Moorland

It takes a village to raise a child—and in Moorland, that village is filled with warmth, music, and room to roam.

Sheila E. Humphrey’s Moorland, the first book in The Adventures of Bucket and Arthur series, introduces Florence “Flo” Dunne, a divorced mother of two doing her best to hold her household together. Fortunately, Flo has a devoted network of family and friends who encourage her children, Arthur and Bucket, while offering Flo some much-needed support of her own. Tenderly woven with love, care, and the enduring importance of family, Moorland celebrates the people who help us find our footing when life shifts beneath us.

At the heart of Flo’s support system are her sisters Jan and Dorothy Clayton. Through vivid descriptions of their welcoming home and extensive acreage, Humphrey creates an inviting haven where worries recede, imaginations run wild, and readers can rediscover the freedom of childhood. Arthur and Bucket embrace the property as a setting for adventure and spirited games of hide-and-seek, while Flo finds a temporary refuge from a life-changing decision: whether to uproot her family for a promising career opportunity. Figuring out when to put yourself first, even if it means disrupting the lives of your children, is something all parents understand, and Humphrey captures this quiet conflict of parenthood with compassion in a realistic and relatable way.

As in Gilmore Girls and Ginny & Georgia, single motherhood creates a unique dynamic between Flo and her children. Heartwarming, humorous, and refreshingly honest, this family has a special bond that is a delight to be a part of. But while family is undoubtedly at the core of this book, a second central theme is music and the arts. Song titles and the feelings they evoke are woven naturally throughout the narrative, with a helpful resource guide included at the end. Providing a soundtrack, Humphrey invites readers to experience the songs alongside her characters, creating a truly unique and immersive reading experience.

Framed around a school year and its culminating play, Moorland follows a clear structure that carries the story naturally into summer. Its workplace, family, and school storylines provide variety, though their breadth occasionally limits how deeply individual characters and conflicts can develop. The bullying storyline, for example, offers an opportunity for a more affecting exploration of its emotional consequences. This limited development makes it difficult to become fully invested in the characters during the first instalment. With six parts planned, however, Humphrey has ample room to deepen these relationships and give the strongest storylines greater emotional weight.

Though Moorland tackles difficult topics, Humphrey handles them with a gentle touch. In an era filled with challenges and turmoil, it’s nice to disappear into a safer, happier world where people look out for each other and encourage those they care about to take chances and try new things. Positive, thoughtful, and inspiring, Moorland will warm your heart and fill your cup.

—CANREADS BOOK REVIEW

Amazon