This is the first book in the Nettleford series. The main family are the Richardsons, Sally, Paul and Veronica (Vee) who live at the Wise Owl Bookshop with their parents. Sharing their adventures are Elizabeth (Liz) Langton, who lives with her parents and two brothers, Charles and Hugh, at the local vicarage, and Jimmy Brand, the ironmonger’s son. They form a secret society, The Owlers.
In All Summer Through, Sally, Paul, Elizabeth and Jimmy form The Owlers. Mrs Richardson is asked to look after her stuck-up nephew, Tony, for three weeks during the summer holidays and eventually he proves his worth and is allowed to join the club. The children go to Northmead Farm to camp, where they assist in bringing in the harvest and help when a fire is discovered. They then organise a party for two lonely invalids. Later in the story the Richardsons and Tony go to Tenby for a holiday, where they rescue a boy who has been blown off a cliff.
Samantha Little has written a fascinating introduction on ‘Shopping in 1950s Britain with the Richardson family’ and Mike McGarry has written an introduction about the changes made to the Armada edition
(added to website 24 October 2025)
