Reviews

• It is a lovely story and I think children and adults will like it today

  This was read on BBC Radio's "Children's Hour" when I was a child. I couldn't resist buying it and reading it again. It is a lovely story and I think children and adults will like it today.

• A terrific book

  I first acquired this book (also used) about 5 years ago and read it aloud to my 10-year-old goddaughter. We absolutely loved it. Because it is still out of print, I ordered this used paperback copy as a gift for another family member. The book is in excellent condition with a clear plastic jacket. The binding is so tight I cannot but wonder if it was never opened. This is easily one of my favorite children's books.

• Deserves to be redicovered

  One of the very best children's books I've ever read. Beautifully conceived and written, and the author has done a splendid job of bringing the twelve to life in a way that never once panders or condescends to it's targeted child audience. The English countryside - a small village - toy soldiers that come to life - the Bronte's - there is something for everyone. This story is endearing, suspenseful and humorous. I didn't want it to end. I thought the young protagonist "Max" was a perfectly realized boy. The relationships with his family were spot on. This is a fantasy and an adventure and simply can't believe that it isn't held up and universally celebrated as a classic.

• Enjoyable Nostalgic Read

  Eight-year-old Max Morley is delighted when he finds twelve battered wooden soldiers under the attic floorboards in his new home, but when his parents tell him that the soldiers could be valuable and should most probably be in a museum, he has mixed feelings. Although Max is pleased that he has discovered something special that others would appreciate, he wants to keep the soldiers for himself - especially when the little figures come to life when he is alone with them. Max can hardly believe his eyes when he sees the twelve wooden figures turn into real little people that can move and talk and tell him about their past lives - and it is in this way that Max learns that these particular soldiers once belonged to the four Bronte siblings and figured in the children’s juvenile stories. Determined to keep his soldiers a secret from the outside world, Max is terribly upset when he learns that someone has revealed his discovery to the newspapers and then an American gentleman offers a huge amount of money for them. However, Max doesn’t want his twelve friends to be whisked off to America and feels they should be returned to the Bronte Parsonage - but then the soldiers go missing … First published in 1962 and winner of the Carnegie Medal, this is a lovely story which I first read as a child in the 1970s and which I later read to my younger brother, who enjoyed it just as much as I did. Most probably one for younger children (although the Bronte connection will probably go over the heads of small children) this little book is one that I remembered for a long time after reading it and I was pleased to be able to find an original Puffin edition from the late 1970s on Amazon marketplace. It is understandably true that this book did not have quite the same effect on me now as it did all those years ago, but I very much enjoyed revisiting Max and the Morley family and this little book is now off to my brother (who will most probably have forgotten all about it!). 4 Stars. P.S. For a really enjoyable (older) children’s story with a Bronte connection, I would heartily recommend ‘Peter’s Room’ by the wonderful Antonia Forest.

• Great to rediscover this beautifully written children's story

  Enjoyed this as a child in the 1960s, but had forgotten it until I recently saw Sally Wainwright's 'To Walk Invisible' about the Bronte family. A beautifully written, magical story. Thank you to Pauline Clarke.

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