Sara And Hoppity Make New Friends Published 1960 by Pelham Books Illustrated by Marion Wilson Sara is almost five, not quite old enough to go to school. When she does, she wants to take Hoppity with her so he can learn to read and write and do sums. While out in the garden by the goldfish pond, Sara is surprised when something splashes into the water. Naughty children have thrown a small bag of rubbish over the wall.. Hoppity thinks it would be a good idea to tell the children off so Sara climbs the tree to see over the wall. But she gets stuck and has to be rescued by Daddy - who is not very pleased! The next day, Sara is playing on her swing when an apple core comes over the wall and hits her on the nose! Hoppity has another idea and Sara gets her tricycle from the tool shed, riding it down the garden path and out the gate to the school playground next door! The boys and girls tease little Sara and Hoppity is taken from her. The bell rings, and the children line up in the playground, leaving Sara to be found by the teacher. A boy called Jimmy tells the teacher she is Sara Brown from down the road, and Sara is sent home in tears without Hoppity. Daddy is angry she went out of the garden by herself but Mummy promises to make her a new toy. Sara is so sad she doesn't eat her lunch or tea. The doorbell rings. It is Jimmy, who has found Hoppity for her and returned him. Sara is so pleased, she invites her new friend Jimmy to tea. One morning, a letter arrives for Sara. It is from Jimmy, who has broken his leg and is in hospital. His mum is working and he would like Sara to visit and bring a jigsaw as he is lonely. Sara wants to take him a sewing set but Mummy says boys don't like sewing. What do they like? Sara wonders, and Hoppity tells her... That afternoon, Mummy takes Sara to get some fruit for Jimmy on the way to hospital. In an enormous room full of beds, they find Jimmy, who will be able to go home on Saturday. Sara has brought Jimmy a surprise - a goldfish. Jimmy tells Sara it is dead, to which Sara replies Hoppity said it wil be alright if you put it back in water. But Hoppity is wrong, and Sara bursts into tears. Hoppity face is wet too, but Mummy says it is just water from the dead goldfish. Sara thinks he is upset and sorry too... Saturday is Big Shopping Day. Sara likes shopping with Daddy as he carries her and she can see all the counters. But shopping with Mummy, all she can see is people's legs! In Woolworths, it is worst of all as it is so busy! Sara sees a kitten playing and chases it down a flight of stairs where she finds open boxes of lots of broken toys that nobody wants. Hoppity has an idea, and Sara fills her basket with as many as possible. Back in the shop, her worried Mummy asks where she got all the toys from, and says Sara must take them back to the manager. But when Sara explains that Mummy and Daddy own a Toy Hospital, and can mend them for the children in hospital, he thinks it a good idea and agrees. Boxes and boxes of toys are delivered to the Toy Hospital and for five whole days, Mummy, Daddy and Miss Julie mend them. On Friday, a letter arrives from the hospital to invite them all to a party. Jimmy is there, with his leg in plaster, and Sara is allowed to present the toys to the girls and boys. Pictures are taken for the local paper, with Sara saying it was all Hoppity's idea. And Hoppity becomes the first toy to become a member of the WVS - Women's Voluntary Service! Notes: This second book provides the basis for the second episode of the television series Hoppity Is Stolen, as well as the episodes Sara's Friend Has An Accident and Sara and the Broken Toys. It is revealed in this book that Sara is four, and does not yet attend school. The mention of Woolworths is quite interesting, in that it is a real chain of shops (and still going strong) but may have been chosen as one of the few shops known in the UK, Australia and America - cutries where the books were published. With thanks to the British Library. On to Sara and Hoppity Get Lost Back to the Sara and Hoppity homepage Sara And Hoppity would welcome any information on any of the other Wonderama/National Interest Picture Productions for future updates.