Friday, December 19, 2025

Friday's Forgotten Books: THE RETURN OF THE TWELVES, Pauline Clark

 The Return of the Twelves by Pauline Clark

Written in 1962, this was a book I read to my children. I usually chose books with a fantastical element since they didn’t choose such books on their own.

Together we read Tom’s Midnight Garden, Tuck Everlasting, The Indian in the Cupboard and so on.

The Return of the Twelves is a favorite.

Max finds a box of twelve toy soldiers in the attic. The soldiers come to life at night and Max eventually learns the soldiers were the playthings of the Bronte children who endowed them with a magical ability to come alive. (Branwell Bronte actually wrote a story about his soldiers called “The History of the Boys”).

Tying the story to a real and literary family was especially delightful to me and leads young (or old) readers to an interest in the Brontes. Highly recommended.

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