No One Must Know facts for kids
No One Must Know is an exciting children's novel written by the English author Barbara Sleigh in 1962. The story is about a group of children who live in a small English town. Their homes are terraced houses, meaning they are built in a row, and they are located between a railway line and a large warehouse. There's one big rule in their rented homes: no pets allowed!
Contents
The Secret Story Begins
The adventure starts when a new family moves into Number Six, one of the houses on Cumberland Place. This street is quite small and is squeezed between a busy railway and a big warehouse. The new family includes a young girl named Jenny Hawthorn and her father. Jenny has a secret: a cat named Thomas!
Jenny quickly learns about the "no pets" rule from her new neighbors, Barty Fergus and Molly Dudgeon. She's very worried about what she'll do with Thomas.
A Big Surprise and a Secret Plan
The very next morning, Jenny gets a huge surprise: Thomas isn't a male cat after all! Thomas is a female cat and has given birth to four tiny kittens overnight. This makes the "no pets" problem even bigger!
Jenny, Barty, and Molly quickly decide they need a secret place for the mother cat and her kittens. They find a hidden spot on some empty land nearby, which they name Tom Tiddler's Ground. This place is perfect because it's out of sight from their landlord, who they call Old Cockles. He's very strict about pets and would never allow them.
Three more children from the street – Sam, Midge, and Molly's younger brother Tony – soon join the secret club.
Challenges and Dangers
Keeping the kittens a secret isn't easy, and the children face many challenges:
- A Spy Among Them: One of the children might be telling secrets, which could put the kittens in danger.
- Train Spotters: People who love watching trains often use the path behind the houses, making it risky for the children to visit their secret spot without being seen.
- Hidden Trouble: A young person who causes trouble starts using Tom Tiddler's Ground to hide stolen items. This makes the secret place dangerous for the children and their kittens.
- Homes in Danger: The children also learn that their houses might be torn down, which could mean losing their homes and their secret hiding place.
A detailed map of the area is shown in the book, helping readers imagine where all the adventures take place.
Book Editions
The first edition of No One Must Know was published in the United Kingdom in 1962. It was then released in the United States the following year. In 1968, it was reprinted in the UK as part of Collins's Evergreen Library. The book was also translated into other languages, including Dutch in 1963 and German in 1974.
The story was written for children aged ten and older. Today, you might find it in libraries or second-hand bookstores, as it is not currently being printed.
Television Series
No One Must Know was turned into a BBC children's television series in 1969. It was part of the popular show Jackanory. The series had five episodes, each about 15 minutes long. Jeremy Swan directed and adapted the book for television. Robert Swann was the narrator, and the role of Jenny was played by Lorraine Windsor.
Images for kids
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The cover of the first UK edition of the book.
