A Blast From The Past

If I had to choose one book that stands out from my childhood it would be A Necklace of Raindrops by Joan Aiken. I have never forgotten the magical stories: a necklace of raindrops that keeps its owner dry in the heaviest rainstorm; a tiger that runs faster than the wind; a huge floating apple pie with a piece of sky in it; a baker's cat who swells to the size of a whale when his mistress feeds him yeast; a house that stands on one leg; three railway men manning a desert station who dream of travel.....
All with the most incredibly beautiful illustrations.
Totally mesmerising!
For years I had a copy which was marked "Buckingham Library"!! Oops, we obviously never took it back.
Which I know is very naughty but in my defence I was only about six.
And obviously couldn't drive myself to the library......
That copy has disappeared into the mists of time but when Miss E was born I wanted it to be part of her childhood so I found it on eBay and it's been sat on her shelves all her life!
Getting it down tonight was a pleasure. I will be reading it to her tomorrow!!