The Children of Green Knowe

The toy room in The Manor in Hemmingford Grey, Cambridgeshire, author Lucy Boston's home.

With a soft purr which startled the inquisitive chaffinch up into the air, each domino in turn fell forward until all were lying flat on their white faces, showing a long ribbon of black backs.

Tolly laughed suddenly and loudly. Mrs. Oldknow looked round.

"Ah, she said, smiling, "their grandmother taught them that game. Wouldn't she be surprised when she saw it happen all by itself? That's Alexander. Linnet never could do it right."

"Aren't they teases?" said Tolly, quite comforted. "I'm going to look at their books."

(p. 84)

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The chaffinch was curled up and fluffed out on its perch. The not-quite-ordinary mouse was there to be put under his pillow. There were all the quivering shadows thrown by the night-light, and now there was a new one. Behind Toby's sword was another larger, fiercer, man-sized sword hanging on the same nail. The books were on the table. They made mountainous steps on the sloping ceiling....When the room was comfortably full of shadow doubles of the things he liked, and his own shadow had sat up in bed and stretched a long arm to touch the outstretched nose of the shadow rocking horse, he blew out the candle by his bed and curled up to sleep.

(p. 96)

~from The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston