Anyone fancy helping me remember a children's book?

[ClashCityRocker]

I was just reading the gentle book thread, and it started me thinking about this book. I can't remember the name of it and it's driving me mad.

It was aimed at ages 8-10.

I think it was part of a series. It was similar to 'my naughty little sister' but maybe for a bit older, and I think it was more recently written - I read it in the mid to late nineties.

The protagonist is a girl - slightly neglected possibly due to her mum having lots of kids. Possibly a bit of a tomboy.

I think in the first book she starts at a new school (or maybe joins brownies...see later) , behaves atrociously, gets bullied (but I seem to recall this as being presented as her deserving it ). Great big redemption arc and hurrah everyone's friends.

Second book is slightly clearer...

She is now happily in brownies. However the big brownie trip (to Paris?) is coming up. One of her numerous (?) little siblings comes down with chicken pox, so her mum says 'my children always get chicken pox two weeks apart.' Which coincides with the Brownie trip to Paris so she can't go.

Her best friend's mum (best friend was, I think, her big enemy in book 1) says not to worry, she can come and stay with her and best friend for the two weeks prior to the trip (yup, lots of misunderstanding about chicken pox here) so that she won't catch it and will be able to go.

Possibly more adventures in two week run up. I seem to remember them getting the ferry to calais.

I've googled, but can't find anything. Not Enid Blyton.

[ClashCityRocker]

Aargh that did have paragraphs!

[Livedandlearned]

What year would this have been approximately?

[ClashCityRocker]

I read it in the mid to late nineties. I don't think it was 'new' then.

But it did have a ferry in it. I'm guessing it would have been published in the 70s or 80s.

[tribpot]

The thing about chicken pox two weeks apart rings a bell to me ... I'm off to have a think.

[GermaineBunbury]

The Amber Brown series? www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/299863/you-cant-eat-your-chicken-pox-amber-brown-by-paula-danziger-illustrated-by-tony-ross/

[Herland]

Set in the UK? I've found a Paula Danziger that sounds similar but she's American.

[ClashCityRocker]

No, not Amber Brown. Definitely set in the UK.

[tribpot]

My first thought was Trebizon, even though I can't see any synopsis that talks about a Paris trip.

[MrsDrudge]

Would it be the Josie Smith series by Magdalen Nabb?

[EBearhug]

No, it doesn't sound like Trebizon at all, especially not if she's going to Brownies - they're older in Trebizon.

I'm not sure it's something I have read, though.

[ClashCityRocker]

None of them I'm afraid. She definitely wasn't at boarding school. Thinking further, I don't know if was a series, or just one book then a sequal.

I have a vague recollection her first name began with an M - Mandy maybe? This may be a red herring!

I'm tempted to email my old primary school teacher. It was in the class library.

[HopeClearwater]

Go to the Booksleuth forum on abebooks UK site. Put some of the story info in your subject line - members don’t like it if you don’t - and they WILL find it for you!

[NannyR]

Was it the brownies series of books by Verily Anderson? There is one called Amanda and the brownies. I remember reading them at primary school in the 80's but I think they may have been written a lot earlier.

[NannyR]

Does this one look familiar?

[zsazsagaboredom]

Is it this?

[ClashCityRocker]

Yes, that's it!!

You guys are good.

[GU24Mum]

We've got a book in that series in the cupboard upstairs!!!

[MargotMoon]

Wow!!!!! I read that book loads when I was a Brownie! I've idly wondered what it was at various points over the years...off to google it now and see if I can buy a copy