A delightful collection of short stories
Jenny Sanders has written the most delightful collection of short stories that aren’t what you might expect to find me reviewing, but I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to. Though the stories are written to be shared with children, they were wonderfully entertaining to read as an adult, and I almost want to keep them to myself. However, delight increases as its shared, doesn’t it?
So here we are. Sharing away…
Ideal for reading out loud, the narrative voice in Charlie Peach’s Pumpkins and other stories reminds me of a really good English teacher, excited to share stories of the wonderful worlds she’s encountered that are Roald Dahlesque in their combination of playful nonsense and everyday normality.
In fact, I had the wonderful pleasure of hearing Jenny reading at Book Blest, the Christian book festival I attended as an author earlier this month, and she really is terrific. If you follow me on social media, you might have seen us sporting our magnificent moustaches (from Jenny’s first book The Magnificent Moustache and other stories.
Charlie Peach’s Pumpkins
The title story “Charlie Peach’s Pumpkins” is a perfect example of this combination of nonsense, normality and morality too. It’s a story about pumpkins. How many children are fascinated by pumpkins? Well, thanks to Halloween (which I rather dislike, actually) probably quite a few. But growing pumpkins in one’s back garden? Probably not so many. However, the combination of The Good Life themes in Little-Vernon-in-the-Marsh (which is a village exactly the way it sounds) and the introduction of colourfully named characters such as Mr McCavity the dentist, lead to a thoroughly entertaining story about, well, gardening.
Jenny’s writing feels so much at home with that most famous children’s storyteller that we almost expect to see Charlie Peach growing snozzcumbers. However, just like Roald Dahl’s books, the story isn’t really about gardening. Michelle Boot – the American intern who is a bit too “different” for Charlie’s initial liking but proves herself to make all the difference in his world – is the key character, teaching us about not judging others by first appearances and the extraordinary ramifications of simply showing kindness. Something that will resonate with and challenge us all.
You may have noticed that as I write about Jenny’s book, I can’t help but start to write like Jenny. It’s certainly infectious! And the stories don’t just provide moral lessons or counter-cultural solutions to problems our children might face (such as addressing bullying not with force but with compassion and cake), they also celebrate creativity.
The brothers Baxter and Bartholomew Beasly-Babbington (there’s those fabulous names coming in again) inherit a decrepit old house and must pay more inheritance tax on the house than its actually worth. Not a problem my children are likely to face, but one that has crippled many stately families such as those the BBs might belong to. What is the solution? Creativity! The old house gets turned into a fabulous water park. And what child doesn’t love a water park?
A simpler life
These stories make me long for a simpler life, just like the King & Queen of Slopingsideways do when they abandon the unwanted technologies foisted upon their newly discovered land to take up plumbing and decorating. (My husband is actually a carpenter, and our life relates more to fixing the flooding theatre than sitting in the palace drinking tea, but that’s another story…)
Again, the narrative voice is simply delightful in these tales. Phrases such as “You may already know the peculiar history of the fascinating Kingdom of Slopingsideways…” make me long to curl up on an abandoned window seat and read for hours. I particularly loved the brilliant commentary on auctions, “Many an innocent attendee had been compelled to go home with bits of old combine harvester, half a dozen military medals, or a set of hand-painted ugly vases because they’d twitched at the wrong moment. Highly unsatisfactory and often very embarrassing.” Genius.
I had the delight of reading Charlie Peaches Pumpkin’s in the summer, and after I’d finished, I took it on holiday to read to my children (as an excuse to indulge once more.) I also couldn’t resist buying Jenny’s earlier collection of short stories titled The Magnificent Moustache when I was at Book Blest. I hope you also get the opportunity to enjoy them, whether you want to read to your child, grandchild, godchild or just yourself, it’s a perfect escape from the flusterment of modern life.
Charlie Peach’s Pumpkins and other stories is published by The Conrad Press and is available now at all good retailers and at Amazon UK here.
Jenny is a writer, speaker, encourager and mentor. She’s married to an adventurous change-agent with whom she’s travelled around the world. She is mother to four fabulous grown-and-flown children. For the past several years she has lived between the beautiful cities of Bath, UK and Cape Town, South Africa, and come through breast cancer. You can find her on Facebook at ‘Jenny Sanders – writer’, and on Instagram at jennysanderswriter.
You can also connect with Jenny at her website https://jennysanderswriter.co.uk
Bang on Natasha! I also loved the stories – Jenny’s style is so delightful.