The Bus under the Leaves

by Margaret Mahy

ISBN: 0 14 03 0721 4

First published 1974

72 pages

Publisher: Puffin Books

Cover and illustrations by Margery Gill

5/5 Stars

A wonderful children’s book about summer holidays.

Holidays are spent meeting new people and doing new things. Margaret Mahy captures the mood of tranquil summer in the countryside away from the busy city.

The mood is tranquil, the pace of life is relaxed. The hills are rolling, the cars are old, but still working. Cakes are baked, ginger beer is served.

Finding a bus in a dump site becomes an adventure, and work is fun, repairing it and painting it.

The normal becomes an adventure in the children’s eyes. Cutting down old pines trees is a viewing spectacular (see above).

The holidays have to come to an end, but the memories are there.

What a lovely book!