To wonder what kids (and some parents) nowadays would think of books like Malory Towers...

[PlinkiePlonk]

I am reading this with my DD as I loved it as a kid. Only just started book one when the kids are dropped off for the first time. Half of the first chapter was one girl (Alicia) taking the mickey of another (Gwendoline Mary) for the fact that she had such a tearful goodbye with her mum as opposed to just being a ‘good sort’ and getting on with it.

It just made me think we are all so far the other way now.... i had a military childhood so I still think a bit that people do need to just get on with it (then I do something completely helicopter parent so not exactly immune). However, I can’t help but think all our tears for our children doing perfectly normal things like going to school or growing up aren’t helping them be self sufficient. It just makes me wonder if books like this would now be seen as really harsh by society whilst actually there is a balance?

I hated Malory towers and I’m in my 30s, my niece who’s 9 loves them!

I can't even bloody swim grin

You’d have been chucked in the deep end by Darrell and Alicia and told to “dry up”. 😂

As a child I always wanted to go to Mallory Towers, Darryl, Gwen, Bill, just a few names I recall.

Alicia, forgotten her.

I read and loved them as a child, but I enjoyed them very much as fiction. As a sensitive little girl who hated sports I certainly wouldn't have wanted to go anywhere near a real-life Malory Towers! I remember feeling very sorry for Gwendoline - yes, she had a few nasty traits, but so did most of the characters and they weren't judged nearly so harshly for them!

yes, she had a few nasty traits, but so did most of the characters and they weren't judged nearly so harshly for them!

But that’s because of how those character traits were categorised. Spite and sneakiness were considered more problematic than a bad temper in a basically good person.

@AbsentmindedWoman it's on tour this summer, don't think it's doing London. I'm seeing it again in Manchester.

...midnight feasts...apple pie beds...the san...the splashery...girls with proper boys names...stabling your own horse...snow...sneaking out to swim at night...
God how i wanted to be at St Clares, Mallory Towers and the Chalet School all at the same time, obvs
Am I too old to apply (48)??

I can always tell when dd1(19) is tired or stressed because she reads through Malory Towers/St. Clare’s.

She also reads Tennis Shoes, and then spends the next couple of days huffing about the unfairness of umbrellas.

My 10 yo loves Malory towers and st clares - she has "modern" versions, so the language that's not appropriate any more is changed - a bit like has been done with the newer versions of the faraway tree series.

And she loved the musical when I took her to see it a couple of months ago ( I was a bit meh about it, but she thought it was marvellous!)

I love these books and can't wait to read them to my daughter. I really wish they had made a TV series based on the books. A missed opportunity.

I loved them. I always remember that the young girls had to do jobs for the older girls and they were always eating anchovies on toast.

Might have to give them a try again!

True, mantarays. I read them in the 1990s so by that time there was quite a bit of values dissonance.

I actually think the St Clare's books were even worse for that in parts. I remember being very confused that the twins were considered stuck-up for not happily cleaning the sixth-formers' muddy boots! Obviously as an adult looking back I have more of an idea about boarding school customs of the era, but as an 8-year-old I just thought well, I wouldn't do that either, they've got some self-respect!

Just William for me! Very upper middle class, but still just a little boy!

You’d have been chucked in the deep end by Darrell and Alicia and told to “dry up”

No doubt

The categorisation of character traits is interesting isn't it.

Darrell lashing out with a few slaps - well, that'd be assault and a serious matter now. As it should be. Alicia has manipulative tendencies, and she definitely knocks great amusement out of being fairly unkind to people who aren't as quick with a witty remark.

But as a kid, I thought Darrell and Alicia sounded like a lot of fun, and forgave all their mean streaks.

I remember being very confused that the twins were considered stuck-up for not happily cleaning the sixth-formers' muddy boots! Obviously as an adult looking back I have more of an idea about boarding school customs of the era, but as an 8-year-old I just thought well, I wouldn't do that either, they've got some self-respect!

Whereas I kind of took from it that it was a wheel turning thing. You start lower down and as you get older and contribute more in other ways others do things for you.

BUT if someone expected me to clean their boots I’d tell them to get to fuck now. 😂

The categorisation of character traits is interesting isn't it.

Very. I do think a bad temper in youth is forgivable. But then I think most things in youth are forgivable.

Darrell always seemed very goody goody and didn’t suffer fools gladly.

@ladykuga I loved Trebizon. DD is reading them now, so am revisiting them. They've aged well!

We've also read all the Malory Towers books together. Love a boarding school story!

Oh yeah, the anchovies...

@ShinyMe thank you, must look into it!

Absolutely loved both Mallory Towers and St Claire’s. Also, does anyone remember The Naughtiest Girl in the School series (also Enid Blyton). Agree that some of the content is probably now dated but that is part of history/culture and I don’t believe should be edited for today’s audience.

I loved Claudette in St Clares

Sorry Claudine

These books guaranteed my years at boarding school were a total let down 😂