I read it in the early 1970's and I guess it was a 1950's book. Four children without their parents go to live with an older male relative (NOT Narnia!!). They arrive on a dark night to a dark house and the oldest girl has to cook their meals.
Stump the Bookseller
New format, same book stumper solving.
Could this be The Growing Summer by Noel Streatfeild?
It does sound like “The Growing Summer”, except that they go to live with and older female relative. I believe it also has another title, perhaps “The Magic Summer”.
This might be obvious but it sounds a lot like the boxcar children.
It’s The Growing Summer. Wonderful. Thanks so much! YOu even worked it out when I had one of the few bits I remember wrong – ie that the older relative was female. SOLVED