Love this book! I think that on reading it a second time, I don’t find it quite as compelling as the first book because there isn’t the same sense of mystery and discovery as in book one. But that’s not to say that this book isn’t full of delightfully intriguing sections as well!

The storyline of this one – fixing up the abandoned house – is a favorite of mine, as is the humor and the oral tradition of the Gone-Away stories. Portia’s mother’s ecstatic reaction to finding the antique furniture is also a lovely moment!