / I had it and am not sure I knew it was published in 1962. When I saw the mention I remembered it and there it was on my Children’s Bookshelf (handily in my study, so I didn’t have to go far) and I had a super time reading it. I remembered the story as I started it, and I also showed it to Matthew and while we didn’t read a lot of the same books growing up, he remembered this one very clearly, too!
Pauline Clarke – “The Twelve and the Genii”
(From my collection: this edition published in 1977; I probably acquired it in about 1980)
She would have to believe it if she saw it. But if she made a noise, then they might freeze, they would, and she would laugh at him and call him batty. His heart felt big with such a thrilling secret inside it. He did not know ho not to tell someone. But of course, once he had told, then it was no longer his secret. There would be the joy of telling, of showing Jane, or proving it, and then there would be Jane wanting to join in everything and enjoy it too. (p. 10)
Max and his family, mum and dad (amazingly for a children’s book of this period, both present and not dead / at sea or something), his older sister Jane and much older brother Philip have just moved into a new house in Yorkshire. We’re thrown right into the action from the start, with Max sitting outside the attic, wondering at the fact that the wooden soldiers he found wrapped in a cloth under the floorboards appear to be alive.
They are living near the Brontes’ parsonage in Haworth, and as news gets out of his find, there’s soon speculation that they are the toys that belonged to the Brontes, about whom they wrote stories and histories. This appears to be borne out by the soldiers themselves – never toys, always dignified, actual people, they tell Max of their history and of the genii who used to preside over them.
Where nowadays we’d read of social media posts, in this fine book we’re treated to a brisk debate in the local paper’s letters pages about whether they are the soldiers and where they should go, and when Philip gets involved and sends off to let an American academic know, the peril increases. The whole village gets a sort of collective excitement about it all, with many of the inhabitants longing to see what there’s rumoured to be seen, not all for financial gain.
Jane is a great character; inclined to find them sweet at first, she’s immensely practical, bringing out her doll’s house plates and glasses and providing food and drink. I don’t (want to) think this is because she’s a girl, but because she’s a bit older than Max; she’s also brave and resourceful.
As well as the good story and lovely characterisation of Max, Jane and the soldiers, there is room for some beautiful descriptions, especially of the night-time scenes, and also the “Brontyfan”, the vicar, Mr Howson, who relates matters to his own religion and has a rather lovely paragraph where he prays that Jane, pining for Mr Rochester but destined to “have to marry a quite ordinary man like himself” will meet a “good, true [man] who should value the flame inside her and not dim it” (p. 72), quite an unusual passage in an unusual and lovely book.
This was my second read for #1962Club. I haven’t started my third one but I have until Sunday to read and review it, so fingers crossed I manage!
madamebibilophile
Oct 19, 2023 @ 09:41:30
I don’t think I read this as a child, it sounds wonderful! It’s never too late…
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Liz Dexter
Oct 19, 2023 @ 10:25:33
It’s such a lovely one, I don’t see it mentioned a lot so not sure it was a big one, but nice that my husband and I both read it as children!
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Lory
Oct 19, 2023 @ 09:59:07
I have read this long ago but don’t remember it at all. I’m glad it’s surfacing again here!
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Liz Dexter
Oct 19, 2023 @ 10:26:05
For something I am sure I’ve not read for at least 37 years I did remember quite a lot of it!
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kaggsysbookishramblings
Oct 19, 2023 @ 10:14:02
What an interesting find, Liz. I’ve not heard of the book or author, but I think I would have enjoyed this one – especially with the Bronte connection. Fascinating!
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Liz Dexter
Oct 19, 2023 @ 10:26:54
It’s absolutely lovely and it’s made me glad I kept (or rebought after an unfortunate cat-related incident 30-odd years ago!) all my older children’s books.
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Elle
Oct 19, 2023 @ 10:43:19
Oh my goodness–I’ve read, not this, but another Clarke book called The Return of the Twelves which deals with the same toy soldiers! There’s a memorable officer character named Butter Crashey (for the reasons you might expect) and I think it might be set at Christmas; I’ve a feeling my parents bought it for me and my brother as a Christmas-week-readaloud book, a tradition we kept up for years. What fun!
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Liz Dexter
Oct 19, 2023 @ 11:36:12
It looks like The Return of the Twelve is the US title so the same book! It is lovely though.
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Elle
Oct 19, 2023 @ 11:46:01
Ahhhh! Fantastic 🙂
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Calmgrove
Oct 19, 2023 @ 13:18:55
I’m certain I will want to read this in due course, Liz, especially after such an enticing review! I’ve two or three collections selected from the so-called Brontë juvenilia (strictly speaking a few pieces were written quite late on, before Charlotte went off to Brussels I think). This sounds like an ideal way into the complex relationships between the stories of the four siblings. Certainly after the two adult Brontë novels (by Emily and Anne) I’ve yet to read these are where I want to go next.
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Liz Dexter
Oct 19, 2023 @ 19:16:34
I am now wondering whether it’s more fun to read this one then the juvenilia or the juvenilia and then this!
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Helen
Oct 19, 2023 @ 19:04:58
This has been recommended to me a few times as I love the Brontës, but I’ve never got round to looking for a copy. It does sound fascinating and it’s always good when a book can be enjoyed by adults as well as children!
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Liz Dexter
Oct 19, 2023 @ 19:17:25
I do read quite a lot of children’s fiction anyway but yes, I’d say it’s enjoyable as an adult and especially if you know and love the Brontës. I do recommend it!
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conmartin13
Oct 19, 2023 @ 20:40:04
I am such a fan of this book, which is for older children than Clarke’s Five Dolls in a House series (which I also like – not all the books were published in the US). And, yes, the US title is The Return of the Twelves.
An interesting book to contrast it to is Peter’s Room by Antonia Forest (which I did not read until I was an adult) about a group of children who spend their vacation from boarding school acting out adventures in the manner of the Brontë siblings.
I’ve been to York but not to Haworth, which would be fun. I enjoyed the recent movie, Emily, although I am quite sure it deviated from what actually happened.
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Liz Dexter
Oct 20, 2023 @ 10:03:25
Oh, that’s interesting, I haven’t heard of that one. I do dimly remember her Five Dolls books. I’m glad this book has aroused so much interest!
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Fanda Classiclit
Oct 20, 2023 @ 00:09:39
I didn’t know this book exists! Never heard the title nor the author. I’ve found so many interesting books from #1962Club alone, I think I might do my next ‘Blogger-Inspired Wishlist’ post dedicated to this year!
Thanks for the lovely review, now I must find a copy (hopefully it’s still available!)
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Liz Dexter
Oct 20, 2023 @ 10:05:31
There are second-hand copies available I think: though I think it should stay in print! What a good idea to do one post just on 1962 books. I do love these Clubs, always such a variety of books that people read.
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mallikabooks15
Oct 20, 2023 @ 10:26:40
This sounds delightful–hadn’t read or come across this even but I am going to look it up now. It is indeed rare that the parents were actually present in this one (something like Penelope Lively’s A Stitch in Time)
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Liz Dexter
Oct 20, 2023 @ 11:54:51
It is rare, isn’t it, and they also played a role in the plot and were close to and friendly with their children, which was actually very nice to read!
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heavenali
Oct 25, 2023 @ 08:53:12
I had certainly not heard of this one before. It must have passed me by. It does sound really charming, especially with the Bronte connection.
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Liz Dexter
Oct 25, 2023 @ 09:12:04
It really is, and that lovely combination of remembering loving it at the time and then loving it as an adult.
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