[1] Plot twists involve the children's decision to conceal the fact that there is no adult in the house, Malcolm's "complicated conscience," and the discovery that Theobold's pet cat is an extremely rare and valuable exotic breed.

[1] A friend of the Persever family, Miss Eva Penalty, agrees to house-sit and look after the three children while their father is away managing a small tin mine and their beloved housekeeper, Mrs. Coverlet, is away participating in a baking-contest.

The two older children, Malcolm and Molly, learn that "the Toad" has been practicing magic on her using a recipe he obtained by answering an advertisement from the back cover of a comic book.

[4] The New York Times praised While Mrs. Coverlet Was Away for rising above the admittedly preposterous premise with realistic characters and natural dialogue to produce a story about "recognizable children living out a wonderful fairy tale.

"[1] The New York Herald Tribune called Away "light and humorous, credulity was stretched, but not too far, and the adventures and misadventures of a group of children running a household alone without being "rescued" by solicitous neighbors was hilarious and very popular with the young.