Chalet School

[cadelaide]

Should I start her off on the first book of the series, d'you think, or is there a cracking one mid-series that would be better?

I can't imagine starting anywhere other than at the beginning!

There are various which could probably stand being read out of sequence, but I'd avoid that if I could.

I envy your DD - starting off on it for the very first time.

At the beginning! School at the chalet explains it all!

Oh no.

I can't get it (by which I mean Amazon don't have it).

Under three quid at Abebooks

(I should ask them for commission )

And yes, you definitely have to start at no 1!

My first one was Richenda at the Chalet School but I agree start at the beginning.

I'm not sure about starting at the beginning. I tried dd1 at the beginning thinking that was best and she didn't particularly enjoy it. However she enjoys it when the school is really a "school" not an adventure setting up a school.

Dd2 likes the more adventurous Tyrol rescues, and doesn't particularly enjoy the later ones though. She started with Princess simply because that was the title that attracted her most.

I wouldn't start at the beginning either. A Princess is a good one to start off with I think. The first one is a bit slow to get going and turned DD1 off the whole series even though she loved Angela Brazil and Antonia Forest as well as Malory Towers, Trebizon etc. Have higher hopes with DD2 though!

Can I ask what age you think these are suitable from? My mum has just brought me mine from the loft! Wondering if my dd who is nearly ten is too young or just right? Hoping to reread them myself!

Just right, I would say Bluebell! Any age from 9-12 is a good time to start them.

But be prepared for disappointment. My dd never got into them however hard I tried.

At this time of year the second one is the best - with Christmas in Innsbruck!

Ah thank you. :)

And be prepared to pay silly money for the rare ones if she decides she wants to read them all...

How is dd getting on with chalet school, cadelaide? I have about 40 or more of them but my dds are so far not interested. One doesn't like school stories, one does but not chalet school.

I think I might try my 10yo on the Chalet girls in Exile as she likes ww2 stories, the Sound of Music etc.

the beginning. god i envy your DD how i wish i could read them again.

< off to find all my old chalet school books!>

Definitely the beginning - months of enjoyment!

I have every single chalet school book. My 11 year old loves them. My 13 year old did but now fancies herself too old for them (I'm not too old and I'm 39!) and the others are a bit young but I will keep hold of the lot until even my 2 year old has been forced to read them. Amazing books

I wasn't introduced to the Chalet School books when I was a child and reading this thread I think I missed out. I didn't have a daughter or I would have bought them for her. I'm tempted to read some of them now (why not, when it's considered ok for adults to read Harry Potter?), particularly since, like Dyer, I was born in South Shields - I feel I owe it to the lass.

I started with a handful of the ones in the middle (St Briavels) and a few Tirolean ones, and loved filling in the historical gaps.

Look on Ebay - the early ones are often only 99p!