Captain Najork

Or, to give the book its full title: How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Hired Sportsmen.

Book is actually stretching it, since this is really a short story, and very short, short story at that. You can read it in less than ten minutes.

But it’s my favourite children’s story of all time and one I have read over and over. It’s witty, absurd, charming and endlessly inventive. Not to mention remarkably economical in its storytelling. And I will freely admit that when I was writing the first of my two Aunt Severe books, this story’s Aunt Fidget Wonkham-Strong was a great help. I’m not going to say I stole her, but she was a very definite influence.

Though I first read it in a standard paperback with black and white drawings, this newer edition is printed on glossy paper and has Quentin Blake’s marvellous illustrations in vivid colour.

I can’t recommend it highly enough.