Anthony Buckeridge (1912–2004)

What a delight! I had to read pieces to my husband because I was laughing so hard. Jennings is a wonderful character! This is a boarding school story and a terrific one at that. The last chapter says it all. I'm reading this for my Vintage Book Circle group which have taken on the task of selecting books from a series to read and review. I'm considering similarities and differences in this and Just William! by Richmal Crompton. Jennings is a more likeable character. Just William seems to be show more trying to punch adult buttons. I'll be curious to know if others in my group would be interested in comparing the two. show less

I used to read the Jennings and Darbishire books when I was a little lad back in the early 1970s. I was delighted to get hold of a copy of Jennings Follows a Clue but opened it with trepidation. So many of these old books have not stood the test of time and are let down by 1950s anachronisms and attitudes that we don't approve of any more. Would Jennings be the same?

No! It has survived the passage of years and I polished it off in the space of an afternoon. I remember this story and specific show more scenes really clearly, despite the passage of nearly half a century. The story is innocent and charming and the characters are fun. Even the prep school language 'ozard oik', 'supersonic', 'spinning' fails to annoy. I'm really glad I found this and invested some time in a lovely trip down Memory Lane. show less

I read this in a couple of hours, having last read it perhaps 50 years ago. I remembered every incident - the poetry competition; Jennings trying to fry fish in the darkroom; having cakes with Old Wilkie's sister; Darbishire stranded in Foxy Type's detention class at a different school; Haltpostle Whistle, or was it Whistlehalt Postle?- and read them as old friends. Such happy memories were evoked by this lovely writing from an older, more innocent time. These books have stood the test of show more time well, with only the occasional anachronistic attitude which jarred slightly. show less

In book 2 of the series, Jennings gets impressed by a Sherlock Holmes story and decides that he, too, will be a great detective, with the assistance of his hapless sidekick Darbishire. The plot, although still a bit episodic, is more cohesive than the first book, since it's all organized around this idea.

I found it as good as the first book. I'm not much for laughing aloud when reading, but I was chuckling several times with this book. There's something really appealing about Jennings' show more eager, well-intentioned attitude and fancies of imagination, and the chaos he causes is always entertaining. Darbishire is great too, struggling to keep up with his adventurous friend and always ready to quote a piece of wisdom from his father.

Delightlfull read. show less