Downhill All the Way

Sam Sylvester's class #2

by K.M. Peyton

A school ski trip to France means different things to everyone in Hoomey, Nutty, David and Jean's class. But the adventures that take place over the week make for an unforgettable trip - and none of them will be quite the same by the time they return home.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published July 14, 1988

About the author

Kathleen Wendy Herald Peyton MBE, who wrote primarily as K. M. Peyton, was a British author of fiction for children and young adults

Reviews

[Alex Ankarr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the funniest book ever written. Funnier than Wodehouse, than Friday Night Dinners, than Greg Davies even. You may injure yourself laughing, you have been warned.

ETA: my dad absolutely laughed his arse off reading it, and we didn't share one single literary or humorous taste normally. This book transcends the idiosyncrasies of anyone's particular funnybone: YOU WILL LAUGH YOUR BUTT OFF.

[Louise Culmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and adventure in the Alps

Homey, Nutty and Jazz from ‘Who Sir? Me, Sir?’ are off on another adventure, this time a school skiing trip to the French Alps, in a coach driven by Jazz’s father. Everyone is looking forward to trying skiing, except for Homey, who would rather not be there. Their teacher, Sam Sylvester, is looking forward to sampling some French cuisine. Of course, nothing goes to plan, and all sorts of mishaps occur in the course of the eventful week they spend in the Alps. This book doesn’t have the same degree of excitement or drama as the earlier one, with its build up of tension as the triathlon approached, but makes up for it by being very funny. Though there are some dramatic bits, it is closer to being pure comedy than any other Peyton book I have read.

[Ria · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a group of kids go on a ski trip they are highly excited but things do not go according to plan.
Their teacher is injured, the class coward is mistaken for the son of the owner of Harrrods and is invited to a formal dinner party with Claudine who is trying to avert the attentions of Mario.
Meanwhile two students fall over a mountain edge and are lost in the snow.
Hilarious and farcical but with real danger when faced with inexperienced skiers against the elements.
A great read and a bit of fun.

[Avril · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last few chapters of this book are laugh-out-loud funny. I finished reading it in bed, late at night, trying to moderate my guffaws so I wouldn’t disturb my neighbours.

[Lizzytt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book growing, it’s a fun story about a school skiing trip. It’s down to earth and hasn't really dated, I would recommend for a bit of escapism…