My Young Days

Sissy's visit to her grandmother begins with a burst of homesickness in an unfamiliar drawing room. Remembering the nursery, her parents and her little brother Bobbie, she finds the grand house overwhelming. Uncle Hugh comforts her with curious objects, songs and a comic story about a goose, while Jane, her nursemaid, helps her settle into the new surroundings. This children's story tells family life through the voice of a girl recalling how strongly small events once affected her.

Later scenes follow Sissy and her cousins through summer play, from an alarming turn on the swing to a quieter afternoon in the apple orchard with Alick. His ambitions to learn languages sit beside his hurt feelings about his father's idea of bravery. The child's account gives ordinary games and conversations emotional weight. Readers interested in older children's fiction will find a close account of homesickness, friendship and the different ways children seek reassurance.