To wonder whether you'd prefer to go to Malory Towers or the Chalet School

[Vintagejazz]

I just heard to girls about 11 years of age having an earnest discussion about this on the bus. I didn't think kids even read Chalet School books any more.
I think I'd opt for Malory Towers. They seemed to have more fun. I'd probably be expelled from the Chalet School for cursing, wearing lipstick and forgetting to speak German every Wednesday or whatever it was.

I'm going on a walking holiday in the Tyrol this summer - I'm planning to do a re-read of the Austrian part of the series in preparation as I know I'm going to lots of CS places but I can't remember them all. I'm based in Mayrhofen for some of the time, and I seem to remember they went on an expedition there but I don't remember much about what happened.

Here are some of my holiday plans:

1. Peaceful Sunday afternoons listening to the Tzigane playing outside local hostelries.
2. Lots of coffee with positive featherbeds of whipped cream which won't make me put on a single pound because they wiil be EBD's special calorie-free featherbeds of whipped cream.
3. Getting caught on the mountainside in a storm and taking refuge in a peasant's hut where I will drink hot milk with a smoky flavour and play the zither.
4. Rescuing one of my companions from a swarthy stranger with mad, staring eyes. With the help of a trusty St Bernard of course.

What other highlights should I be sure not to miss? And how should I go about avoiding doctors since I've no wish at all to acquire one?

You need to have your kafe with kuchen.

And sleep under a plumeau.

And cross your (MN?) scarf properly and have proper nails in your boots so no-one can confuse you with someone from St Scholastikas

The avoiding doctors bit could be tricky. Especially as you're sure to fall through a frozen lake at some stage and catch near fatal pneumonia. However, don't worry. Jo or The Robin will be on hand to sing you back to health.

You should spend some time incarcerated in a salt mine, Doris. Take special care to strip your bed and air the bedding thoroughly every day. Don't really understand the bit about not wanting to acquire a doctor. Who will put the sedatives in your hot milk otherwise?

The Chalet School was great in a crisis, there's no denying that. I wouldn't be at all surprised if significant numbers of their alumni joined the French Foreign Legion or MI5. My favourite crisis was when they were surprised by an avalanche which helpfully left them buried in a nice airy snow cave. Their cheerfully melted some chocolate bars with snow and enjoyed a delicious warming beverage while patiently awaiting rescue.

No screeching 'we're doomed' for these level headed gels.

You need to join The Guides Doris so you can camp at a pleasant mountain lake and do sing-songing so beautifully the locals will creep from their beds to listen to you. because that's not weird. At all.

Mallory Towers. For the salt water pool in the cliff

Chalet School - though the languages would be a problem, I don't learn by hearing them spoken. Maybe I'd better prepare myself for remedial French and German with the endlessly patient Miss Denny.

Definitely the Chalet school though I am rubbish at languages, not religious and have no sense of balance so would be abd at skiing too no doubt!

I have recently completed my set of the books though they are mostly the cheapy paperbacks so I'll have to look up the GGBP versions of the really abridged ones.

Linbury Court or Hogwarts would be good too though!

Have you considered asking a well-off parent to supply you and your friends with a selection of instruments, so you can form your own orchestra Corney Doris deah?

Went up to my mum's attic today and all my copies are the Armada ones. Are they drastically abridged, does anyone know?

Some are a lot others not at all. There's a list somewhere on the CBB board.

Thanks. Will check it out. Was on the GGB website and might buy some copies there. Love the covers.

Malory Towers every time. For the swimming pool alone. My favourite one is when they put on the pantomime and you get an idea about what they will do next. Darrell (my namesake!) is off to St Andrews.

Can I recommend the The Glass Bird Girl by Esme Kerr? A new twist on an ever popular genre. My daughter loved it.

www.amazon.co.uk/Glass-Bird-Girl-Knights-Haddon/dp/1908435992

Just thought you might like to know there is our site www.peakirkbooks.com - we specialise in childrens books, especially girls school stories. Yes, some of the hardback chalet school books cost a fortune, but we also have GGB copies, and armada paperbacks when we can get them! I loved malory towers when I was young, but no one ever gave me chalet school to read, so I didn't know about that. Darrell was my heroine!

I'm a Chalet School type too, although the urge to murder Mary-Lou would be too much I think. My inability to swim would not stand me in good stead at MT although my hockey prowess may work for St Clare's.

Wish I still had all my old CS books :/(

i am a bit sad because inspired by this thread i went on the girls gone by website and ordered the first one as an e book but the bloody thing won't download
have emailed them but not heard back yet. hoping i will hear once we are back on to normal business hours .. was looking forward to spending my bank holiday on the sofa reading!

Well whatever you do Doris, please don't copy Dr Jack and cut your engine to glide down the hairpin bends using only your brakes. It really isn't a good idea.

Gymboywalton , another poster, Empressofjurisfiction emailed me some chalet books. I'm sure she wouldn't mind my passing them on to you, if you want to pm an email address to me.

Wouldn't mind at all Darmok, I think that would be great.

Hello Empress
Thank you so much, I'm having a lovely time in the Chalet. Sadly gymboy doesn't seem to be around just now.

The glass bird girl yes! I bought this for my ten year old daughter because of a review on Guardian website saying it was a good read for fans of Malory Towers but my daughter said it was even better. Her words - 'It had the same thing of the school being like a cult but the main character isn't sure she wants to join the cult which makes it more like life.' Sadly the book has only just been published so although it's billed as first of a series there will be a bit of a wait for Book Two.

I really want to spend this slightly wet and dreary bank holiday Monday curled up with a Chalet School book, but life is getting in the way

That's really kind carbon and empress thank you. If I get no joy about the book I've ordered can I take you up on it?

I just read a helpful supportive comment Joey made to Simone who was suffering from secondary infertility after having Tessa.

i know it was a sadness for you just having Tessa while the rest if us were steaming ahead with real families nice one Joey.

I now need to do the ironing but had to share that with you all.