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Children's books

Join in for children's book recommendations.

Dd (8) wants boarding school books - ideas apart from Enid Blyton (we are racing through EB)

27 replies

sparkysparkysparky · 19/05/2015 18:46

I've ordered the first Chalet School; got a kindle sample of first Trebizon; tempted her with Charlotte Sometimes. She doesn't fancy reading Harry Potter (she will, mwah hah hah)
Any other ideas?
She has no desire to go to boarding school - as if we could afford itGrin - unless I go with her , apparently. But it's captured her imagination.

OP posts:
AuntieStella · 19/05/2015 18:48

Murder almost Unladylike

Also the Jennings books (boys school, but a I remember enjoying them)

FloJo151 · 19/05/2015 18:51

I loved malory towers, st clairs and trebizon when I was younger

PotteringAlong · 19/05/2015 18:53

I was addicted to the chalet school books! Does she like ballet? Some of the drina books by jean estorill are set in boarding school.

baaaabaaaaabaaaa · 19/05/2015 18:54

Mischief at St Rollos - maybe by Enid Blyton

Bluestocking · 19/05/2015 18:57

Anthony Buckeridge's Jennings book.
Anything by Angela Brazil - she seems to have been almost forgotten but she was the doyenne of English school stories.
What Katy Did At School - the sequel to What Katy Did, by Susan Coolidge.

Tomodachi · 19/05/2015 18:58

K-Girls

School of Fear

and of course: Harry Potter!

sparkysparkysparky · 19/05/2015 18:59

I loved the Katy stories when I was little. Thanks for the reminder.
All good suggestions, everyone. Many thanks.

OP posts:
Takver · 19/05/2015 21:26

Gail Carriger's Etiquette and Espionage and sequals are fun - steampunk boarding school for girl spies including fabulous mechanical dog.

(Do be aware that she also writes adult books - the Parasol Protectorate features many of the same characters grown up and lots of sex Grin )

BikeRunSki · 19/05/2015 21:34

Is The Worst Witch too young?

mrssmiling · 20/05/2015 10:29

DD loved 'Beswitched' by Kate Saunders - she was totally engrossed.
www.amazon.co.uk/Beswitched-Kate-Saunders/dp/1407108972
Also...has your DD read 'A Little Princess' by Frances Hodgson Burnett? Miss Minchin's was a boarding school, and it is a wonderful story. DD was first hooked by an audio CD in a Penguin set.

samsonagonistes · 20/05/2015 10:41

DD and I loved Bewitched too - it made me cry.

Try the Olivia books (starting with Olivia's First Term) by Lyn Gardnerwhich are about a performing arts boarding school, DD loved all of those.

sparkysparkysparky · 20/05/2015 11:11

Some excellent suggestions here. Many thanks to everyone.

OP posts:
DeeWe · 20/05/2015 13:45

Try Autumn Term too (Antonia Forest)

schmalex · 20/05/2015 14:33

Andy Mulligan's Ribblestrop books are a bit of a different take to the usual boarding school tales.

tumbletumble · 20/05/2015 14:35

I second the Antonia Forest series

LaurieMarlow · 20/05/2015 21:24

Another vote for Antonia Forest. End of Term is a bloody masterpiece. I loved the Dimsie books as a child too (Dorita Fairlie Bruce)

doradoo · 21/05/2015 10:38

I remember reading and loving these when I was about 9 - Trebizon series - set in boarding school in Cornwall.

chaletdays · 21/05/2015 16:11

I would second the Antonia Forest books (although, apart from the first one they're quite expensive) and also Beswitched.

Murder Most Unladylike might be a bit advanced for an 8 yr old. It, and its sequel are brilliant though. You could buy them now, read them yourself and then have them for when she's a bit older.

HomeIsWhereTheHeartIs · 21/05/2015 18:50

The children of the red king series - Charlie Bone. My brother and I loved these!

Seriouslyffs · 21/05/2015 18:53

I was thinking about Jennings the other day- funniest books ever.

balletgirlmum · 21/05/2015 18:56

Dd loved the Olivia books & she has also read several of the Drina books.

balletgirlmum · 21/05/2015 18:57

She loves School for Good & Evil but think it's aimed at around age 10-14

Micah · 21/05/2015 19:05

The abbey girls (ej oxenham) is another series very like the chalet school.

hdoodle · 24/05/2015 01:25

Charlotte Sometimes is set at a boarding school and is sort of a time travel, finding oneself story.

claraschu · 24/05/2015 02:22

A Little Princess

Harry Potter