First Term at Fernside
This is lovely. And rather more than the title and the cover might suggest. Yes, it’s about a girl’s school. And yes, there are hockey sticks. And adventures ! But it’s not quite the warm and cuddly Malory Towers escapade it might appear to be. In addition to the worries about getting onto the netball team, or fitting in, or being bullied, or trying to master the art of plaits, is an awareness of the outside (adult) world and the pain and confusion lurking there. A horse is mistreated by a cruel owner. One girl’s father died in the Great War. Another is on crutches following a bout of polio. And the adventure that brings everyone together at the end has a happy ending – of course – but also reveals more of a world stained by global conflict. It's a girls' school story* that respects the conventions but manages add a modern perspective that never feels forced or overly serious. A delicate balancing act that works beautifully. It's also funny. ‘This is 1925, [announces a
