Thursday’s Child cover art

Thursday’s Child

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Thursday’s Child

By: Noel Streatfeild
Narrated by: Lucy Scott
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About this listen

A thrilling, classic children’s adventure with a courageous heroine, from the beloved author of Ballet Shoes.

Margaret Thursday was named after the day she was found on the church steps as a baby. But she isn’t really an orphan – each year a bag of gold coins is left at the church for her keep. However, when Margaret is eleven years old, the money suddenly stops and her guardians have no choice but to send her away to an orphanage.

The orphanage is worse than they could have imagined. The children are poorly treated and barely fed, and fearless Margaret soon makes herself the enemy of the evil matron who runs it. Vowing to protect her new friends, Peter and Horatio, Margaret plans their daring escape … but she’ll have to outwit Matron at every turn.

Margaret’s action-packed adventure, set in turn-of-the-century England, takes her from orphanage to canal boat to the world of the theatre. Through it all, Margaret is propelled by her unwavering sense of self and determination.

©2020 Noel Streatfeild (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Limited Action & Adventure Classics Fiction Growing Up Growing Up & Facts of Life Historical Historical Fiction Literature & Fiction Adventure

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Critic reviews

"Noel Streatfeild’s position in the children’s book world is unique. She is endlessly inventive, full of verve and real understanding of the surfaces of childhood. Her stories are rich in documentary interest and entertainment, escapism of a most satisfying sort." (The Times Literary Supplement)

"Written for unalloyed enjoyment.... Children will love it." (Daily Telegraph)

"Noel Streatfeild has that happy, skilful knack of turning her characters into real people – something which only really good novelists can do." (BBC Children’s Hour)
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Lucy Scott tells a brilliant story exceedingly well and I found it so enjoyable. Oh how I hated the evil matron in the orphanage and much was my glee at her.......but I won’t spoil this for you!

Wonderful Even For Old Kids In Their 60s!

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I really enjoyed this story, it's marketed as a children book, but as a 30+ lady I was itching to finish it. highly enjoyable, brilliant story, and beautifully read.

lovely little book

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