Friday 14 May 2010

Fen Runners



Just a quick blog to heartily recommend this book, Fen Runners, to anyone with teens who like a read. Or adults, like me, who like a read too. In my days as a kids librarian, a book that treated young adults with respect was always welcome, and this one, a spooky tale of ghosts, maybes and growing up in a small Fenland town is perfect. Eerie, full of sense of space and self, it perfectly captures the area whilst spinning a tale of past and present in the manner of "Toms' Midnight Garden" , only a wee bit scarier. A rare sympathy with the young, and a good yarn to boot. Makes me want to strap on a pair of "Fen runners" , as ice skates were locally known, and seek out the dykes and the monsters therein myself.


And another recommendation that has popped into mind again is this: "Can any mother help me?". It's come to mind since doing this blog, as so many nice ladies have pitched in and sent me goodies. It tells the real life story of post war women who responded to a plea in a womans; magazine, asking "can any mother help me?". A woman was lonely, stuck at home and going crazy, and as a result of the response, women formed a round robin magazine that spanned decades, and covered domestic life, personal life, politics, everything, in the most interesting way. I felt that I knew the women involved after reading this, and it gave a fascinating insight into the situation of women post-war. Read it!

5 comments:

Fenland Textile Studio said...

I don't know any of these books so I will look out for them. Am tempted to stop at Waterstones to have a look as we are about to embark on a journey to Essex. I still have blue hands - check out the blog to find out why. Have a great weekend.

The List Writer said...

I read Can Any Woman Help Me? and loved it. The parallels with today's blogging community really stood out for me too. Brilliant.

sweetypie said...

dont have any sympathy with fenland textiles aka angela-she should have worn the gloves I brought her I will source this bok for my teenager thanks

Jan said...

I love the sound of the books you recommend ,living in the Fens like you, the storys are endless and fascinating ,I used to participate in a round robin mannnnnny years are ,and I think the ice skates were called pattens in some parts of the Fens ...love Jan xx

sharie said...

Those books sound good. I rather like young adults books myself (bit of a peter pan syndrome going on I think lol). I've heard of the Can Any mother help me book before and will search it out.