THE VELVET ROOM

THE VELVET ROOM  by Zilpha Keatly Snyder   (LWH)

This book was my special Christmas treat to myself. I loved reading as a child and in primary school read every book I could get my hands on, but I distinctly remember my favourite book ‘The Velvet Room’ by Zilpha Keatly Snyder. Over the years I had forgotten the actual story except that it was about a girl finding a secret room, draped in velvet curtains, that she would  run to when she wanted to get away from her family. I guess that book started me, without me realizing it, to love stories of suspense, mystery,  and secret places.

I had searched many libraries and second hand bookshops trying to find this book and was delighted to finally find it online, so I ordered it and hoped that it would live up to all I had remembered about it being a fabulous book. It didn’t disappoint. It was so lovely to read this book and enjoy it as an adult. Memories came flooding back of how I felt when I had first read it in the early 70’s… yes, 40 years ago! Can you believe it?

The story is about a young girl, Robin, who is travelling around in the family car as her father is lookin
g for work during the depression. They are constantly on the move and her father’s health is poor. At times the whole family must sleep in the car. Their fortune changes one day when her father is given a job at the McCurdy’s farm. A house is provided on the family property, and they live in a small community along with other seasonal workers. 

Robin discovers an old lady living on the property who she befriends. She also discovers an old family mansion that is boarded up and hasn’t been lived in for years, which the locals believe is haunted. Robin discovers a secret entrance through a well to the house and finds the most exciting room, a library, full of books, surrounded by memorabilia and luscious velvet curtains and cushions. Whenever she gets the chance to escape her dreary life and family, she wanders off to the secret room and enjoys her passion for reading. This was probably what touched my heart as a child reading this book as I loved reading so much, and having a secret place to hide away and not be disturbed sounded enchanting to me. She unravels a mystery, stops the mansion from burning to the ground, along with all its history, and the ending was touching although predictable.

It was lovely to rekindle my love for this book and I had a great sense of satisfaction having found it again, and enjoying it after all these years. It will never leave my bookshelf… that’s for sure!