A Boy's Own Dale

[HoneyGirl]

Synopsis from Amazon: Growing up in rural Yorkshire in the 1940s and 50s, Terry Wilson spent his school days hunting down Just William books, cutting up apples to help with fractions and staring out the window dreaming up new schemes.

 

But it was on the Dales themselves that Terry came into his own. Whether he was ‘out-fishing’ the adults with his homemade rod, grouse-beating for the lady of the manor, helping to bring in the farmers’ hay in exchange for rabbit shooting rights, or growing his own prize caulis, his idiosyncratic and inventive mind is only matched by his love of nature.

 

Told with affection, dry humour and a respect for the landscape and its people, through Terry’s eyes we meet farmers, mill owners and ‘gentlemen of the road’. Beautifully illustrated with newly-commissioned line-drawn illustrations by Don Grant, A Boy’s Own Dale is a magical tale of a long-lost world.

 

My review: Whilst I did enjoy this book, I am glad that I only borrowed it from the library and did not buy it. It is not a book I would read again, not because it is bad, but because its just not rivetting enough. Terry tells an nice story of his childhood, some parts of it even made me laugh as I read, but for me there is just not enough nostalgic information contained and not enough description.

A Boy's Own Dale is an enjoyable, light hearted and quick read. I did however find the very short sentences a bit irritating, as it seemed like in some paragraphs, there were only four words to a sentence before a full stop, then this process was repeated which made the book feel like it could be for children.

 

I enjoyed the first three quarters of the book the most, but as I said at the top, its not a book I will buy to keep so it can be read again in years to come. I would say its a sweet story and is just enough to use for an escape from the realities of the modern age. I will give this book 3.5 stars out of 5.

Edited October 23, 2011 by HoneyGirl