Beneath the Walnut Tree: this is an interesting "take" on the fairly common "Boarding School" theme in UK Literature. I appreciate the author's willingness to forego the usual situations that emerge in such an environment, and instead focus on the growing relationship with two boys in a setting that is "safe" for them. I enjoyed the historical references. I enjoyed the descriptions of the boarding school processes, and the extra-curricular activities that suggested a wider freedom for students to expand their self-understanding in a challenging world. I would guess that this story is set in the mid to late 1800's and thus reflects some of the ethos of that era, but is not burdened by a description of that era. It simply allows the main characters to get to know each other and then to recognize what each means to the other. Definitely a joy to read.