Castaways on Heron Island

Fern Hollow is a wonderful place to live. Ask Professor Sigmund Swamp or old Brock Gruffy to tell you about their lovely little village and they will talk all day and yet hardly have begun. They will tell you that Fern Hollow nestles at the foot of the trees of Windy Wood and that through the village runs the sparkling ribbon of the River Ferny.

The animals of Fern Hollow are all good friends and neighbours, and if you are a stranger they will make you feel at home in next to no time.

In this title:

The Fern Hollow teacher, Miss Crisp, takes her class on a school trip to Heron Island. All the children are well-behaved except for Pippa and Patch. The two naughty rabbits get lost in the spooky wood. Fortunately, Old Man Heron is around to help them out.

"Miss Crisp led her class, walking in pairs, down the dusty little road to Trundleberry Manor. When they arrived they found Lord Trundle up a ladder inspecting the roof. He came down, shaking his head sadly. "The roof is in a terrible state," he said. "In fact, the whole of Trundleberry Manor is in desperate need of repair. Unfortunately, I have no money to pay for it! But I don't suppose you want to listen to my troubles. You've come for your nature trip to Heron Island, haven't you?

"Miss Crisp and her class followed Lord Trundle down to the River Ferny where they found a little boat waiting for them. Everyone climbed on board and Lord Trundle cast off and started the engine. "First stop, Heron Island," he cried. The children cheered loudly. They were all very excited. Patch and Pippa peered over the side of the boat, down into the dark, green water, where they could see the fish darting around beneath them. Patch thought he caught a glimpse of a big, green pike sliding by. "It was just like a submarine," he said."

This is one of the stories from original series four of the 17 titles in the 1980s classic Tales from Fern Hollow series. This gentle story, written and illustrated by John Patience, has eight detailed and colourful double-page spreads in traditional style depicting the animal characters of the village of Fern Hollow, tucked away somewhere in the countryside of Edwardian England. As the inhabitants of Fern Hollow go about their daily lives, there are small adventures to enjoy and little obstacles to overcome. Everyone lends a helping hand and there's always a happy ending - and usually a feast for everyone to share in celebration.

The map on the endpapers helps children find their way around the village and appears in every single title in the Fern Hollow series. Children really love the map and enjoy pointing out where all their favourite Fern Hollow characters live and all the stories take place.

These stories of animal folk have an enduring charm. A generation of people who had the Fern Hollow stories as children are now buying the books to read with their own children. Parents who read the books with their children back in the 1980s and 1990s are now enjoying them all over again with their grandchildren.

The gentle and charming Fern Hollow stories have remained popular since they were first published in 1980.