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The Chalet School #32
The Chalet School Does It Again
Chalet School staff and girls alike are bemused by one of the oddest new girls the school has ever had. Prunella Davidson "talks like her own great-granny", to quote Betsy Lucy. She is prim and prissy in the extreme, sprinkles her conversation with proverbs and insists on calling her fellow pupils by their full names, which leads to a serious row between her and one 'Helena' Maynard.
February brings a severe flu epidemic which affects around half the girls and but leaves only four fit mistresses to look after them. An expedition to Lake Lucerne nearly ends in tragedy. The annual Sale takes place this term and this time the theme is The Story Of The Willow Pattern. The Sale is followed by a pantomime, also based on the Willow Pattern, and written and performed by the girls at Welsen, the Chalet School's finishing branch.
February brings a severe flu epidemic which affects around half the girls and but leaves only four fit mistresses to look after them. An expedition to Lake Lucerne nearly ends in tragedy. The annual Sale takes place this term and this time the theme is The Story Of The Willow Pattern. The Sale is followed by a pantomime, also based on the Willow Pattern, and written and performed by the girls at Welsen, the Chalet School's finishing branch.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1955
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130 people want to read
About the author
Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
171 books112 followersElinor M. Brent-Dyer was born as Gladys Eleanor May Dyer on 6th April 1894, in South Shields in the industrial northeast of England, and grew up in a terraced house which had no garden or inside toilet. She was the only daughter of Eleanor Watson Rutherford and Charles Morris Brent Dyer. Her father, who had been married before, left home when she was three years old. In 1912, her brother Henzell died at age 17 of cerebro-spinal fever. After her father died, her mother remarried in 1913.
Elinor was educated at a small local private school in South Shields and returned there to teach when she was eighteen after spending two years at the City of Leeds Training College. Her teaching career spanned 36 years, during which she taught in a wide variety of state and private schools in the northeast, in Middlesex, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, and finally in Hereford.
In the early 1920s she adopted the name Elinor Mary Brent-Dyer. A holiday she spent in the Austrian Tyrol at Pertisau-am-Achensee gave her the inspiration for the first location in the Chalet School series. However, her first book, 'Gerry Goes to School', was published in 1922 and was written for the child actress Hazel Bainbridge. Her first 'Chalet' story, 'The School at the Chalet', was originally published in 1925.
In 1930, the same year that 'Jean of Storms' was serialised, she converted to Roman Catholicism.
In 1933 the Brent-Dyer household (she lived with her mother and stepfather until her mother's death in 1957) moved to Hereford. She travelled daily to Peterchurch as a governess.
When her stepfather died she started her own school in Hereford, The Margaret Roper School. It was non-denominational but with a strong religious tradition. Many Chalet School customs were followed, the girls even wore a similar uniform made in the Chalet School's colours of brown and flame. Elinor was rather untidy, erratic and flamboyant and not really suited to being a headmistress. After her school closed in 1948 she devoted most of her time to writing.
Elinor's mother died in 1957 and in 1964 she moved to Redhill, where she lived in a joint establishment with fellow school story author Phyllis Matthewman and her husband, until her death on 20th September 1969.
During her lifetime Elinor M. Brent-Dyer published 101 books but she is remembered mainly for her Chalet School series. The series numbers 58 books and is the longest-surviving series of girls' school-stories ever known, having been continuously in print for more than 70 years. One hundred thousand paperback copies are still being sold each year.
Among her published books are other school stories; family, historical, adventure and animal stories; a cookery book, and four educational geography-readers. She also wrote plays and numerous unpublished poems and was a keen musician.
In 1994, the year of the centenary of her Elinor Brent-Dyer's birth, Friends of the Chalet School put up plaques in Pertisau, South Shields and Hereford, and a headstone was erected on her grave in Redstone Cemetery, since there was not one previously. They also put flowers on her grave on the anniversaries of her birth and death and on other special occasions.
Elinor was educated at a small local private school in South Shields and returned there to teach when she was eighteen after spending two years at the City of Leeds Training College. Her teaching career spanned 36 years, during which she taught in a wide variety of state and private schools in the northeast, in Middlesex, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, and finally in Hereford.
In the early 1920s she adopted the name Elinor Mary Brent-Dyer. A holiday she spent in the Austrian Tyrol at Pertisau-am-Achensee gave her the inspiration for the first location in the Chalet School series. However, her first book, 'Gerry Goes to School', was published in 1922 and was written for the child actress Hazel Bainbridge. Her first 'Chalet' story, 'The School at the Chalet', was originally published in 1925.
In 1930, the same year that 'Jean of Storms' was serialised, she converted to Roman Catholicism.
In 1933 the Brent-Dyer household (she lived with her mother and stepfather until her mother's death in 1957) moved to Hereford. She travelled daily to Peterchurch as a governess.
When her stepfather died she started her own school in Hereford, The Margaret Roper School. It was non-denominational but with a strong religious tradition. Many Chalet School customs were followed, the girls even wore a similar uniform made in the Chalet School's colours of brown and flame. Elinor was rather untidy, erratic and flamboyant and not really suited to being a headmistress. After her school closed in 1948 she devoted most of her time to writing.
Elinor's mother died in 1957 and in 1964 she moved to Redhill, where she lived in a joint establishment with fellow school story author Phyllis Matthewman and her husband, until her death on 20th September 1969.
During her lifetime Elinor M. Brent-Dyer published 101 books but she is remembered mainly for her Chalet School series. The series numbers 58 books and is the longest-surviving series of girls' school-stories ever known, having been continuously in print for more than 70 years. One hundred thousand paperback copies are still being sold each year.
Among her published books are other school stories; family, historical, adventure and animal stories; a cookery book, and four educational geography-readers. She also wrote plays and numerous unpublished poems and was a keen musician.
In 1994, the year of the centenary of her Elinor Brent-Dyer's birth, Friends of the Chalet School put up plaques in Pertisau, South Shields and Hereford, and a headstone was erected on her grave in Redstone Cemetery, since there was not one previously. They also put flowers on her grave on the anniversaries of her birth and death and on other special occasions.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 21, 2017
This is good - really good, actually, even if the mystery of Prunella is much more interesting than its resolution - but I'm mostly using this review to take advantage of my EBD project. I'll call it "EBD Does It Again" because my sense of humor is as delightful and original as Brent-Dyer's books.
(I do love these. Really. But I love making fun of them, too.)
So here's an exhaustive, but by no means definitive, list of Chalet School pet phrases and repetitions. Essentially it's a record of all the times I threw my hands up and reached for a tissue to bookmark a page. I went through a third of a box, marking pages. (I will say that I reached for a tissue only once between The New Chalet School and Jo to the Rescue, which justifies my assertion that those are the strongest books in the series.)
I. Slang
1. Topping, adjective, meant to connote something wonderful - The School at the Chalet, The Chalet School and Jo, The Chalet Girls in Camp, Lavender Leigh at the Chalet School. Only used in the earlier books; later replaced by "wizard" and "smashing."
2. Ripping, adjective, meant to connote something wonderful; also see ripper - The School at the Chalet, The Head Girl of the Chalet School, The Chalet School and Jo. Only used in the earlier books; later replaced by "wizard" and "smashing."
3. Pie-faced, rubber-necked four-flusher, Americanism - The Head Girl of the Chalet School, Eustacia Goes to the Chalet School. Only used in the earlier books; later, there is a dearth of Americans.
4. Smashing*, adjective, meant to connote something wonderful - Tom Tackles the Chalet School, A Problem for the Chalet School, Theodora and the Chalet School.
6. Wizard*, adjective, meant to connote something wonderful - Tom Tackles the Chalet School, Three Go to the Chalet School, Peggy of the Chalet School, A Problem for the Chalet School.
7. The outside of enough, "Is that the newest way of calling someone the limit?" quoth Jo - Peggy of the Chalet School, The Chalet School and Richenda, Theodora and the Chalet School.
8. My one and only aunt [Sempronia/Sophonisba/Jemima], exclamation - Bride Leads the Chalet School, Changes for the Chalet School, Trials for the Chalet School, Theodora and the Chalet School.
II. Pet Phrases
1. "A mean", as in "She is a mean"; I'm assuming it's an adjective following a linking verb** - Jo of the Chalet School, Exploits of the Chalet Girls, A Problem for the Chalet School.
2. "Retains a financial interest in the school",, meaning Madge after she gets married*** - Eustacia Goes to the Chalet School, The Chalet School and the Lintons, more places I stupidly didn't note.
3. "I'll do my best" - "And saints can't do more" - The Chalet School and Jo, Bride Leads the Chalet School, The New Mistress at the Chalet School, Theodora and the Chalet School.
4. "which was one of her greatest assets", always describing Miss Annersley's beautiful speaking voice - The Wrong Chalet School, A Problem for the Chalet School, The New Mistress at the Chalet School, Trials for the Chalet School.
5. "Room for a little one?", Chalet School Fete, A Problem for the Chalet School, The New Mistress at the Chalet School, Theodora and the Chalet School.
*Also found in various Enid Blyton books
**From Exploits of the Chalet Girls:
***I can never decide if I appreciate how enlightened Madge is, to retain a financial interest in the school even after marrying and not being allowed to work - or if I resent that her financial interest really means "we'll call you if there are problems, but your husband really makes decisions related to property, and buys and sells and moves the school without consulting you."
(I do love these. Really. But I love making fun of them, too.)
So here's an exhaustive, but by no means definitive, list of Chalet School pet phrases and repetitions. Essentially it's a record of all the times I threw my hands up and reached for a tissue to bookmark a page. I went through a third of a box, marking pages. (I will say that I reached for a tissue only once between The New Chalet School and Jo to the Rescue, which justifies my assertion that those are the strongest books in the series.)
I. Slang
1. Topping, adjective, meant to connote something wonderful - The School at the Chalet, The Chalet School and Jo, The Chalet Girls in Camp, Lavender Leigh at the Chalet School. Only used in the earlier books; later replaced by "wizard" and "smashing."
2. Ripping, adjective, meant to connote something wonderful; also see ripper - The School at the Chalet, The Head Girl of the Chalet School, The Chalet School and Jo. Only used in the earlier books; later replaced by "wizard" and "smashing."
3. Pie-faced, rubber-necked four-flusher, Americanism - The Head Girl of the Chalet School, Eustacia Goes to the Chalet School. Only used in the earlier books; later, there is a dearth of Americans.
4. Smashing*, adjective, meant to connote something wonderful - Tom Tackles the Chalet School, A Problem for the Chalet School, Theodora and the Chalet School.
6. Wizard*, adjective, meant to connote something wonderful - Tom Tackles the Chalet School, Three Go to the Chalet School, Peggy of the Chalet School, A Problem for the Chalet School.
7. The outside of enough, "Is that the newest way of calling someone the limit?" quoth Jo - Peggy of the Chalet School, The Chalet School and Richenda, Theodora and the Chalet School.
8. My one and only aunt [Sempronia/Sophonisba/Jemima], exclamation - Bride Leads the Chalet School, Changes for the Chalet School, Trials for the Chalet School, Theodora and the Chalet School.
II. Pet Phrases
1. "A mean", as in "She is a mean"; I'm assuming it's an adjective following a linking verb** - Jo of the Chalet School, Exploits of the Chalet Girls, A Problem for the Chalet School.
2. "Retains a financial interest in the school",, meaning Madge after she gets married*** - Eustacia Goes to the Chalet School, The Chalet School and the Lintons, more places I stupidly didn't note.
3. "I'll do my best" - "And saints can't do more" - The Chalet School and Jo, Bride Leads the Chalet School, The New Mistress at the Chalet School, Theodora and the Chalet School.
4. "which was one of her greatest assets", always describing Miss Annersley's beautiful speaking voice - The Wrong Chalet School, A Problem for the Chalet School, The New Mistress at the Chalet School, Trials for the Chalet School.
5. "Room for a little one?", Chalet School Fete, A Problem for the Chalet School, The New Mistress at the Chalet School, Theodora and the Chalet School.
*Also found in various Enid Blyton books
**From Exploits of the Chalet Girls:
"Well? said Jo teasingly. "Go on! What am I?"
"A mean! Yes, you are, to go on teasing Evvy like that!" cried Margia, rushing to the defense of her friend.
"'Mean' is an adjective - not a noun," said Jo sententiously.
"I've heard you use it as either!"
***I can never decide if I appreciate how enlightened Madge is, to retain a financial interest in the school even after marrying and not being allowed to work - or if I resent that her financial interest really means "we'll call you if there are problems, but your husband really makes decisions related to property, and buys and sells and moves the school without consulting you."
December 18, 2023
This book has all my favourite tropes in it. A new girl who doesn't fit in. An accident leading to a visit to the San/hospital, Jo coming in and resolving the new girl's issue and the annual sale to raise money for the San.
I loved that the character of Prunella was different from the girls who had previously been at the Chalet School. And I love that there is a lot of focus on the Maynard triplets, Len Con and Margot.
This is a good quick read and I'd highly recommend this one.
I loved that the character of Prunella was different from the girls who had previously been at the Chalet School. And I love that there is a lot of focus on the Maynard triplets, Len Con and Margot.
This is a good quick read and I'd highly recommend this one.
July 19, 2021
Another interesting and enjoyable story of the antics of the girls at the Chalet School. In their second term in Switzerland, the school has several new pupils, including Prunella Davidson, who manages to rub even Len Maynard the wrong way!
September 2, 2024
One of the ‘ok’ books from the series
Pleasant easy read
Some of the chapters seem to make a big deal out of very little in the way of plot, and descriptions of the annual Sale at the school are already repetitive
Pleasant easy read
Some of the chapters seem to make a big deal out of very little in the way of plot, and descriptions of the annual Sale at the school are already repetitive
October 12, 2025
This has always been one of my favourites. An excellent new girl, really quite a fun expedition and a panto that was genuinely funny. Also, I don’t know why, but I shed a tear when Con gave her dolls’ house to Leila Elstob.
July 28, 2019
Another one I had never read!!
January 16, 2022
A fun one, but I feel like there were a few dropped threads. I also didn't need to hear the whole plot of the school play TWICE!
January 2, 2024
Dr Courvoisier first appearance
January 5, 2024
A decent example of the series.
September 7, 2016
For many years my Chalet collection skipped straight from 'Barbara' to 'Mary-Lou', so I remember being particularly pleased when this one came out in paperback. It had the distinction of being the only Chalet book I had come across as being mentioned in another author's book (Antonia Forest: Nicola finds a copy in Oxfam); and it's one of those Chalets that keeps being referred to in subsequent books - Con's 'howler' about Daniel, the Willow Pattern sale, the arrival of Bruno, Miss O'Ryan's first meeting with her future husband, Margot's 'dip' in Lucerne, the beginning of Len's friendship with Prunella. So it's a bit of a cracker, all told. It's also somewhat lacking in EBDisms and editing errors: Dickie is accidentally called 'Dickie Carey' at one point but apart from that, very little leapt out (of course, I could just be getting used to it).
I get the feeling EBD really enjoyed writing this one. Some of her favourite characters are growing up a bit, there's a fair amount of Joey (mainly as a result of the triplets playing a greater role), we're in Switzerland so there's ski-ing and tourism, and there's 'ordinary' Chalet stuff like prefects' meetings and the Sale. Prunella is an interesting new girl with a back story that's relatively straightforward, but she doesn't dominate the story in the way new girls sometimes do. My main gripe has to be the Armada cover, which has the girls dressed in brown and flame rather than the new blue and crimson uniform. Whoever drew it had clearly read the chunk of story being illustrated, but apparently hadn't been briefed on the new school colours.
I get the feeling EBD really enjoyed writing this one. Some of her favourite characters are growing up a bit, there's a fair amount of Joey (mainly as a result of the triplets playing a greater role), we're in Switzerland so there's ski-ing and tourism, and there's 'ordinary' Chalet stuff like prefects' meetings and the Sale. Prunella is an interesting new girl with a back story that's relatively straightforward, but she doesn't dominate the story in the way new girls sometimes do. My main gripe has to be the Armada cover, which has the girls dressed in brown and flame rather than the new blue and crimson uniform. Whoever drew it had clearly read the chunk of story being illustrated, but apparently hadn't been briefed on the new school colours.
October 30, 2024
Featuring the Chalet School, now returned to the Oberland. Prunella is this term's oddity: a girl who refuses to use any kind of informal English, and won't even abbreviate people's names.
Weather is bad so when the opportunity comes for a day out, the girls all take advantage of it, and high spirits ensue. A trip to Lucerne is interesting and education, but almost leads to tragedy until someone, inevitably, rushes to the rescue.
While some of this book is run-of-the-mill, including over-detailed descriptions of yet another sale and 'Welsen' pantomime, there are a couple of surprisingly moving moments too. An enjoyable light read, recommended to fans of the series, but probably not for anyone unfamiliar with the characters and background.
Latest longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
Weather is bad so when the opportunity comes for a day out, the girls all take advantage of it, and high spirits ensue. A trip to Lucerne is interesting and education, but almost leads to tragedy until someone, inevitably, rushes to the rescue.
While some of this book is run-of-the-mill, including over-detailed descriptions of yet another sale and 'Welsen' pantomime, there are a couple of surprisingly moving moments too. An enjoyable light read, recommended to fans of the series, but probably not for anyone unfamiliar with the characters and background.
Latest longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
December 27, 2014
My first time reading this rare Chalet book. I really enjoyed so much of it, the introduction of Prunella, the exploration of friendships, appropriate behavior, changing fashions!
Then comes the sale which is also fun and inspiring! However the panto based on the Chinese Willow Pattern story is a bit too true to the story and full of putting down comments about girls and their uselessness. Also some very racist comments (which I usually just try to gloss over due to the timing of the writing).
It brought my 5* rating down to a 3* as I don't like girls being put down.
Then comes the sale which is also fun and inspiring! However the panto based on the Chinese Willow Pattern story is a bit too true to the story and full of putting down comments about girls and their uselessness. Also some very racist comments (which I usually just try to gloss over due to the timing of the writing).
It brought my 5* rating down to a 3* as I don't like girls being put down.
April 5, 2010
The Chalet School has a new girl, Prunella Davidson. She's a mystery to them all, she speaks as if from a previous era, and refuses to call people by their nicknames. However, at times, it seems like it's all for show. What can be the reason behind it all?
October 8, 2024
The description of the pantomime at the end was a bit tedious (which is to be expected I guess) but otherwise I enjoyed the book. The Chalet School does it again!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews