Customer Reviews

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• Stuart Millson

  Our longstanding CIoJ colleague, John Szemerey, returns to the world of children’s writing and publishing with his new tale, “The Smiling Stranger”. Avid readers of The Journal’s book review section may well recall our description of his ghost train story from old Hungary – a country to which he returns in his latest book; although this time we find ourselves joining the family holiday of the Thompsons (the children being Peter, Edward and sister, Jo) in the invigorating atmosphere of the mountains.
  The Smiling Stranger is a cautionary tale: a mysterious man who warns the family of impending doom in the hills, yet who is this person? They begin to ask questions and soon learn of a mountain-guide named Attila who disappeared long ago… Ghosts seem to figure strongly in Szemerey’s imagination, yet they are reassuringly benign. It is sometimes said that children’s stories are wasted on their target audience – with adult readers returning to the genre and deriving much pleasure from an escape from reality. This reviewer often finds solace, escapism and pure, simple enjoyment in books first read in childhood and adolescence (The Wind in the Willows, The Railway Children): John’s new title joins my list.
  Well-written and in clear large bold type (to encourage younger readers), The Smiling Stranger could well become a sought-after children’s favourite.
  

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