Penelope Farmer-Charlotte Sometimes

Which other authors do you enjoy? Discuss them here.
Post Reply
User avatar
LuvMyBlyton
Posts: 77
Joined: 18 Mar 2006, 04:39

Penelope Farmer-Charlotte Sometimes

Post by LuvMyBlyton »

Anyone else read this book? It's about a girl who while at boarding school finds she has gone back into time to 1918. I can't remember, but I think she may switch places with another child?

I thought this was a great "school story" with the element of having to figure out which time period Charlotte is in, as she keeps switching back and forth! I remember reading it at least 5 times, I must find it in my boxes.

Anyone else like this book, or have any comments on it's worth as a school story?
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26772
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Charlotte Sometimes/When Marnie Was There

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I love Charlotte Sometimes, though I don't tend to regard it as a "school story" as it's so much more than that. It's very imaginative and really makes the reader stop and think about time and about identity. The girl with whom Charlotte switches places is called Clare. Oh, and the ending of the story is startling - I won't give it away here but I get goosebumps just thinking about it! Funnily enough, about three weeks ago my daughter said she felt like reading something unusual and I recommended Charlotte Sometimes, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

Has anyone ever read a book called When Marnie Was There, by Joan G. Robinson? It's a bit like Charlotte Sometimes in that it's a haunting story about a girl who doesn't fit in, and there is a time-travel element. Another thought-provoking read.

Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce is yet another brilliant time-travel story, and my personal favourite.
Raci
Posts: 814
Joined: 01 Apr 2005, 01:26
Location: UK

Post by Raci »

I've read 'When Marnie Was There' and I really enjoyed it as a child although I haven't read it for a while. I still have my very well-read pb copy upstairs - another book for the re-read pile :D

I'd never heard of 'Charlotte Sometimes' but it sounds very interesting from what you've both said, I'll try and get hold of a copy :D

I have a very important question about this though and its related to a well talked about point in these forums:
I've been looking at it on Amazon and it has very good reviews. 6 people say 5 star and 1 says 4 star - pretty impresive.
But there was one coment that concerned me:

The first time I read it, I read a paperback cover lent to me by a classmate. Then, a few years later, I took the book out of the library; it was an older hardcover copy, and the ending was different!

Without saying anything about 'either' versions of the ending could either of you recomend which copies I should be on the look out for? I would assume the original text written by the original author would be better but I don't know when it was changed. The copy Amazon are selling is a pb printed in 2002. So this might well be one book that I'll need to look out for on eBay.

Thanks for your help.
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26772
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Gosh - I don't know whether my copy of Charlotte Sometimes has the original ending or not :? ! It's a 1981 Puffin paperback with a cover design by Janina Ede. Aargh :evil: - I wonder what was changed and when, and why?! The book was first published in 1969 by Chatto & Windus. Personally I'd now be interested to read both endings in order to compare them. LuvMyBlyton, if you find your copy perhaps we could compare endings!

Raci, after reading your message I looked at the reviews on Amazon and was surprised to read that "The Cure" have written a song based on Charlotte Sometimes. I'll have to look out for that.

About three years ago I wrote a review of Charlotte Sometimes which can be seen on the Kidz-Books website:

http://www.kidz-books.net/kidzbooks/vie ... spx?id=193

It's good to meet fellow fans of Charlotte Sometimes and When Marnie Was There. Nobody else seems to have heard of them!

Anita
User avatar
LuvMyBlyton
Posts: 77
Joined: 18 Mar 2006, 04:39

Post by LuvMyBlyton »

I'm off to look :evil: I HATE that they change books. My copy is a Puffin or Penguin paperback, light purple cover. I'm going to go see, will post back when I find it.
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26772
Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
Location: UK

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Hope you manage to find the book, LuvMyBlyton. If you were planning to re-read the whole thing in the near future, please don't spoil the ending for yourself by checking that out first! And to avoid giving away the ending to others perhaps we'd better discuss it in private emails anyway.
User avatar
LuvMyBlyton
Posts: 77
Joined: 18 Mar 2006, 04:39

Post by LuvMyBlyton »

Will do, thanks for the heads up Raci :) Will pm you Anita after re-reading the book!
auscatherine
Posts: 406
Joined: 04 Feb 2009, 01:49

Re: Penelope Farmer-Charlotte Sometimes

Post by auscatherine »

I loved this book! I didn't own a copy but remember borrowing it from the library several times.
User avatar
Lawrie
Posts: 204
Joined: 23 Sep 2012, 11:09
Favourite book/series: Famous Five, Find-Outers, Malory Towers
Favourite character: Dick, Timmy, Alicia, Fatty and Bets
Location: Northern Ireland

Re: Penelope Farmer-Charlotte Sometimes

Post by Lawrie »

I loved this book too. A friend of mine met Penelope Farmer at a conference recently and I think she said there is a sequel to it, called something like Emma in Winter? Has anyone read this?
User avatar
Eddie Muir
Posts: 14566
Joined: 13 Oct 2007, 22:28
Favourite book/series: Five Find-Outers and Dog
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Brighton

Re: Penelope Farmer-Charlotte Sometimes

Post by Eddie Muir »

I read Charlotte Sometimes on Anita's recommendation a year ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I bought the 40th Anniversary Edition, published by Red Fox, from Amazon and it has the original ending. :D

Image

Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce is my favourite children's book and, if you haven't read it, I urge you to do so. You'll be in for a real treat. :D
'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.

Society Member
Post Reply