A review by nicktomjoe
Ordinary Jack: Being the First Part of the Bagthorpe Saga by Helen Cresswell

4.0

A light comedy of manners that doesn’t disappoint. Bubbles of self-importance are burst, the pecking order of a family is subtly shifted, and Zero the dog learns to fetch. There are laugh-out-loud moments, some keen descriptions of a family that take themselves too seriously, and even some fond depictions of summer meadows. Cresswell has some great lines, some affectionate jesting at families, and a good meditation on how family - even one as bizarre as the Bagthorpes - rub along together, with the small triumphs and disasters of family life.