What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sussex Series #1
The Junior Captain
Hildegard is happy in her school by the sea, The Haven, though it is old-fashioned and has no sports facilities. She expects to go to the High School soon anyway, several miles inland. Then she learns that her cousin Vendela is coming to live with them for some months – and to go to the rival ‘swanky’ school, The Castle, with whose pupils Gard and her friends have an ongoing feud.
Ven’s coming has several effects on the situation between the two schools – and on Gard’s future, for she learns that she will not be able to go to the High after all. A pivotal cricket match, and the mysterious ‘Fire-Girl’ are also important elements.
We will meet Gard again in School Without a Name, and Ven and Barbara reappear in Ven at Gregory’s; Troubles of Tazy (not Barbara, but Ven with other characters from Ven at Gregory’s); and Patience and her Problems. It seemed to us important to set the scene for these other two closely-connected series before we can finish our reprints of the Swiss Set.
Ven’s coming has several effects on the situation between the two schools – and on Gard’s future, for she learns that she will not be able to go to the High after all. A pivotal cricket match, and the mysterious ‘Fire-Girl’ are also important elements.
We will meet Gard again in School Without a Name, and Ven and Barbara reappear in Ven at Gregory’s; Troubles of Tazy (not Barbara, but Ven with other characters from Ven at Gregory’s); and Patience and her Problems. It seemed to us important to set the scene for these other two closely-connected series before we can finish our reprints of the Swiss Set.
- GenresSchool Stories
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1923
3 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Elsie J. Oxenham
117 books24 followersA celebrated English girls’ school story writer, Elsie J. Oxenham's was born Elsie Jeanette Dunkerley in 1880 in Southport, Lancashire, She was the daughter of writer John_Oxenham, born William John Dunkerley, who had chosen the pseudonym ‘John Oxenham’. And Elsie decided to adopt the same surname for her writing career.
Her father was a clear influence upon her own writing. Her brother, Roderic Dunkerley, was also an author (published under his own name), as was her sister Erica, who also used the 'Oxenham' name.
She grew up in Ealing, West London, where her family had moved when she was a baby, living there until 1922, when the family moved again, to Worthing. After the deaths of her parents, Oxenham lived with her sister Maida. She died in 1960.
Oxenham, whose interests included the Camp Fire movement, and English Folk Dance traditions, is primarily remembered as the creator of the 38-book 'Abbey Girls' series. In her lifetime she had 87 titles published, and another two have since been published by her niece, who discovered the manuscripts in the early 1990s.
She is considered a major figure among girls' school story writers of the first half of the 20th century -- one of the 'Big Three,' together with Elinor Brent-Dyer and Dorita Fairlie Bruce.
Her father was a clear influence upon her own writing. Her brother, Roderic Dunkerley, was also an author (published under his own name), as was her sister Erica, who also used the 'Oxenham' name.
She grew up in Ealing, West London, where her family had moved when she was a baby, living there until 1922, when the family moved again, to Worthing. After the deaths of her parents, Oxenham lived with her sister Maida. She died in 1960.
Oxenham, whose interests included the Camp Fire movement, and English Folk Dance traditions, is primarily remembered as the creator of the 38-book 'Abbey Girls' series. In her lifetime she had 87 titles published, and another two have since been published by her niece, who discovered the manuscripts in the early 1990s.
She is considered a major figure among girls' school story writers of the first half of the 20th century -- one of the 'Big Three,' together with Elinor Brent-Dyer and Dorita Fairlie Bruce.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 3, 2017
This is EJO's take on the theme of the two rival schools: Gard is the Junior Captain at The Haven, and a leading element in the feud with the snobbish Castle school. What will happen when her cousin Ven comes to stay - and attend the Castle school?
As ever with EJO this book has some attractive characters - Ven, Gard and the senior captain Christine are all shown to be good strong leaders in different ways that reflect their different ages - and a sense of location. But there are almost too many elements here: the school feud, Ven and Gard's Swedish family background, Gard's brothers, the introduction of Barbara who brings in Camp Fire and folk dancing (surprisingly uninspiringly presented with a lot of description of steps and traditions that make the subject seem dull), cricket and social class. IMHO this would have been a better book if EJO had cut some of this out to concentrate more on the story of the feud and Gard's journey from being the unthinking junior leading the campaign of insults against her snobbish rivals to learning how to use her strength of character and sense of justice and fair play for better ends.
As ever with EJO this book has some attractive characters - Ven, Gard and the senior captain Christine are all shown to be good strong leaders in different ways that reflect their different ages - and a sense of location. But there are almost too many elements here: the school feud, Ven and Gard's Swedish family background, Gard's brothers, the introduction of Barbara who brings in Camp Fire and folk dancing (surprisingly uninspiringly presented with a lot of description of steps and traditions that make the subject seem dull), cricket and social class. IMHO this would have been a better book if EJO had cut some of this out to concentrate more on the story of the feud and Gard's journey from being the unthinking junior leading the campaign of insults against her snobbish rivals to learning how to use her strength of character and sense of justice and fair play for better ends.
August 28, 2016
This story reminds me a bit of 'Summer Magic' for Ven is sent to live with her cousin and all things turn out peachy.
I'm glad I read it and would read it again. The characters are delightful and the plot has lots of great things going for it.
I'm glad I read it and would read it again. The characters are delightful and the plot has lots of great things going for it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews