by Shena Mackay
First published 1996
April Harlency is eight years old when her family takes over the Copper Kettle Tearoom in Stonebridge, a small English village in the 1950s. Their former landlord posts a "No Blacks. No Irish. No Pets" sign after they leave his rented rooms. April quickly bonds with Ruby, a spirited red-haired girl whose parents run the local butcher shop. When April witnesses the slaughter of Pansy Pig and her piglets, she bursts into tears and learns harsh truths about life and death. The girls create a secret refuge in a nearby orchard where they build their dream camp together. But April also catches the attention of Mr. Greenridge, a solitary man who makes unwelcome sexual advances toward her. The village's picturesque countryside masks the cruelty of gossip, prejudice, and abuse that threaten to overwhelm a young girl trying to make sense of her world. April must navigate these dangers while holding onto her friendship with Ruby and the sanctuary they've created together.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, abuse, 20th-century, coming-of-age, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family, small-town
Setting: Copper Kettle Tearoom, Stonebridge, England
Period: 1950s
Hardcover · Moyer Bell Ltd
Content warnings: abuse, child-abuse