Over Hill and Dale - Gervase Phinn

'Miss, who's that funny man at the back of the classroom?' So begins school-inspector Gervase Phinn's second year among the frankly spoken pupils and teachers of North Yorkshire. The sight of Gervase calmly getting out his notebook and pen unexpected reactions from children and adults alike. He finds himself unwillingly playing the stooge to Mrs Peterson's class of juniors, confronting Mr Swan whose hunger for lunchtime exceeds his appetite for English and alarmingly disarmed by a pupil unsure whether he is learning French or German. But Gervase is far from daunted. He is still in pursuit of lovely headteacher, Christine Bentley; he is ready to brave the steely glare of the officious Mrs Savage, and even feels up to helping Dr Gore organize a gathering of the Feofees - just as soon as someone tells him what they are. This is a delectable second helping of hilarious tales from the man who has been dubbed 'the James Herriot of schools'. It will have you laughing out loud. Over Hill and Dale - Gervase Phinn. Penguin Books Limited 2001. ISBN 9780140281293