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What to read after St Clare's and Malory Towers?

27 replies

lookingsuspicious · 25/10/2023 09:20

Dd in Y4 and has almost finished both series and loved them. What have your children enjoyed who also liked these books?

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Catwoman1985 · 09/02/2024 20:30

How about 'How To Be True' by Daisy May Johnson or 'The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks' by Emily Kenny?

Advice400 · 31/01/2024 20:13

I read those and loved them. I'm.56!

I recall reading another school series too: Trebizon.

lookingsuspicious · 31/01/2024 20:07

Thanks all, much appreciated!

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MargaretThursday · 29/01/2024 21:39

lookingsuspicious · 23/01/2024 09:35

Hello again, to those who have kindly recommended the Trebizon series, would they be appropriate for an 8 year old - particularly "Boy Trouble" and "More trouble" books? Thanks.

I read them at about aged 8-10. Tbf a certain amount of the boy/girl thing went over my head, but a lot of the boy trouble and stuff around that could equally well have been a set of girls. It's jealousy and pinching friends etc that an 8yo can relate to.
They did seem much older than me, I think because Robbie (Rebecca's boyfriend) driving a car and things like that, in the way Malory Towers or even the Chalet School didn't seem.

Nachtvlinder · 29/01/2024 20:54

I have probably about 100-200 old annuals of girls' comics back in 60s, 70s and 80s such as Bunty; Debbie; Judy; Tracey; Misty etc., plus the old picture libraries with complete stories. Some of these were mine and the rest I found in carboots and charity shops. I can lend/sell you some if you like. I passed them onto my daughter who were as obsessed with them as I was. They're gathering dust since my daughter had left home 13 years ago.

elliejjtiny · 23/01/2024 09:47

The later trebizon books probably not. The early ones when they are in the 2nd year are fine but then they have a lot more freedom in the 3rd year and start going out with the boys from the nearby boys boarding school. It's all fairly innocent, and I don't think they go beyond hand holding, the occasional kiss etc but there is a lot of angst about whether the boys are going to phone and the main character 's boyfriend goes off in a huff because she doesn't watch his rugby matches because she is concentrating on her tennis if I remember rightly. I have all boys so not sure what 8 year old girls are into but she might find the boyfriend bits a bit boring.

CanIPetThatDawg · 23/01/2024 09:44

Trebizon is all very clean and wholesome. The main character Rebecca has a boyfriend called Robbie, who is brother to one of the other characters, but there’s no hint of any sexual activity or anything like that. I seem to remember that the trouble in Boy Trouble refers to him being falsely accused of stealing a bike, or something like that.

They'd be fine for an 8 year old in my opinion.

lookingsuspicious · 23/01/2024 09:35

Hello again, to those who have kindly recommended the Trebizon series, would they be appropriate for an 8 year old - particularly "Boy Trouble" and "More trouble" books? Thanks.

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SurvivorsInc · 24/11/2023 01:53

Oh and the Peter High series by Jean Ure. I'm not sure if still in print but eBay is your friend here. I loved reading about Jo Jameson in her early 90s girls day school. I also like You Two by the same author as that's about school friendships. To be fair Jean Ure books are brillaint , there's a series about a ballet school she did called Dancing Dreams and two wannabe ballerinas called Jessamy and Karen.

SurvivorsInc · 24/11/2023 01:50

The Trebizon series- Anne Digby

Me, Jill Robinson series - Anne Digby.

The Marlow family books especially the "term" books set at Kingscote school - Antonia Forest

Anything written by Malcolm Savile

Class
Rules - Jane Beaton (Jenny Colgan). Not aimed at children but set in a boarding school like Mallory Towers

Anything written by Noel Streatfield

Anything by Linda Newberry

Anything by Rumer Godden

lookingsuspicious · 01/11/2023 21:38

Thanks all! Lots to choose from!

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MouseTheDog · 01/11/2023 20:11

My dd loves the Alice-Miranda series

BitofaStramash · 01/11/2023 20:09

Chalet School and the Trebizon books.

CanIPetThatDawg · 01/11/2023 20:08

Another vote for the Murder Most Unladylike series. They're fab. Also agree with a pp's suggestion of Beswitched, this one is a modern classic in my opinion.

Emma Carroll's historical fiction books are ace too.

SwingsAndRoundabouts22 · 01/11/2023 20:05

The Murder Most Unladylike Series! So good!

Also the newer Jacqueline Wilson historical novels - Hetty Feather, Opal Plumstead, Dancing the Charleston etc

For a stage school spin - Noel Streatfield's "shoes" books - Ballet Shoes, Theatre Shoes, White Boots, The Painted Garden (which I think is published under a different title now)

The Skylark's War by Hilary McKay

MissyB1 · 01/11/2023 19:52

Chalet school! I’m still reading them!

elliejjtiny · 01/11/2023 19:45

My boys are loving the naughtiest girl series

Trebizon

itwasdifferentinthe90s · 01/11/2023 19:39

The jill pony books ?

Potofteaplease · 01/11/2023 16:46

There are about three in the series

Potofteaplease · 01/11/2023 16:46

Elly Griffiths A Girl called Justice. 1930s boarding school combined with a mystery to solve

Bigtom · 01/11/2023 16:44

Definitely Trebizon!

Littlelucas · 01/11/2023 16:18

I second babysitters club. I also loved sweet valley twins at that age and my dd's loved Jacqueline Wilson, especially the hetty feather and Tracey beaker books.

TillyTrifle · 01/11/2023 16:16

Babysitters Club!

Latenightreader · 01/11/2023 16:10

Seconding The Chalet School! I moved onto them about that age after loving Malory Towers and St Clare’s. I also enjoyed Antonia Forrest but only discovered them as an adult.

I really enjoyed What Katy Did at School (though you need to have read the first book to appreciate it, the later three books are fun but more grown up). I also read The Secret Garden and lots of E Nesbit books around the same age, and Anne of Green Gables too.

InvisibleDuck · 25/10/2023 14:13

Beswitched (by Kate Saunders - a modern girl time travels to 1930s boarding school)
Charlotte Sometimes (similar storyline but older book)
What Katy Did (and sequels)
Little Women
A Little Princess
Matilda
Murder Most Unladylike (has lots of sequels!)
The Mysterious Benedict Society