RIP Nanny Tobbins by Lucie Stevens

I don't often read 'ghost' stories because it is one of a very few genres that I do not really enjoy but the author of this book Lucie Stevens spoke at a recent conference held here in Sydney at our State Library and her brief author talk intrigued me (which I am sure was her intention).

Since I am not an expert on middle grade ghost stories I may be generalising but I thought that usually a ghost had a reason for their return. Coming back to right a wrong or assist a person from when they were alive. The young girl in this story Albertine Waldblumen had no concept of death (she is very young and naive). Adults have protected her from this.  We learn her father first off won't take her to Nanny Tobbins funeral and then we also discover she is not allowed to go near the churchyard cemetery. I suspected, correctly, that she had never seen her mother's grave. Poor child believes her mother is flying in the sky with the angels and so she spends a lot of time looking up hoping to see her. So why did Nanny Tobbins return? I guess she may have returned to help Albertine discover the truth about death or to help her in some way to cope with her new Stepmother and changing relationship with her father but that all feels a bit too vague.

Back to Nanny Tobbins (real name Nanette) who was indeed a nanny to Albertine (nick name Bert) we never actually find out about the Great Exhibition of 1851 but alas as Albertine and her new stepmother set off to attend this amazing event the story quite suddenly ends. I was very disappointed not to read about the sights and wonders through Albertine's eyes. Here is some information about The Great Exhibition aimed at youger readers. How did Nanny Tobbins die? It was a horse-riding accident but we are given no further details. I kept wondering if Albertine perhaps saw the accident or worse if she was in some way involved.  One of the gruesome aspects about this ghost is the way her head is not quite attached to her body. She also seems to attract lots of moths but just why this happens is never explained. At night Albertine is locked inside her room - I did find that quite distressing and I desperately hoped the would not be a fire in their house.  

Only Albertine can see the ghost of Nanny Tobbins, but her precious dog named Quiver seems to sense when she is here. There are a number of stereotypes in this story - the evil stepmother; the absent father; the fearful and bumbling servant; and the warm-hearted cook who makes fabulous foods for little Albertine. Of course, the spooky moments happen at midnight. The author Lucie Stevens did say she was thinking of the classic book Mary Poppins when she wrote the short piece as part of an assignment that then led to this longer novel. 

Was there really elephant at The Great Exhibition? Yes and No.  Not a living one but there was a taxidermy one. 

Image source: Victoria and Albert Museum

You can hear Lucie Stevens talk about her book here on the Podcast Your Kids Next Read (start at 15.60). RIP Nanny Tobbins is her debut Middle Grade Novel. RIP Nanny Tobbins will be published tomorrow! And she mentioned there will be a sequel next year and one of the books she lists as recent enjoyable reads was Little Bones. 

Bookseller blurb: When Nanny Tobbins fell off a horse and broke her neck, the grown-ups told nine-year-old Albertine she'd never see her beloved governess again. But it simply isn't true. For every night, when the clock strikes twelve, Nanny returns to the nursery. Yet in her new ghostly state, Nanny Tobbins quickly causes chaos in the household -- and the timing couldn't be more inconvenient. Albertine's stepmother is struggling to settle in, and Papa is much occupied working with Prince Albert on the Great Exhibition. To make matters worse, the grown-ups don't believe in ghosts at all, leaving Albertine to take the blame for Nanny's unruly antics. How will Albertine restore peace to her home before the unthinkable occurs?

RIP Nanny Tobbins is an easy book to read - I think it will appeal to readers aged 10+ but it may not be scary enough for the readers who love to find ghost stories that can tingle your spine. 

About the author: Lucie Stevens is a children’s writer who grew up in a semi-rural area of Dharug Country, north-west of Sydney. After working in Australian publishing houses for many years, she moved to Berlin, where she helped make education outreach programs for the UK and European Space Agencies. Now, having resettled in Gadigal Country, Sydney, Lucie works as a freelance editor for NGOs and not-for-profit organisations. She has authored and co-authored several books for the education market, on topics ranging from mudlarks to Mars. R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins is Lucie’s first novel for children.

I know I said at the start of this post that I don't seek out ghost stories but here are a few I have read and enjoyed (aimed at a similar audience to RIP Nanny Tobbins).

Out of the Wild Night

The Haunting of Charity Delafield

The Ghost of Grosswater

Her Perilous Mansion

Elizabeth and Zenobia

Not a ghost story but this wonderful book has a similar feel or setting

Withering by Sea

Jandy Malone and the Nine O'clock Tiger by Barbara Bolton illustrated by Alan White

"He is getting ready to prowl up and down the hallway of our house. Just as he does every night."

"I am Jandy Malone, the oldest of the family, and I am frightened."

I have been looking for some wonderful books to read to one special class in our school this term. The class will be filled with very keen readers so I want to share some truly special books and the first to come into my mind was this very old, long picture book called Jandy Malone and the Nine O'clock Tiger.

The language of this book is so poetic. It makes a wonderful read aloud title and the story is so intriguing that it opens the way for great discussion. Woven through this book are amazing art works and references to one beautiful piece of music "Sheep may safely graze". This is a book for slightly older readers because there is no real ending and the allegory of the nine o'clock tiger may not be easily identified by all students. 

The Wolf by Margaret Barbalet illustrated by Jane Tanner has a similar feel. Before you rush out and try to get your hands on Jandy Malone and the Nine O'Clock Tiger, it has long been out of print as it was first published in 1980. It was commended by the CBCA in 1981 in the Book of the Year category. This alone could be a good reason for it to be reprinted. 

 Jandy has told a bed time story to her younger siblings about the prowling Nine O'Clock Tiger. He prowls their hallway every night between nine and nine thirty. "It is ten minutes to nine at night. About now the Tasmanian tiger who lives in a lair somewhere in the shadows of our hallway is starting to stir. He is stretching his long muscles. He is baring his sharp teeth." Now Jandy and her brother and sister lie in bed each evening listening for the soft pad of the tiger's paws. All three are petrified but it is up to Jandy, the eldest, to face up to this fear and banish it once and for all but can she be brave enough? 

Here are some review comments from the back cover:

"Immediately striking and utimately haunting. The resolution is both emotionally satisfying and beautifully crafted" Canberra Times

"Splendidly atmospheric pictures ... a scary book with a happy ending which is as unusual as it is realistic." Melbourne Herald

I do need to mention that the tiger is not the wild tiger you may have assumed. This is an Australian children's picture book. It is set in Melbourne, Victoria. We do not have tigers in Australia (except in zoos). The tiger that Jandy has conjured into her night time story does not live in Melbourne and it is in fact extinct. Her tiger is the famous Tasmanian tiger.

You can read more about Tasmanian tigers in these two picture books:

I was excited to discover Handspan Theatre performed Jandy Malone and the Nine O'Clock Tiger as theatre production in 1991. It is a dream of mine that one day a major Australian city such as Sydney will host a festival of children's theatre. In 1994 I attended a festival like this and it was just wonderful. I saw a production of Bill's New Frock by Anne Fine. 

I hope you can find Jandy Malone and the Nine O'Clock Tiger in a school library along with another great title by the same author Edward Wilkins and his friend Gwendoline which is a must read for cat lovers.