Something along the lines of Malory Towers/St Claire's books please?

[MrsMcGregor]

Any recommendations please? 11 year old loves Enid Blyton Malory Towrs and St Claire's books but has read all of them. What else would she like! Is there anything boarding school themed from other authors?

Thanks

This is what you want!

And there are lots of other threads on the same subject.

What about the chalet school?

Trebizon - more modern and have boys in them {faints} but they are harmless.

Recently read one of my old ones when I could not sleep for worrying about something and wanted something easy to read to tale my mind off horrible stuff.

You would probably have to buy them secondhand. Amazon sell them.

gingerb..... Admit it, you didn't click the link did you?

Norty.......

Antonia Forest's Kingscote novels are fab.

How could I have forgotten the Chalet School books? I loved them as a child. All a ridiculous price for a paperback on Amazon! Are there any more modern authors writing along a similar vein? Thanks!

I only wish there were writers producing 21st century school stories with the Chalet School degree of commitment. (Without wizardry....)

I've seen "Ribblestrop" mentioned but have never read any and they might not be quite what's wanted.

Have you or your Dd come across M. E. Allan? "The School on North Barrule" might be worth seeking out. The bibliography shows she wrote masses of books - not sure how many are school stories...

Thanks Zero, I shall go and check both those suggestions on Amazon now!

I loved Chalet School. If they are too hard to get hold of these days, how about the Sadlers Wells ballet school books? I keep meaning to reread these. I also loved all Enid Blyton books - Famous Five, The Mystery of xxx and loads of others to choose from.

Has she read The Naughtiest Girl series? Originals by Enid Blyton, and later imprint type ones by Anne Digby.

Also, not boarding school, but I'm rereading Ballet Shoes at the moment.

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield, and I think there are others in that series. I don't really like Enid Blyton, her books have a lot of classism/racism, even taking into account that they're from a different era.

What about Frozen in Time by Ali Sparks-an excellent mix of now and then!

www.carmenreid.com/st-judes/

Maybe for 12+ - more modern, boys and mild snogging/fumbling, set in Scottish boarding school present day-ish for fairly priveleged girls. My broad minded and, by 12, totally sex ed'ed DD devoured them . . . I read them too. Some important social issues covered well e.g. a mum with cancer, a parent going bankrupt, friendship group issues. But not at all Tracey Beaker-ish. If your DD is very sheltered or you are wary of exposure to snogging etc, hold off a bit. Also agree re the Trebizon books by Anne Digby

Angela Brazil's books and please check out the Hugo and Josephine trilogy. Written by a Swedish writer but they are just amazing.

Joan Aitken 'The Wolves of Willoughby Chase' not 'boarding school but wonderful.

The Chalet School books of course. I have in my bedroom an original watercolour by Nina K Brisley who drew the Chalet School illustrations.

Noel Streatfeild (not a typo) and Nina Bawden could be looked into.

Why did I say 'but'?

The Secret Hen House Theatre. Not so much a school story but more a modern day Noel Streatfeild. Same principles as Malory Towers - friends helping each other against the odds with a nasty girl thrown in for good measure! Comes highly recommended by my Year 6 reading groups and is one of the best children's books I've read in a long time.

Definitely Chalet School. Am just hoping my mum has kept all mine in the loft so we don't have to splash out on them for dd.

No I didn't click the link.... But great minds think alike and all that ! ;)

I've been devouring Chalet School books again the last couple of year. I think the most I've paid is about 2.99 on Amazon.

Ballet shoes, and the others in that series
What Katy Did series
Anne of Green Gables
Little Women

The Trebizon ones by A Digby are almost a modern day (1980's) Malory Towers. I believe she based the books on MT. The school is based in Cornwall and as you read there are some similarities but without the same Enid Blyton snobbery. There are boys in the book but its all very clean cut and above board.

Both my dc enjoy school stories. Dd1's 13, and now prefers more advenurous stuff generally.
I've just bought half a dozen of the harder to find Chalet school for dd2 (age 10) who likes the quieter stories.

School stories my two have enjoyed:
Chalet school (dd1 never got into them, but dd2 loves them)
Kingscote (Antonia Forest)
Trebizon (though they get very into boys quite early)
Gwendoline Courtney (another 50s/60s writer but dd2 likes that sort)
Olivia and XXX (Stage school)
Royal Ballet School stories (don't know what they're called but the main character is Ellie/Ella)

Similar ilk that mostly dd2 loves (she likes the old fashioned stories)
Monica Edwards
Noel Streatfield
Little House
Rose and the XXX (I think by Holly Wells)
Violet Needham
Geoffrey Treese Bannermere series
Eva Ibertson (not sure about spelling)

The older books are republished by GGBP which is brilliant for her.
I don't recommend the Abbey girl series. They're just too far from modern life, i found.

DeWe I have never heard anyone else mention Gwendoline Courtney! "Elizabeth of the Garret Theatre" is one of my all time favourite books.

OP What does your Dd like apart from boarding school stories? Is she moving into teen stuff? There's lots more to be recommended but it depends on her level of maturity - and how you might feel about more grown up writing...