The Great Farm Rescue: Hannah's Farm Series

Hannah and her family are facing tough times again as their landlord is threatening them with eviction and dad has had an accident. But Hannah is determined to save the farm once again, this time by raising the money to buy it. Her family and friends rally round to support the endeavour, but how on earth will they raise over two million pounds?

The Great Farm Rescue is the third story about Hannah and her wonderfully eccentric and loveable family. Every bit as enjoyable as the first two (The Secret Hen House Theatre and The Farm Beneath the Water), The Great Farm Rescue pulls the books to a joyful conclusion, but could easily be read as a stand-alone story.

When I was little, we used to stay on a farm in Devon where we helped to collect the eggs, feed the chicken and bring the cows in for milking. I am sure that my brothers and I were a far greater hindrance than a help, but we adored these holidays and still talk about them to this day. The Great Farm Rescue captures all the joy we experienced on the farm, but Helen Peters cleverly weaves the problems faced by tenant farmers into the story, showing the reality of farming life and encouraging empathy and understanding in readers.

One of the greatest joys of this book is that it depicts a very real family with all their messy feelings and relationships, differences and quirks, but also the strong bond of love which means they are prepared to support each other and work together to save the home which they all love.  Each family member is beautifully drawn, full of personality, and thoroughly endearing, and they all feel like old friends by the end of the book!

As well as trying to save the farm, Hannah has also landed her dream part as Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream and she finds herself acting alongside Miranda, who she has previously had problems with. The enmity between the two girls is well handled, with tension building until things reach crisis point for Hannah. The final conclusion to this part of the story is both satisfying and realistic.

The Great Farm Rescue is a wonderfully warm and 'wholesome' story - I mean this in a really positive way. It's not sugary sweet, but good things do happen to good people and the combined power of community, friendship and a love of nature make great things happen. Brilliant story, beautifully written!

336 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+