CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Detective stories written specially for children are not a particularly new idea. But Murder on the Canadian by Eric Wilson (Bodley Head, £2.25) adds something original by way of a setting. The Canadian is a transcontinental train which leaves Montreal each day on a three-day journey across Canada, travelling the longest scenic railway route in the world. At the same time, another section of The Canadian leaves Vancouver each day for the East.
Eric Wilson keeps hig plot moving smartly, while managing to embroider it with a good deal of painless geographical information. This is a real whodunit, with a gory hint or two which mercifully leaves most of the horrific detail to the imagination.
Loose ends are neatly tied, the least possible character turns out to be the murderer, and the hero, amateur detective Tom, covers himself with suitable glory. There are no girls to slow up the action. A good read for boys or tomboys — in the 11 to 13 age group.
Maria the Ghost of Stonehurst, by Kitty Thorp (Arthur Stockwell, £2.50) is definitely a girls' hook. Sisters Wendy and Jennie have hardly moved into their new home when they discover that another little girl lives there with her family.
Maria, however, is invisible and inaudible so far as the grown-ups are concerned. She invites the sisters into her world, lived in their own house. but generations earlier than their own time.
Maria needs help urgently, but it takes the girls a little time to find out what makes her so sad. In the end, happily, all is well for the little ghost.
Honor Arundel undefstands the moods and personalities of teenage girls with an almost frightening perception. As one reads The High House (Hamish Hamilton, £1.80) one is constantly surprised by the recogni tion of thoughts and feelings torgotten since one was the age of Emma, who tells the story in the first person.
When her parents are killed in an accident Emma has to go to live with Aunt Patsy in Edinburgh, while her brother Richard goes to their much more conventional Aunt Laura.
At first, it seems to Emma that they have been taken in by the wrong aunts, Aunt Patsy, with her artistic temperament, her haphazard approach to housekeeping and her indifference to mealtimes, outrages Emma's orderly soul.
But she and Aunt Patsy gradually reach a working understanding of one another. When Aunt Laura decides to pay them a visit, Aunt Patsy really surprises Emma.
The Pilgrimage, By Joan Lingard (Hamish Hamilton, £2.40) is, coincidentally, also set in Scotland. Older teenage girls will enjoy the story of Maggie, half caught-up in a dream of her ancestors, evicted at the time of the Clearances, while the remainder of her attention has to he concentrated on the two boys -who are vying for her favours.
Sensitively told, the story pulls out no great surprises but nevertheless proves to be a spellbinder.
Susie's Babies by E. Margaret Clarkson (Lion Publishing £1.25). The writer takes a good crack at explaining the mysteries of procreation to Junior school children. In the hands of parents or teachers, reading aloud to children, it seems' to me that this could be a useful I feel fairly certain, however, that real-life children would probably • ask more questions than do those in the story. The author takes care to emphasise marriage in the Christian context, and handles her difficult subject with tact and skill. •
Maureen Vincent