Children's books about schools

[Regressionconfession]

I want a book to read to my daughter which is set in a really great school which will capture her imagination. She's 4 but enjoys Roald Dahl etc so chapter books are fine.

I think something like the first Harry Potter book would be good but ideally I'd like an alternative as I'd prefer to save Harry Potter until she's older.

I've just decided to change her school after a rubbish start to school life and I'm hoping this might help.

TIA

The Worst Witch
Enid Blyton school stories?

I remember "A Dragon In Class 4" being enjoyable and (apart from the obvious) pretty true to life. Though I was a primary school in the eighties, so we didn't have to contend with any of the scary monsters you get in classrooms nowadays, like the dreaded Fronted Adverbial.

Ohh, thank you!! I'll check them out! I think Enid Blyton could be good. Is it the consensus that Mallory Towers are the best?

We've read Worst Witch but actually the school sounds horrible - no glass in the windows until her 5th year!! And Miss Hardbroom is a bully!

The Dragonfly Pool by Iva Ibotson

CBeebies has two programmes that might be helpful: 'Time for School' and 'School of Roars'.

Naughtiest Girl stories by Enid Blyton I think were written for slightly younger children than MT/St Cs. You could try those first.

Try Mr Majeika!

Try I love you all day long Book by Francesca Rusackas. I hope this could help.

The Chalet School series by Elinor M Brent Dyer. They're of the same era as Malory Towers but set in an English school in Austria.

I think four is too young for the Chalet School, even being read to, rather than reading herself. Same for Dragonfly Pool - I think quite a lot of it would go over her head.

Some of these seem a bit old for a 4 year old. I'd try Lucy and Tom go to School (an oldie but a goodie)

Most of these are far too old for a four year old (yes, even if really bright/ advanced reader etc). They are written about children of 11+ years old. Little children need books they can relate to. Naughtiest Girl are younger, but the school is very unlikely to be similar to the school you’re sending her to.
What about books that generally support self esteem and emotional development rather than school specifically? Books about separation and love for example (hundreds of wonderful children’s picture books aimed at this age group).

I’ll just suggest ‘Come to School too,Blue Kangaroo’ for a start.

I recommend 'Starting School' by Allen Ahlberg. Perfect for this and lovely artwork

You could try the Humphrey the Hamster series by Betty Birney. Humphrey is the class pet in an American school, but he describes school life as he sees it.

Judy Moody? Not set in school but school projects and her teacher feature a lot.

The Clarice Bean books also feature a certain amount of school life and are accessible for that sort of age.

Also “Please Mrs Butler”, I’ve always thought it was pretty true to life.

Charlie and Lola ‘I will not ever never go to school’ is lovely. And aimed at the right age group.

Ohhh, I hadn't realised I'd got so many more replies - thank you!!!

Parrotonmyshoulder - I think you might be right about Mallory Towers, Chalet school type books in that they're about older children and the themes are perhaps a bit more emotionally advanced (but I might be wrong, I never read them as a child)!!

I just want a book that really captures the magic of school.

We've done the Worst Witch which she really enjoyed.

We did a lot of Starting School - Ahlberg, I'm not ever going to School - Child and Blue Kangeroo when she was getting ready to start school. I think these are all excellent books but now she's ready for something that really captures her imagination.

Whichend - thank you for Naughtiest Girl recommendation. It sounds like it could be what we're after!!

There are lots of great suggestions here - thank you!! I'll be doing a library order.

She might enjoy the Jennings books by Anthony Buckeridge when she is a little older. they are very funny.

The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary. They are American so it's Kindergarten and First Grade etc but funny stories about the beginning of school life.