The Strange House and Midnight Adventure

These two illustrated stories, first published in 1961, have been reissued in a sumptuous new edition by Manderley Press. This publisher specialises in bringing back out-of-print books originally inspired by a building, city or landmark, with Wimbledon Common serving as inspiration here.. Affectionately introduced by the brilliant illustrator and cartoonist Chris Riddell, one of Briggs’ former students, these two stories recall a lost world of short, breezy children’s adventure stories where ‘burly’ villains are outwitted by quick-thinking schoolboys. More respectable adults, usually picking up the pieces at the end, are addressed as ‘Sir.’ Motor engines still need the services of the choke button to start, and abundant telephone boxes continue to stand proud.

Accompanying black and white pen and ink illustrations are generously scattered throughout the text looking forward to the time when Briggs finally broke out into colour after which he never looked back. Brought up in Wimbledon himself, he did in fact once explore a large, old house on the common when young and was indeed chased away by an angry old lady after he was caught breaking into a long abandoned  collection of birds’ eggs. Those childhood days are now recalled in loving detail, urban on one page, green spaces on another. The two boys both have that stumpy look so familiar in his later best-sellers, with Briggs – like his favourite illustrator Edward Ardizzone – often preferring back views as they trespass on golf courses or break into a run when chased by angry club members, crooks or one scary old lady dressed in black and up to no good. There is still plenty here for today’s young readers to enjoy; their parents too.