Worzel Gummidge

Author:

Barbara Euphan Todd

Illustrator:

N/A

Published by:

OUP Oxford

First Published:

1 Jan 1936

Ideal for readers aged

6-9y

My Review

Magical fantasy about a scarecrow who comes to life and drags two children into all sorts of scrapes and adventures. My daughter found this really funny, wanting to read more of Worzel's adventures, which are unfortunately hard to get hold of these days. They are a favourite from many people's childhoods, but seldom read now.

Barbara Euphan Todd is best known for Worzel Gummidge, but also wrote for adults. Her brilliant WW2 novel, 'Miss Ranskill Comes Home', is one of my favourite books published by Persephone, and is suitable for anyone from young teens up.

Heads Up!

Good, old-fashioned fun. With the age of the book come some outdated references to Gypsy culture which parents can navigate with their children and explain in context.

Publisher Review

Spending their summer holidays with Farmer Braithwaite and his wife in Scatterbrook, John and Susan come across a particularly lifelike scarecrow in a nearby field. That evening, much to the children's surprise, the scarecrow makes an appearance in the Braithwaites' kitchen to warm himself by the fire. He is Worzel Gummidge and he is no ordinary scarecrow. His tendency to cause mayhem wherever he goes sparks a series of mishaps and adventures, often with hilarious results. This is the first of the Worzel Gummidge novels, originally published in 1936. Later, the Worzel Gummidge stories were adapted for radio and television, ranking among the top 50 greatest British children's programs, with Jon Pertwee (Doctor Who) playing the eponymous scarecrow, with a dedicated following to this day.