An Episode of Sparrows
 First edition (US) | |
| Author | Rumer Godden |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | George Salter |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Publisher |
Viking Books (US) Macmillan (UK) |
Publication date |
1955 (US) 1956 (UK) |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 247 |
An Episode of Sparrows is a novel written in 1955 by Rumer Godden. It has been re-issued by The New York Review Children's Collection.
Plot summary
The novel focuses on children in Catford Street, a working-class London street of much stone and asphalt but only few green spots. A difficult young girl named Lovejoy Mason, living with the aspiring restaurateur and his wife with whom her irresponsible mother has left her, finds a packet of cornflower seeds and plants a small garden in a wrecked churchyard, filled with rubble from the Blitz. Although other children dislike her, Tip Malone, the boss of a boys’ gang, takes an interest in Lovejoy and her small project. Ultimately, several adults become involved in the children's lives as a result of Lovejoy's garden, with significant consequences for their future.
Film adaptations
The movie Innocent Sinners (1958) is based on the novel.