Gillian Avery Quotes

“However, Maria soon makes friends with the three boys and before long she becomes embroiled in a whole series of adventures which get her and the Smith boys in deep water with the grown-ups. ”

“He is impressed when she tells him that her ambition is to be Professor of Greek at Oxford.”

“Their replacement tutor, the Reverend Francis Copplestone, proves to be somewhat eccentric, over six feet tall and a student of bull-fighting.”

“He decides to let her stay and she takes up lessons with the three Smith boys next door.”

“She wants to impress her uncle so after a trip to the nearby Jerusalem House and seeing a 16th century drawing of an unknown boy , she embarks on research into who the subject was. ”

“Unfortunately he manages to get the Smiths and Maria into some terrible scrapes - which leads to Maria, in terror that her uncle may send her back to school, deciding to impress him, and prove her worth, by doing some original academic research. ”

“Maria soon finds herself sharing lessons with an Oxford don’s three sons _Thomas, Joshua and James Smith_, which proves something of an adventure.”

“it’s stunningly written, the descriptions of Oxford are vivid and beautiful, and the subject _particularly Maria’s research about a boy who grew up during the Civil War and who lived at one of Oxfordshire’s superb stately homes_ fascinating.”

“Contains some of the greatest characters in children’s literature, including the Smith boys - dignified Thomas, kindly Joshua and feisty, ultra-confident James - and their ebullient father.”

“Very enjoyable tale of young orphaned Maria, who runs away from her boarding school and makes her way to her uncle who is the Warden of the fictitious Canterbury College in Oxford. ”