Worzel Gummidge Takes a Holiday — Barbara Euphan Todd

John and Susan are back at Scatterbrook this time in May, though that makes little difference to the havoc caused by Worzel Gummidge and his fellow scarecrows, Earthy Mangold and Hannah Harrow. Unfortunate results ensue from their antics, including a swarm of bees invading the living room of Mrs Bloomsbury-Barton, and Worzel has a go at flying before coming down to earth with a crash. First published in 1949, this is the fifth in the series of Barbara Euphan Todds Worzel Gummidge novels. The Worzel Gummidge stories were broadcast on the popular Children's Hour on British radio and two of them were featured in TVs Jackanory. 1979 saw the birth of a successful television series based on Worzel Gummidge and other characters from the books, with Jon Pertwee playing the eponymous scarecrow, which still has a dedicated following to this day. The book is read by the multi-talented Jessica Martin, who infuses the stories with verve and excitement.