A jolly good show! - Rated 
Written when Pamela Brown was just 14-years-old, this novel will make you nostalgic for a childhood you did not have. Although calling to mind a world most associated with Enid Blyton, Brown's happy band of seven aspiring performers have a bit more go about them than the grande dame's amateur sleuths and adventurers.
This novel is by no means perfect. Brown's dialogue is sometimes pretty clunky and her naïveté shows through in her characterisation of the adults and the way in which the children react to them. However, this is pretty interesting in itself and makes a change to have a true child's eye view. Anyway, her dialogue is no worse than JK Rowling's which can be breathtakingly bad for someone who is happy to accept the (unfounded) plaudits that she is the saviour of children's literature.
We're actually lucky to have The Swish of the Curtain at all. Just after Brown had sent it to her publishers their London offices were bombed in the Blitz. Although the manuscript was saved they had no idea who the author was until she contacted them to find out if they intended to publish it. She went on to write four further novels about the Blue Doors and the second, Maddy Alone has just been re-issued.
All in all, The Swish of the Curtain is a perfect antidote to the feral youths who plague the nation's streets.
The Swish of the Curtain by Pamela Brown - Rated 
In 1972, at the age of 12, I was given this book to read as part of my English curriculum, I loved it. I attend a creative writing class, our recent subject being, Your favourite or most memorable book, The Swish of the Curtain came to mind, I couldn't remember the author after all it was 35 years ago, so on returning home i came on to amazon and to my delight found it still available, I ordered it and have just finished reading it, and found it even more exciting than before, I especially liked reading the bit about the author, I was so surprised that she was so young when she wrote it. I would like to obtain the rest of the books in the series. My copy of the Swish of the Curtain I am now going to pass on to my great niece an avid reader, who I'm sure will love it. Truelly a book that has stood the test of time. A highly recommended read for all ages.
A welcome encore - Rated
I've just re-read this childhood favourite and forty years on I loved every page. It was unbelievable to learn that the author, Pamela Brown, was only 14 when when she wrote this classic. This latest edition comes with recommendations from two of our theatrical dames - Maggie Smith and Eileen Atkins. I hope the publishers will re-release the four sequels although this first book is by far the best.
The Swish of the Curtain - Rated
I loved this book. I read it 7 times and then it fell apart on a camping trip. Great for children who are not keen readers but enjoy living life. Read it to your kids and enthuse them.
What a wonderful world! - Rated
I count myself very lucky that I have ALL the original (first edition) hardback books in Pamela Brown's "Swish of the Curtain" series. They are now very old, and very well read. These stories are wonderfully written, the world they describe is thoroughly enjoyable - and its interesting to watch the characters develop from children to adults. I hope this new edition of Swish of the Curtain is unabridged (as a collector of many "1st editions" of childrens stories, I despair at the totally unnecessary damage caused by abridged versions of stories), and also hope that the other books will follow in due course - and open up this wonderful world to a whole new generation of readers.
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