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Schoolgirl Kitty
- GenresSchool Stories
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1923
7 people want to read
About the author
Angela Brazil
236 books36 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Born in Preston, Lancashire in 1868, Angela Brazil (pronounced "brazzle") was the youngest child of cotton mill manager Clarence Brazil, and his wife, Angelica McKinnel. She was educated at the Turrets - a small private school in Wallasey - and then, when the Brazils were living in Manchester, at the preparatory department of the Manchester High School, and (as a boarder) at Ellerslie, an exclusive girls’ school near Victoria Park. She subsequently attended Heatherley's Art School, in London, with her sister Amy, and sketching remained a life-long interest.
With the death of Clarence Brazil in 1899, the family left the North-West of England for Llanbedr, Wales, where they took up residence in their former summer house. It is believed that, at some point during this period (1899-1911), Brazil worked as a governess, although she does not mention it in her autobiography, My Own Schooldays (1925). In 1911, she moved to Coventry, where she kept house for her doctor brother, living in that city until her death, in 1947.
Brazil's first children's novel, A Terrible Tomboy, was published in 1904, and is believed to have been autobiographical, featuring the adventures of a young Angela (Peggy), and her friend Leila Langdale (Lilian). It was only with the 1907 publication of her second novel, The Fortunes of Philippa, that she turned to the genre in which she would become so influential: the Girls' School Story.
Brazil is often described by readers as "the first author of modern girls' school stories," and her publisher Blackie once claimed, in a bit of promotional hyperbole, that she had originated the genre! While not actually true - the genre predates her by some time, and other authors of modern girls school stories, such as May Baldwin, were publishing before she was - Brazil was certainly immensely influential, in the genre's move away from a didactic, moralistic model, towards one aimed more at entertainment. Her books are told from the perspective of her girl characters themselves, and were immensely popular with young readers, both in her own lifetime, and afterward. All told, she published close to sixty children's novels, most of them girls' school stories.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Born in Preston, Lancashire in 1868, Angela Brazil (pronounced "brazzle") was the youngest child of cotton mill manager Clarence Brazil, and his wife, Angelica McKinnel. She was educated at the Turrets - a small private school in Wallasey - and then, when the Brazils were living in Manchester, at the preparatory department of the Manchester High School, and (as a boarder) at Ellerslie, an exclusive girls’ school near Victoria Park. She subsequently attended Heatherley's Art School, in London, with her sister Amy, and sketching remained a life-long interest.
With the death of Clarence Brazil in 1899, the family left the North-West of England for Llanbedr, Wales, where they took up residence in their former summer house. It is believed that, at some point during this period (1899-1911), Brazil worked as a governess, although she does not mention it in her autobiography, My Own Schooldays (1925). In 1911, she moved to Coventry, where she kept house for her doctor brother, living in that city until her death, in 1947.
Brazil's first children's novel, A Terrible Tomboy, was published in 1904, and is believed to have been autobiographical, featuring the adventures of a young Angela (Peggy), and her friend Leila Langdale (Lilian). It was only with the 1907 publication of her second novel, The Fortunes of Philippa, that she turned to the genre in which she would become so influential: the Girls' School Story.
Brazil is often described by readers as "the first author of modern girls' school stories," and her publisher Blackie once claimed, in a bit of promotional hyperbole, that she had originated the genre! While not actually true - the genre predates her by some time, and other authors of modern girls school stories, such as May Baldwin, were publishing before she was - Brazil was certainly immensely influential, in the genre's move away from a didactic, moralistic model, towards one aimed more at entertainment. Her books are told from the perspective of her girl characters themselves, and were immensely popular with young readers, both in her own lifetime, and afterward. All told, she published close to sixty children's novels, most of them girls' school stories.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 4, 2018
This is not irredeemable. There's humor! About Kitty, who is 15:
When 3:30 arrived Kitty began to appreciate the troubles of a prime minister or a brigadier-general. She felt a combination of both.And I'm not holding this book's datedness against it. I'm holding this against it:
Kitty, about her father: "Doesn't he love me anymore?"No. Not even the humor can make me pass up on that. Not even the pub date. Not even the character arc. No no no.
"You must be patient, and win his love back by degrees. Remember how much he has to forgive."
October 5, 2021
ma olin kohati ikka päris traumeeritud sellest raamatust ausalt öeldes.
vana tõde, et hea lasteraamatu valem algab sellest, et "saa vanematest lahti" - seiklused tabavad ikka pigem iseenda hooleks jäetud jõmpsikaid, eks. mu suured lemmikud internaatkooliraamatud järgivad ju sama põhimõtet, aga vähemalt ei pea keegi surema, vanemaid lihtsalt... arusaadavatel põhjustel pole pildil. ja siis, jah, juhtub nende vaeste lastega tihti igasuguseid õudseid asju halbade inimeste käe läbi, aga kuskil on kuidagi alati see lohutus, et kui ema või isa elus või käepärast oleks, oleks kõik parem.
ja spst kuidagi ongi nii ootamatult šokeeriv lugeda üht raamatut, kus vanemad on täiesti olemas, aga käituvad... nagu nad käituvad. eiiiii, see on kurja võõrasema või ihne lastekodupidaja või kättemaksuhimulise vaenlase roll - jätta üks laps emotsionaalselt niiviisi hooletusse. lapse enda vanemad võivad ära surra, kui tahavad, aga nad ei või NII teha. ei, okei, on ju olnud lastekirjanduses ka karikatuursuseni jõledaid vanemaid (Roald Dahli Matilda omad tulevad meelde), aga siis on vähemalt autor selgelt lapse poolel.
aga mulle tundub küll, et Angela Brazil uskus ise täiesti siiralt, et kõik oli õiglane ja et raamatuga edastatakse noortele inimestele kasulikku moraali. mis siin siis juhtub - raamatu alguses teeb 11-aastane Kitty rumala vea (tuleb segastel asjaoludel keset päeva koolist koju ja ütleb ukse taha ilmunud külalisele, et isa ei ole kodus, sest isa ei ole kunagi päeval kodus). selgub, et see viga läheb isale maksma kriitilise tööintervjuu ja seega potentsiaalselt hea töökoha (nb! kuskilt pole teada, kas ta tegelikult selle töö saanud oleks. mulle tundub suht ebakompetentse mehena ja mina poleks teda küll alluvaks tahtnud). isa hakkab Kittyt selle peale vihkama ja kõik ülejäänud täiskasvanud ta elus (ema, muidu tore tädi) on ühel nõul: pead nüüd olema eriti tubli ja ennastohverdav, et isa armastus tagasi võita ja oma patt õdedele-vendadele heastada (kõik see tulemata jäänud rikkus jne). noh, ja siis nii lähebki. ema sureb mugavalt varsti ära, andes surivoodil Kittyle (14) veel kord ülesande peres nüüd ema eest olla, ja kogu ülejäänud raamatu vältel siis see eneseohverdus toimubki. isa, muide, ei andesta kuni lõpuni ja jääbki emotsionaalselt eemalolevaks.
ühesõnaga, päris jube lugu. kuigi muidugi enamus aega ikkagi selline vanakooli lasteraamatule omane hubane lugemine, kus isegi sellises vaesunud peres võtavad lapsed kunsti- ja muusikatunde ja hiljem väikse päranduse toel elavad ja õpivad kolmekesi aasta aega Pariisis (no kui väike see summa siis olla sai?), käivad toredates kohtades ja kohtuvad kenade inimestega ja kuni isast eemale hoitakse, on neil tegelikult päris tore elu. kõik see muide toimub kuskil maailmasõdade vahelisel Inglis- ja Prantsusmaal.
lugemist ma ei kahetse, aga tõesti jääb painama, et kas olen enne kunagi lugenud nii enesemõistetaval moel kirja pandud juttu lapse nii kohutavast kohtlemisest. ega ma ei ütle, et seda päriselus ei toimuks, aga... lasteraamatutes?
vana tõde, et hea lasteraamatu valem algab sellest, et "saa vanematest lahti" - seiklused tabavad ikka pigem iseenda hooleks jäetud jõmpsikaid, eks. mu suured lemmikud internaatkooliraamatud järgivad ju sama põhimõtet, aga vähemalt ei pea keegi surema, vanemaid lihtsalt... arusaadavatel põhjustel pole pildil. ja siis, jah, juhtub nende vaeste lastega tihti igasuguseid õudseid asju halbade inimeste käe läbi, aga kuskil on kuidagi alati see lohutus, et kui ema või isa elus või käepärast oleks, oleks kõik parem.
ja spst kuidagi ongi nii ootamatult šokeeriv lugeda üht raamatut, kus vanemad on täiesti olemas, aga käituvad... nagu nad käituvad. eiiiii, see on kurja võõrasema või ihne lastekodupidaja või kättemaksuhimulise vaenlase roll - jätta üks laps emotsionaalselt niiviisi hooletusse. lapse enda vanemad võivad ära surra, kui tahavad, aga nad ei või NII teha. ei, okei, on ju olnud lastekirjanduses ka karikatuursuseni jõledaid vanemaid (Roald Dahli Matilda omad tulevad meelde), aga siis on vähemalt autor selgelt lapse poolel.
aga mulle tundub küll, et Angela Brazil uskus ise täiesti siiralt, et kõik oli õiglane ja et raamatuga edastatakse noortele inimestele kasulikku moraali. mis siin siis juhtub - raamatu alguses teeb 11-aastane Kitty rumala vea (tuleb segastel asjaoludel keset päeva koolist koju ja ütleb ukse taha ilmunud külalisele, et isa ei ole kodus, sest isa ei ole kunagi päeval kodus). selgub, et see viga läheb isale maksma kriitilise tööintervjuu ja seega potentsiaalselt hea töökoha (nb! kuskilt pole teada, kas ta tegelikult selle töö saanud oleks. mulle tundub suht ebakompetentse mehena ja mina poleks teda küll alluvaks tahtnud). isa hakkab Kittyt selle peale vihkama ja kõik ülejäänud täiskasvanud ta elus (ema, muidu tore tädi) on ühel nõul: pead nüüd olema eriti tubli ja ennastohverdav, et isa armastus tagasi võita ja oma patt õdedele-vendadele heastada (kõik see tulemata jäänud rikkus jne). noh, ja siis nii lähebki. ema sureb mugavalt varsti ära, andes surivoodil Kittyle (14) veel kord ülesande peres nüüd ema eest olla, ja kogu ülejäänud raamatu vältel siis see eneseohverdus toimubki. isa, muide, ei andesta kuni lõpuni ja jääbki emotsionaalselt eemalolevaks.
ühesõnaga, päris jube lugu. kuigi muidugi enamus aega ikkagi selline vanakooli lasteraamatule omane hubane lugemine, kus isegi sellises vaesunud peres võtavad lapsed kunsti- ja muusikatunde ja hiljem väikse päranduse toel elavad ja õpivad kolmekesi aasta aega Pariisis (no kui väike see summa siis olla sai?), käivad toredates kohtades ja kohtuvad kenade inimestega ja kuni isast eemale hoitakse, on neil tegelikult päris tore elu. kõik see muide toimub kuskil maailmasõdade vahelisel Inglis- ja Prantsusmaal.
lugemist ma ei kahetse, aga tõesti jääb painama, et kas olen enne kunagi lugenud nii enesemõistetaval moel kirja pandud juttu lapse nii kohutavast kohtlemisest. ega ma ei ütle, et seda päriselus ei toimuks, aga... lasteraamatutes?
December 20, 2020
It's a weird one this, and not really a "great" sample of Brazil's work (though, as ever with such sentiments, let's inverted quote the heck out of that). Kitty is a muppet and through her muppetry impacts upon her family, and then basically spends the rest of her life making up for that. This involves being self-sacrificing at every opportunity that the book gives her because it's the "right thing" to do (again, forgive me, but this is the sort of book that needs this sort of thing) and then, at the end of it, everything's alright but not really, nope, because Kitty LITERALLY HAS NO LIFE LEFT OF HER OWN BECAUSE OF HER MUPPETY WAYS WHICH AREN'T REALLY THE SORT OF THING YOU SHOULD HOLD AGAINST HER FOREVER AND A BLEEDING DAY
*expires, explodes, etc, etc*
(It reminded me a lot of The Fortunes of Philippa which is an odd reference to take, considering that Philippa was very much at the start of Brazil's career and by the writing of Kitty, she is not. This is mid-career and it sits really weirdly. Brazil could be an incredibly generous writer with her notions about girls and girlhood, and Schoolgirl Kitty does not show her at her best. Not n the slightest.
Read it for completion sake, but not from choice. There's better ones out there.)
*expires, explodes, etc, etc*
(It reminded me a lot of The Fortunes of Philippa which is an odd reference to take, considering that Philippa was very much at the start of Brazil's career and by the writing of Kitty, she is not. This is mid-career and it sits really weirdly. Brazil could be an incredibly generous writer with her notions about girls and girlhood, and Schoolgirl Kitty does not show her at her best. Not n the slightest.
Read it for completion sake, but not from choice. There's better ones out there.)
May 15, 2016
An old favorite. After Kitty unintentionally causes her father to lose a better job, she dedicates herself to helping her brothers and sisters. The first half of the book is more or less background, setting the family situation in their small English town; while the second half covers the year Kitty spends in Paris where her brother Clifford studies art and her sister Gwenda music, with their aunt Vi as chaperon. Very enjoyable, with believable characters and situations.
February 13, 2025
Mmm. All my life my mum told me about this book ..and mostly about the mother dying, and saying " " little mother Kitty" as she sunk into eternal silence" ....
This gave me the impression of great sadness,a lovely close relationship with the mother, and a book like what Katy did or seven little Australians?.where a girl struggles and helps out many younger brothers and sisters....
Not really true...yes she does help and put them first but it doesn't really come across like those..they don't seem affected much by the mothers loss , we hardly knew the mother and she was not overly likable,mind you that was perhaps because of the father, very unpleasant and remote man,not cruel or violent but totally uncaring and bigoted, just ignoring them ,sat in state alone....
We have a few chapters at start family and school based, then some in competitions etc that her young sister and brother take part in...then more than the remaining half of the book visits and stays for a year in France,most of which reads like a travel blog of today..enjoyable enough...as they have money and can do what they like in free hours from their studies,which they also enjoy...
Then it ends with a fairly happy and somewhat planned future in sight for the three siblings...
I expected a lot and didn't get it after waiting more than 50 years to read this book which my grandmother and then my mother read as young girls...but it's a pleasant place and glad to have read it.. believe it is generally not considered one of AB s best so hopefully will try some more out..
This gave me the impression of great sadness,a lovely close relationship with the mother, and a book like what Katy did or seven little Australians?.where a girl struggles and helps out many younger brothers and sisters....
Not really true...yes she does help and put them first but it doesn't really come across like those..they don't seem affected much by the mothers loss , we hardly knew the mother and she was not overly likable,mind you that was perhaps because of the father, very unpleasant and remote man,not cruel or violent but totally uncaring and bigoted, just ignoring them ,sat in state alone....
We have a few chapters at start family and school based, then some in competitions etc that her young sister and brother take part in...then more than the remaining half of the book visits and stays for a year in France,most of which reads like a travel blog of today..enjoyable enough...as they have money and can do what they like in free hours from their studies,which they also enjoy...
Then it ends with a fairly happy and somewhat planned future in sight for the three siblings...
I expected a lot and didn't get it after waiting more than 50 years to read this book which my grandmother and then my mother read as young girls...but it's a pleasant place and glad to have read it.. believe it is generally not considered one of AB s best so hopefully will try some more out..
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews