This book was on the 'what our staff are reading' shelf at the local Waterstones, and having picked it up, read the prologue and wanting to buy it there and then, I reined myself in and put a hold on it at the library.
Jack Sheffield has based his books around his time as a headteacher in a small village school in Yorkshire during the 1970's. I imagine that the books are a mixture of fact, nostalgic 'what if's' and fiction to make it more exciting to the reader (the books are described as novels) , but I found myself laughing and crying at this book (the chapter Dance with your Eyes-honestly, I was in floods of tears).
I wonder if part of its appeal to me is that I work in a school, and so I can think of stories which would fit with life at Ragley and really relate to them.
However, my request for the most recent book in the series from the library showed that there are 14 holds on it, so obviously Jack Sheffield appeals to a wide audience. Maybe the simpler life is what appeals, maybe the romance of nostalgia, maybe the 'characters'...but there is something about this book that has left an impression on me, and has even made me think about what I can offer in my job role.
Working with young children is an honour, and that is something that we who work in schools often take for granted. Jack Sheffield has reminded me of that. I even emailed him via his site to thank him for it!
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