Tales from the End Cottage

By Eileen Bell

Describes the rural adventures of Mrs. Apple and her dog, two cats, and horse. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140304312
• ISBN13: 9780140304312
• Release Date: January 1970
• Publisher: Puffin
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 20.0" x 20.0" x 20.0"

Customer Reviews

Tales From End Cottage by Eileen Bell

I first read this book when I was eight and have continued to read it at least once a year ever since. It's a wonderfully cosy tale -- I call it my "comfort" book (like most people have comfort food). It's basically about Mrs Apple and her life in a country cottage with her animals (two pekingese, Tooty and Blackdog; tabby cat brothers, George Fat and Shoosh; and a family of hens led by Mrs Broody). There are neighbours -- Farmer Parsloe, his horse Browny and cowdog Rags, and the cows in the field; and there is Mrs Apple's friend who lives in a nearby town and sends her dog Rex over to visit. The illustrations are beautiful and full of loving and interesting detail -- and the animals' expressions are priceless Mrs Apple bakes and does the laundry, feeds the hens and tends her bees. She enjoys a relaxing cuppa under the damson tree and walks to fetch the milk, pops down to the village shop to do her grocery shopping. It's a quiet and idyllic existence. My favourite chapters describe a midsummer picnic to celebrate Mrs Apple's birthday and Christmas. Both ocassions are viewed through the eyes of the animals (as are most of the situations in the book) and the writing is just wondrous, almost magical, and never fails to produce delicious shivers up and down my spine. More Tales From End Cottage, the sequel to this book, is also a good read.