Satchels and Second Chances

Synopsis

<h2>The next BRAND NEW nostalgic, feel-good novel from <em>Sunday Times</em> bestselling author Gervase Phinn.</h2><p><strong>'Gervase Phinn has a unique understanding of children and a glorious sense of humour which make his books much loved best sellers. I’m a huge fan.' <em>Esther Rantzen</em></strong></p><p><strong>Yorkshire, 1956.</strong> When Helen Mercer takes on the role of head teacher at Brightbrook Junior School, she is met with peeling paint, broken promises from the local authority, and a building that resembles a Victorian workhouse. But behind the dreary exterior are children who desperately need a champion – and Helen is determined to transform the school and the lives of her pupils.</p><p>Among them are Terry, a boy scarred by a brutal home life who finds peace in his love for pigeons; Rupert, a gifted but arrogant ten-year-old masking a desperate need for affection; and Lucy, a bright girl struggling with a baffling case of elective mutism.</p><p>As Helen and her staff battle daily challenges at work, her personal life takes a hopeful turn through her unexpected romance with the head teacher of a neighbouring school. However, Helen's hard-won peace is soon tested by the reappearance of a ghost from her past and a devastating bombshell from the Director of Education that Brightbrook is slated for permanent closure…</p><p><strong>A poignant, heartwarming and often funny nostalgic story about the transformative power of education, resilience and community.</strong></p><p><strong>Praise for Gervase Phinn:</strong></p><p>'A worthy successor to James Herriott, and every bit as <strong>endearing</strong>' <em>Alan Titchmarsh</em></p><p>'<strong>Hilarious</strong> and hair-raising' <em>Sunday Times</em></p><p>'<strong>Colourful, funny and honest</strong>' <em>Sunday Express</em></p><p>'<strong>A natural storyteller</strong>' <em>The Times Educational Supplement</em></p><p>'Gervase Phinn's memoirs have made him <strong>a hero in school staff-rooms</strong>' <em>Daily Telegraph</em></p><p>'He has a <strong>marvellous</strong> ear for one-liners' <em>Yorkshire Post</em></p><p>'<strong>A born raconteur</strong>' <em>Guardian</em></p><p>'<strong>Uproarious and touching</strong> by turns' <em>Daily Mail</em></p><p>'<strong>Enchanting</strong>' <em>Women's Own</em></p>