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Win a Kindle Paperwhite worth over £100 plus a copy of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep **NOW CLOSED**

(602 Posts)
SorchaGransnet (GNHQ) Mon 16-Jan-17 15:23:26

To celebrate the publication of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, a charming coming-of-age debut novel by Joanna Cannon, we're giving you the chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite.

Mrs Creasy is missing and The Avenue is alive with whispers. The neighbours blame the disappearance on the heatwave, but ten-year-olds Grace and Tilly aren't so sure.

As the summer shimmers endlessly on, the girls decide to start their own investigation. And as the cul-de-sac starts giving up its secrets, the amateur detectives find more than they imagined.

Joanna Cannon graduated from Leicester Medical School and worked as a hospital doctor, before specialising in psychiatry. She lives in the Peak District with her family and her dog.

To be in with a chance of winning a Kindle Paperwhite worth over £100 & a copy of the book, tell us - do you remember the heatwave of '76? If so, what are your memories of it?

Post your entry below by midday Monday 13 February.

Usual T&Cs apply.

This discussion is sponsored by HarperCollins

susanjessejames Thu 26-Jan-17 10:26:19

My youngest son was born in 1976 and I also had a 20 month old toddler, the heat was relentless day in day out. Baby used to lay on a thick towel (too hot for a nappy) Covered with a net and parasol for shade. When I went shopping to the local market the traders used to sing a current song then ' The Streaker' referring to baby's nudity - happy days

Patterry Thu 26-Jan-17 10:58:43

I lived on an old sailing boat in Cornwall. It was wonderful living on the water and going to work and up the pub by dinghy.

lynwestie Thu 26-Jan-17 12:33:14

I was 13 then but can only remember the summer school holidays & being in the park every single day. Unlike now I was clearly not bothered by heat back then. Now I can barely drag up the energy to leave the house in high temps.

bandit25 Thu 26-Jan-17 17:35:31

No - I'm too young!

KAKADU Thu 26-Jan-17 17:38:44

I was living in Amsterdam at the time during a 2 year tour of Europe. It was certainly hot over there. It was the same year that clock on Big Ben stopped. Lost count of the number of times that some of my Dutch friends kept saying 'Bing Bing' to me in reference to the clock having stopped.

juliedee Thu 26-Jan-17 17:40:38

I remember being in Jersey on a family holiday, I was 12! We went on a day trip to Sark, & I got sunstroke!! I spent the next 2 days in bed getting over it.

shirlz51 Thu 26-Jan-17 18:28:40

I remember this year,because my son had started school,and the school run was seriously hot

Grannymoz Thu 26-Jan-17 21:14:13

I was 24 and living in Cardiff, working in a hotel near the arms park. I'd never been abroad and remember thinking this must be what it's like in Spain. They didn't have air con so it was sweltering. Must say though I'd welcome that weather back now

peronel Fri 27-Jan-17 09:48:47

Lovely sunny days on the beach - I was a schoolchild and just the right age to make the most of it! Our summer 'staycation' that year meant what seemed like endless days swimming, building sandcastles and having fun...

mandydoherty65 Fri 27-Jan-17 11:22:53

I turned 11 during the heatwave of '76 and remember spending everyday at the beach with my friends, setting off after breakfast with a bottle of pop, crisps and a sandwich. If we were lucky being given a couple of bob to spend. Also remember the news being full of pictures of dried up reservoirs and people queuing at standpipes

Direne3 Fri 27-Jan-17 12:45:33

A rare weekend away without children (courtesy Mum & sister) and walking hand in hand with DH through the Forest of Dean, just prior to it being closed because of the fire risk. I remember wearing my long muslin wrap-around cotton skirt - so cool amongst the trees.

queenie68 Fri 27-Jan-17 13:39:05

my memories are of my mum deciding she wanted crazy paving done on the front of the house and my poor dad turning lobster pink and then he used to sit in front of me in the front room and get me to peel all of the skin off his back it was shocking how burnt he got but he is still going strong at 79

SheenaBatey Fri 27-Jan-17 22:24:17

Trying to revise for my a Levels and Wimbledon

MiceElf Fri 27-Jan-17 23:08:20

A plague of ladybirds which were equally enchanting and sinister.

sweetpea65 Sat 28-Jan-17 09:55:56

I remember going for a sunday drive with my Grandad and seeing the local reservoir nearly empty. I also remember the tarmac in my new school playground being so soft that I could press marbles into it with my foot.

docp Sat 28-Jan-17 10:22:21

I was 15 then and spent an endless summer at the local lido, hopping into the pool whenever it got too hot.

GandT Sat 28-Jan-17 10:22:31

It was the year we got married so that year was very memorable. We lived in a tiny flat which was South facing, and a perfect place to grow tomatoes on the windowsill. I hadn't yet found a job so I used to meet my husband after work and drive to the beach with a picnic. Being the North Sea it was all you could do to dip just your toes in the water as it was surprising cold for all the blistering heat around you. It was a glorious and very happy summer.

jimsnan Sat 28-Jan-17 11:17:49

We lived in Folkestone. I think every Londoner with a car headed for the coast. We were inundated with day trippers. Good for the economy, but hell doing the shopping (no shop online then). We survived.

sallie Sat 28-Jan-17 13:51:40

i remember sunbathing in the garden while trying to revise for exams.

kathcake Sat 28-Jan-17 14:21:23

No I wasn't born lol

franklintuesday Sat 28-Jan-17 14:37:57

I remember having a 2 and 4 year old, who were only happy in the paddling pool.

chris2468 Sat 28-Jan-17 15:08:05

To be in with a chance of winning a Kindle Paperwhite worth over £100 & a copy of the book, tell us - do you remember the heatwave of '76? If so, what are your memories of it? . . . . l remember it well . . . . l got married in July of that year and we went to Greece for our honeymoon, where there was no water rationing !!

Choaky Sat 28-Jan-17 15:39:45

Our second son was born and wore just a nappy during the day and night as it was so hot. My husband had just started a new job driving an Ice Cream van. He had to keep coming home plugging into the electric to stop the stock from melting. But at least he had lots of customers.
There was the threat of Standpipes in the street, so he started selling Buckets to make some extra money.

Dianamax Sat 28-Jan-17 16:31:56

We lived in rural Lincolnshire and had a sceptic tank. I kept wondering if the helicopters flying around looking for people who had been watering their gardens would report us. Tried not to think too hard how come our vegetables were still doing well........

almonds Sat 28-Jan-17 19:12:12

Remember it well as working night shift - 12 hour shifts. Slept outside on the grass all summer.