Necum Teuch Notes: More About the Scarecrows of Necum Teuch

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

This charming story takes place in the idyllic rural countryside of the
Eastern Shore, Nova Scotia, circa the first decade of the 20th century.
Four-year-old Timothy is staying with his Aunt Mary for several months
while his parents are in Europe.

The surroundings and slow pace of life are conducive to low-key
adventures. There are outbuildings, flower gardens, and fields. The
house is old and comfortable, with lots of cozy corners. The sympathetic
characters are also comfortable; one of Timothy’s elderly relatives
likes “to be silly because it’s good for the head and heart.” The
adventures are innocent, recalling those in Anne of Green Gables:
Timothy gets in trouble for giggling in church and jumping on the couch;
a cow breaks through the fence and raids the clothesline; Timothy plants
cucumber seeds in the flower garden by mistake.

Geddes is particularly successful at conveying a strong sense of place.
Timothy is an engaging little character, and his “scrapes” are fun
to read about. The occasionally fulsome prose is compatible with the
time and setting of the story. Recommended for its evocation of times
past.