Geoffrey Trease - The Bannermere Books

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John Pickup
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Geoffrey Trease - The Bannermere Books

Post by John Pickup »

I have just re-read No Boats On Bannermere, the first of a series of five books by Geoffrey Trease. Some may remember this author for his historical fiction but these books are set in the fifties (when they were written) and I've got all five as republished by Girls Gone By with the original text.
The book is about a brother and sister moving to the Lake District with their divorced mother (very reactionary for the time) where they settle in and make friends with another boy and girl. The stories aren't "full-on" adventures like Enid's books but more like school stories with a bit of adventure thrown in. The other books in order are Under Black Banner, Black Banner Players, Black Banner Abroad and The Gates Of Bannerdale.
The cover of The Gates Of Bannerdale reminds me of the dust jacket for Enid's The Four Cousins which was drawn by Joan Thompson. Both depict a station platform with people waiting to depart.
The stories may be gentler than Enid's exciting adventures but I would still recommend them as the series follows the four children as they grow up amidst the hills and the lakes.
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Re: Geoffrey Trease-The Bannermere Books

Post by Moonraker »

as republished by Girls Gone By
I've never understood why a publisher would choose this as a name. Who are the girls, where did they come from and where did they go? :?
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Re: Geoffrey Trease-The Bannermere Books

Post by dsr »

Moonraker wrote:
as republished by Girls Gone By
I've never understood why a publisher would choose this as a name. Who are the girls, where did they come from and where did they go? :?
The girls are the ones who used to read the books, they came from (ahem!) under the gooseberry bush :oops: , and unlike Peter Pan, they grew older.

At least, that's how I've always understood it. It doesn't seem a very logical name, now you mention it. they definitely tend towards the girls' side of literature, though - the school books are only girls' schools, the adventure books are either girl-centric (eg. Monica Edwards) or 50-50 (eg. Geoffrey Trease, Malcolm Saville).
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Re: Geoffrey Trease-The Bannermere Books

Post by Moonraker »

Thanks dsr. I was wondering as I am re-reading the Lone Pine Club books, and they seem suitable for either gender.
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Re: Geoffrey Trease-The Bannermere Books

Post by Aurélien »

Like Enid Blyton, Geoffrey Trease was adept at crafting worlds that readers feel that they could step into.

'Aurélien Arkadiusz' :)
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Re: Geoffrey Trease - The Bannermere Books

Post by Eddie Muir »

I must keep a lookout for some of his books, Aurélien. :D

I read his superb study, D.H. Lawrence, The Phoenix and the Flame, some years ago. It was written for young people and published by Macmillan in 1973 and is an excellent introduction to a great writer.
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

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