Book 59d: Bagthorpes Unlimited, by Helen Cresswell

The most disjointed volume so far detailing the unusual history of the Bagthorpe family... unwanted visitors, lots of maggots and the world's longest daisy chain feature in this tale of the Bagthorpes' efforts to be immortalised somehow or other. They don't really seem to care how. It begins with their wishy washy cousins, Esther and Luke, one of whom is to have poetry published whilst the other competes for the title of Young Brain of Britain. The ensuing efforts of William, Tess and Rosie to become famous (whilst ordinary Jack looks on) are eclipsed and frustrated by four-year-old Daisy, in league, of course, with Grandma. Mr Bagthorpe, meanwhile, has been offered the chance of a lifetime to be interviewed by the Sunday Times. He is delighted - until he realises what the photographer is likely to find when he arrives at the house. As with the other Bagthorpe books, I quite enjoyed this story, with its familiar and (in most cases!) likeable characters.