The Borrowers Afloat facts for kids
First edition (UK)
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| Author | Mary Norton |
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| Illustrator | Diana L. Stanley (UK) Beth and Joe Krush (US) |
| Country | United Kingdom and US |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Borrowers |
| Genre | Fantasy children's novel |
| Published | 1959 (J. M. Dent, US; Harcourt, Brace, US) |
| Pages | 176pp (UK); 191pp (US) |
| LC Class | PZ7.N8248 Bl 1959 |
| Preceded by | The Borrowers Afield |
| Followed by | The Borrowers Aloft |
The Borrowers Afloat is an exciting fantasy novel for children. It was written by Mary Norton and first published in 1959. This book is the third story in the popular The Borrowers series. The series began in 1952 with the book The Borrowers.
Contents
Story Summary
This book continues the adventures of the Clock family. They are tiny people called Borrowers. In this story, the Clock family is living in the house of a human boy named Tom.
A New Challenge
The Borrowers soon learn that Tom and his uncle are moving away. This means the Clock family will run out of food. They need to leave the house quickly. But there's a problem: Tom's pet weasel or ferret is outside their door. The animal still has a bell that Tom put on it. The Borrowers know they cannot outrun such a fast animal.
Spiller's Return
Just when things look bad, Spiller returns. He is another Borrower. He comes through a secret passage using the drains under the house. Spiller explains that he never told them about the drains because they never asked.
A Legendary Village
While deciding where to go, Spiller tells them about a place called Little Fordham. This is a legendary place among Borrowers. It is a tiny replica village. It was built for Borrower-sized residents. There is also plenty of food left by the "big people" who visit.
A Journey Adrift
Spiller lets the Clock family stay in one of his hiding spots. It is a tea kettle. He leaves to check out Little Fordham for them. While they wait, heavy rain starts to fall. The rain causes the tea kettle to float away downstream. The Clocks decide their best hope is for Spiller to find them. They do not have many scary adventures while floating. But they do lose the kettle when it gets stuck in some rubbish.
A Dangerous Encounter
While still on the river, a gypsy named Mild Eye spots them. He had almost caught them before. The Clock family is trapped because none of them can swim.
TV Show Adaptations
The Borrowers books have been made into TV shows. An adaptation is when a book is turned into a movie or TV series.
- The Return of the Borrowers: This was a BBC TV series from 1993. It was a follow-up to The Borrowers TV series. Famous actors like Ian Holm and Penelope Wilton starred in it. This series was based on the third and fourth Borrowers novels. These were The Borrowers Afield and The Borrowers Aloft.
