Amazon.co.uk Review
Amusing and serendipitous memories of Gervase Phinn's first year as County Inspector of Schools in North Yorkshire. The children he meets seem to be little adults, full of the language and prudence of their mostly land-worker parents; able to hold their own on the finer points of animal husbandry and farm management. "Don't yer know yer sheep then?" asks a serious little boy, aged six, whose reading aloud is perfect but whose interest is more in identifying the breed of sheep in the accompanying illustration, which leads to a serious classroom discussion.

Gervase Phinn meets head teachers, checks school curriculums, selects an unpopular winner in a poetry competition, and gains confidence of the shyest and the most stubborn with innate diplomacy. He graciously accepts endless inaccuracies in the spelling and pronunciation of his name--"he's called Mr Grim and he's a spectre"--becomes much sought-after and admired by the county's matrons, and his heart is set a'flutter by a pretty, unmarried headmistress with whom he longs to be more intimately acquainted.

A good-natured, entertaining storyteller obviously committed to his calling, Mr Phinn's occasional inaccuracy in rendition in no way detracts from his warm and enjoyable reading.

This was in a batch of books acquired from Freecycle, but I have a copy in my pc and I really like all this gents books. I'm putting this into Redhouse's bookbox in the hope of converting someone else.

I found much of this book amusing. The things the children came out with were really comical in places. I just found it difficult to be interested in Mr. Phinn himself. He's obviously committed to his work, which he clearly enjoys very much, but I couldn't share in his passion. The anecdotes he tells are heart-warming and it was a pleasant and easy read, but the book doesn't make me want to run out and look for more of the same.

RELEASE NOTES:

Left this on top of the barrel (which was outside on the pavement!) with some others at lunchtime

When we were viiting a friend we found the book by the bedside. Our friend said she hoped we would take it with us, enjoy and pass it on. We plan to pass it to our daughter who is herself a teacher.

CAUGHT IN MARCH CAMBRIDGESHIRE UK

Easy to read and some funny anecdotes but as a teacher myself who was going through a few OfSteds at the time a bit close to home !!! It was very interesting to see it from the other side though and it great seeing the world through small children's eyes.

CAUGHT IN MALDON ESSEX ENGLAND

It was easy to read, an entertaining page-turner but not that memorable afterwards.

CAUGHT IN WINCHESTER HAMPSHIRE ENGLAND