The Borrowers

Arrietty, who is fourteen, is bored and lonely in the dim rooms beneath the floor, and she longs to see the world outside. When her father finally takes her on a borrowing trip, she meets a boy who is staying in the house, and against every rule the two become friends. He brings the Borrowers gifts from a dolls' house, and for a while their home becomes grander than ever.

But being seen is dangerous. The housekeeper becomes suspicious, and the family must face the threat of being discovered and driven out. Much of the book's charm comes from its detail: Homily's kitchen made of found objects, postage stamps used as pictures and matchboxes as furniture. The story is told within a frame, as an older woman tells a young girl what her brother once saw, which adds a hint of mystery about whether it is true. The pace is gentle, with moments of real suspense.

Charming and timeless, followed by several sequels, beginning with The Borrowers Afield. It is a lovely book for reading aloud, and children often finish it looking at their own homes and wondering what might be living under the floor. About 192 pages in the Clarion paperback.