Linnets and Valerians

By Elizabeth Goudge

Book Overview

One of England's best-loved children's book writers spins a tale of four orphaned children sent to live with their nasty grandmother. They decide at once their new life is unbearable and they run away for a new life filled with animals, magic, and danger amongst the rolling hills and moors of the English countryside. It's a story filled with Elizabeth Goudge's trademark mixture of realism and magic--and like her classic The Little White Horse (adored by J. K. Rowling) it is set in Devon and inspired by its folklore and legends.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1567925219
• ISBN13: 9781567925210
• Release Date: July 2015
• Publisher: David R. Godine Publisher
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Overt witchcraft. Not suitable for Christians.

I bought this book for my 10 year old daughter based off of the rave reviews. I agree that the vocabulary, verbage, & sentence structure are beautiful. However, this book contains overt witchcraft. It includes the archaic practice of "telling the bees", which not only involves talking to bees (which I'm fine with just for the sake of talking to animals) but it's done to appease the bees & ward off harm. Additionally, the bees are bowed & curtsied to. Even more concerning is the making of dolls from wax that resemble & are meant to represent specific people. So, voodoo dolls. There are actual spells written out in the book as they are spoken over the dolls. I spent about 5 years of my life as a practicing witch before coming to know and serve Jesus Christ so I absolutely recognize witchcraft when I see it. I cannot caution Christian parents strongly enough against this author.

delightful and fun for kids, adults and pets

Okay I'm not sure about the pets. But this is a great story, I love kids stories like Wolves of Willoughby Chase, books by Edith Nesbit (The Enchanted Castle) and Tom's Midnight Garden. I especially old fashion books like this one. The children are charming, their adventures full of wonderful characters like the grouchy uncle and the cheery gardener. Their search for a missing family is touching and sweet, and in the best of traditions, ends well with a hint of sadness. I love the beautiful passages in this book - "It was a small silver bell, but it rang out in a marvellous manner, clear and sweet and loud, as though it were ten times its size, and echoes woke up in the house and answered it, ringing and ringing away and away like birdsong in the wood." The whole book is not like this, obviously, it's quite readable. But there are enough gorgeous passages with beautiful descriptions - I especially love the old-fashioned food and frequently force my husband to listen to my ravings about it.

uplifting and wonderful fantasy for kids of all ages

The phrasing and descriptions may be from another era, but the charm remains forever! The idea that children and adults can work together with respect and politeness is, I fear, completely foreign to today's society. It has become an "us" vs. "them" proposition. Won't you do your children a favor and read this book, or another of Goudge's, aloud to them one night?I have yet to find any "contemporary" books that can compare to the innocent spirit and adventure of this, and other, Elizabeth Goudge books. It is a tragedy that they are so difficult to find today--I had to do an inter-library loan to get a copy to read.Delightful escape from the brutal reality of our lifestyle of today, do yourself a favor and try to track down a copy. It will lift your spirits and make your day brighter every time you read it.

beloved book

I read this book almost 30 years ago. I so loved it that I kept thinking of it as a Disney film. My mother encouraged me to write to Disney about it, I did and actually received a reply. I have been trying to locate this book for years and refuse to give up! I have two daughters who need to read it!