Apple Bough

David and Polly Forum were determined to raise musical geniuses, so they taught their children music before they could speak. When Sebastian proves to be a prodigy at the age of eight, it's no wonder they pack up the rest of the family for an incredible adventure - his world tour!

After four long years of touring, Myra, the eldest, feels it's time to begin Operation Home. That's not easy, since Mum won't split the family up, Sebastian can't stop touring if he wants the priceless Amati violin, and worst of all, Apple Bough, their home, has been sold. How can Myra convince the family she's right?

A typical Streatfeild family, with a highly gifted 12-year-old violinist, have been travelling around the world for a couple of years. However the other children long for a permanent home. There's a talented ballet dancer, a potential popular song writer who also likes to recite, and a very nicely drawn big sister who doesn't think she has any real talent at all.

It's a lovely book set in the middle of the 20th century, featuring family values and relationships. There's some mild humour and several surprisingly moving sections. Recommended for anyone aged about eight or over, including adults. Great as a read-aloud, too.

Latest longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2025/03/apple-bough-by-noel-streatfeild.htm...

Not one of my most favorites--everyone seems to whine a lot, Wolfgang is one of her more insufferable characters, Ethel is just a copy of Posy Fossil, Sebastian is "sensitive" (and suffers from "exhaustion"), and Myra is too good to be true.
And of course as usual the servants are much more sensible and responsible than the parents. Oh, and those hilarious foreigners! They just get so overemotional!
Still, it's never dull, and before you know it you've read the whole thing in one go.

I have always loved Noel Streatfeild's books and as a child I got my library to ILL them for me or hunted through second hand book stores to find all of them. She tells the perfect "girls stories". I was always able to find one character in each book that was my favorite. They definitely stand up to re-reads.

Published in the U.S. as Traveling shoes