The Exiles: "The Exiles", "Exiles at Home", "Exiles in Love" [Hardcover]

The four Conroy girls are more than a little disgruntled to learn that instead of their receiving a share of their parents' newly acquired inheritance, the entire 5000 will be spent fixing the house. To add insult to injury, while the renovation is taking place, Ruth, Naomi, Rachel and Phoebe are "exiled" to the country to stay with their no-nonsense grandmother. In Cumbria, the sisters decide to spend their days buried behind books, but "Big Grandma" has other plans for them: she believes in exercise, and puts forth an endless supply of chores to fill their every waking moment. Like the writings of Beverly Cleary and Lois Lowry, this warmhearted first novel provides an ample supply of chuckles. Readers will be tickled by the children's attempts to evade their canny grandparent and will be touched by the affection that blossoms between generations despite initial clashes of wills. In spite of themselves, the Conroy girls begin to view "Big Grandma" in a more compassionate light while discovering something new about their own potential. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Grade 4-6-- This episodic tale of four eccentric sisters and their grandmother has potential, but it is never totally realized. The characters are not fully fleshed out; nor are their dealings with one another completely drawn. Set in England's Lincolnshire and Cumbria, the story follows the girls' summer with their grandmother, who is not a favorite relative of theirs. The feeling is mutual. Big Grandma, as the girls call her, considers her granddaughters spoiled and believes they experience life only through reading. They are horrified to find almost no books in her house except for some cookbooks and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare . Big Grandma wants them to discover nature and adventure firsthand and, little by little, they do. Predictably, the summer improves the relationships all around. A clear picture of the woman's attitude about the girls is missing, as is an explanation as to why their Uncle Robert ran away from home. Her reactions to Naomi's broken arm and a fire the children accidentally start seem understated. Although Big Grandma succeeds in her mission to change their perspective on life, a more satisfying selection that depicts the influence of the elderly on the young is Paula Fox's The Stone-Faced Boy (Bradbury, 1982). --Renee Steinberg, Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

'I can't think of a girl aged between eight and eighteen who wouldn't enjoy this little gem of a book.' -- Jill Murphy, The Bookbag 'The characters are beautifully developed ... recorded with such humour and sensitivity that it is an engrossing, sometimes laugh-out-loud story.' -- Write Away 'McKay has created a boisterous, chaotic family which always makes me want to rush out and adopt three sisters.' -- TES PRAISE FOR THE CASSON FAMILY BOOKS: 'Hilary McKay's wittily observed portrayals of family life are full of warmth, vitality and irrepressible good humour.' -- Kate Agnew, The Guardian 'McKay has a genius for domestic comedy.' -- The Sunday Times 'Hilary McKay's strength lies in her understanding of young people and her ability to evoke them very simply.' -- The Guardian --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

A collection of three novels: "The Exiles"; "The Exiles at Home"; and "The Exiles in Love". The four irrepressible sisters, Ruth, Naomi, Rachel and Phoebe, are sent to their grandmother's house for the holidays. Wild antics and misadventures follow.

Hilary McKay won the Guardian Children's Award with her first novel, The Exiles. Her subsequent work has achieved similar recognition - The Exiles at Home won the Smarties Prize and Saffy's Angel won the Whitbread. A graduate of Botany and Zoology from St Andrews University, Hilary now writes full-time. She lives in Derbyshire with her husband and two children. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.