I went AWOL again last week. Unfortunately nothing as fun as a holiday, rather I came down with my first dose of Covid. I haven’t read a book or opened my laptop for a whole week, but I am more or less back to normal now so it’s back to business.

I know I’ve said I will review The Diary of the Naughtiest Girl for about two months straight, but I’ve almost finished it and written the first 800 words of the review so who knows, this week might be the week.

Blyton covers that give away the ending

and

The Diary of the Naughtiest Girl by Jean Willis

‘Well, we’re all going down to Cherry-Tree Farm to stay with Auntie Bess for at least six months!’ shouted Penelope, and she danced round the table in joy.

‘Penny! Are you sure?’ cried Rory.

‘Oh, Penny! It can’t be true!’ shrieked Sheila.

‘But what about school?’ asked Benjy in surprise.

‘Mummy said that the doctor advised a good long holiday for all of us,’ said Penny, still skipping about happily. ‘She said . . .’

‘Penny, do stop still and tell us everything properly,’ begged Rory. So Penny sat down on a stool and told her brothers and sister what she had heard.

‘Well, we’ve all had measles, and then we had the flu, and then Benjy and I got that awful cough, and Mummy said we were all so thin and pale, and we didn’t eat enough, and the doctor said the only thing to do was to let us run wild down in the country, and Mummy said, “What about Cherry-Tree Farm?” and the doctor said, “Splendid,” and Daddy said, “Just the thing,” and I listened and didn’t say a word, and . . .’

This is probably the most generous holiday due to illness in any of Blyton’s books. Usually the children get a few weeks somewhere, though even that’s not to be sniffed at. I could sure do with a holiday!