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Satchels and Second Chances
(2026)(The second book in the Yorkshire Teacher series)
A novel by Gervase Phinn
The next BRAND NEW nostalgic, feel-good novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Gervase Phinn.
'Gervase Phinn has a unique understanding of children and a glorious sense of humour which make his books much loved best sellers. I’m a huge fan.' Esther RantzenAutumn term, 1956. When Helen Mercer takes on the role of head teacher at Brightbrook Junior School in Yorkshire, she’s met with peeling paint, broken promises from the local authority and a building that resembles a Victorian workhouse. But behind the bleak exterior are children who desperately need a champion – and Helen determines to transform the school and her pupils' lives.
Among them are Terry, a boy scarred by a brutal home life who finds solace in caring for pigeons; Rupert, a precocious ten-year-old hiding a desperate need for affection; and Lucy, a bright girl with a baffling case of elective mutism.
As Helen and her staff take on these professional challenges, her romance with the head teacher at nearby St Mary’s also advances.
But will the reappearance of a ghost from her past, plus a bombshell from the Director of Education, threaten Helen’s hopes for the future?
A poignant, heartwarming and often funny nostalgic tale about the transformative power of teaching.
Praise for Gervase Phinn:
'As heartwarming as ever' Alan Titchmarsh
'Hilarious and hair-raising' Sunday Times
'Colourful, funny and honest' Sunday Express
'A natural storyteller' The Times Educational Supplement
'Gervase Phinn's memoirs have made him a hero in school staff-rooms' Daily Telegraph
'He has a marvellous ear for one-liners' Yorkshire Post
'A born raconteur' Guardian
'Uproarious and touching by turns' Daily Mail
'Enchanting' Women's Own
Genre: General Fiction
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