Tales from the Tent

Book excerpt: Tales from the Tent continues Jess Smith's story from the first book in the series, Jessie's Journey. Jess has left school, and after a miserable spell working in a paper-mill, she abandons the settled life and takes to the roads once more. The old bus has gone, to be replaced by a caravan and campsites. Times are changing, and it is becoming harder and harder for travellers to make a living by doing the rounds of seasonal jobs like the berry-picking. Conscious that the old way of life was disappearing before her eyes, Jess stored up as much as she could gather from the rich folklore of the travellers' world. Now she retells some of the many stories and songs she heard by the campfire or at the tent's mouth. Interwoven with these tales is the story of Jess and her life on the road - her first loves, her friendships, her days at the hawking and berry-picking, the exploits of her lovable but infuriating family, the unforgettable characters she meets.