Holiday at Arnriggs

London: Frederick Warne and Co, 1949. Hardcover. Very Good. Hardcover. Mabel Esther Allan ( 1915 –1998) was a prolific British author of about 170 children's books. She decided to be an author at the age of eight; her father bought her a writing desk and taught her how to type. When the family moved, Allan was given a study in which to write. Her eyesight was poor, which her parents 'took...very badly and wrongly' It was such a taboo subject that she never discussed it with anyone until she was almost thirty, when it spontaneously improved. Her eyesight was the reason she disliked school. She published a few short stories in the 1930s, and had longer submissions accepted, but her activities were interrupted by the Second World War. Allan served in the Women's Land Army and taught at a crowded school in Liverpool. In 1945 she sent the manuscript of The Glen Castle Mystery to her publisher, and this first book was published in 1948. Although Allan, like many authors of the era, often used the school-book genre, she was a proponent of A.S. Neill, founder of an educational philosophy which promoted freedom and self-discipline in childhood. Her books include adventure stories, mysteries, stories about families and local communities, school stories and ballet stories. She wrote for various ages and her books did not follow a "settled pattern. [Wikipedia] This scarce title is about a young girl named Marian and her adventures at Arnriggs on a holiday trip. Bound in yellow cloth with title and author in black on cover and spine. Cloth is soiled and bumped but interior pages are clean and bright. Missing the original dust jacket. About very good condition. Measures 5 x 7.5 inches. 256 pages. CHILD/060425.