Over Hill and Dale

A sequel to "The Other Side of the Dale", about the author working as a schools inspector, a colourful cast of characters include the mostly mad staff at County Hall, teachers who range from saints to stand-ins and the children who find ways of embarassing school inspectors with innocent ease.This sequel to "The Other Side of the Dale" continues the story of Gervase Phinn working as a schools inspector in the Yorkshire Dales. Many of the same characters appear again: his fellow inspectors, quirks and all, the local landowner-cum-school governor, the eccentric caretaker at the staff development centre and, of course, the lovely Christine from Winnery Nook school who turned his head in the first book. But the real stars are the children, whose not-so-innocent remarks made that first volume so popular.