feather_ghyll: Books within an old-fashioned TV set (Television adaptation)
Matilda: The Musical (2022) Rated: PG
Directed by: Mathew Warchus
Screenplay by: Dennis Kelly, based on the musical by: Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin, based on the book by: Roald Dahl
Starring: Alisha Weir, Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch


I’ve never seen the musical adaptation on stage, though I’ve heard some of the songs. I wasn't able to go see it in the cinemas, but as it was on iPlayer this Christmas, it felt like a good chance to watch it. Read more... )
feather_ghyll: Girl reading a book that is resting on her knees (Default)
Seven Sisters at Queen Anne’s: Evelyn Smith. Blackie, my copy is inscribed 1933

Seven sisters? Yes, the scenario set out in the book’s title is a lot, Read more... )
feather_ghyll: drawing of a girl from the 1920s reading a book in a bed/on a couch (Twenties girl reader)
Princess Candida: Katharine Oldmeadow, Collins

I wonder if the publishers or someone suggested that Oldmeadow ought to write her own version of ‘A Little Princess’, for there’s a flavour of that to ‘Princess Candida’, although it’s more in the girls own vein, and written with Oldmeadow’s style. Read more... )
feather_ghyll: Girl reading a book that is resting on her knees (Default)
The School on Cloud Ridge: Mabel Esther Allan. Fidra Books, 2008.

I believe this is the first book published by Fidra Books that I own. As well as the story itself, first published in 1952, this edition includes an abridged autobiography from Allan herself, focusing on Read more... )
feather_ghyll: Girl reading a book that is resting on her knees (Default)
A few weeks ago after I heard a little of Charles Spencer’s book about the physical and sexual, not to mention emotional, abuse he suffered after having been sent to a boarding school at eight, as a result of which there has been a debate about the damage sending mainly upper class children away from home to such institutions can and does cause. My views )

All that was in the background as I read Mary Todd’s Last Term by Frances Greenwood, the first boarding school story I’ve read in a while. Read more... )
feather_ghyll: Girl reading a book that is resting on her knees (Default)
I read these books in July, but they didn’t warrant a post of their own. I should also say I didn’t enjoy any of them much. ‘Two in a Tangle’ by Mary Gervaise Read more... )

I think ‘The Heart of The Family’ is the first book by Elizabeth Goudge I’ve read. (I’ve watched adaptations of The Little White Horse or The Secret of Moonacre.) Read more... )

L.T. Meade’s ‘A World of Girls’ Read more... )
feather_ghyll: One girl seated by an easel with a watching girl standing behind (Girl painter)
Sally Travels to School: Muriel Fyfe

This rather short book (published in Blackie’s Summit library) is a quick and breezy read, Read more... )
[Lightly edited 30/5/25.]
feather_ghyll: drawing of a girl from the 1920s reading a book in a bed/on a couch (Twenties girl reader)
Shirley at Charterton: Christobel Marlowe, Nelson

This must be quite an early example of girls own – the fictional schoolgirls are daring to dream of becoming aviators or politicians when they grow up, but Read more... )

[Edited for typos and flow 13/4/25.]
feather_ghyll: drawing of a girl from the 1920s reading a book in a bed/on a couch (Twenties girl reader)
Barbara at School: Josephine Elder, Blackie

How lovely to be able to sink into a boarding school story where the characters are realistic and their doings are credible. It wasn’t unexpected given that Josephine Elder is the author of this book, but still, Read more... )
feather_ghyll: drawing of a girl from the 1920s reading a book in a bed/on a couch (Twenties girl reader)
I am currently reading ‘Barbara – Called Binkie and other stories of school life and adventure’ by various writers, most of whose names I don’t recognise. Read more... )

I may or may not keep you updated on the further stories of school life and adventure!

I also read ‘The Mystery of Old Beams’ by Jessie Leckie Hebertson. It started off promisingly Read more... )
feather_ghyll: Girl reading a book that is resting on her knees (Default)
This week, I’ve been following the twists and turns of Novak Djokovic’s visa problems and attempt to play in the Australian Open. I won’t try to record them all or my views on them, Read more... )

I meant to reread ‘Susan Pulls The Strings’ but I couldn’t find my copy (it’s probably in the house, but I can’t be bothered to remove all the furniture I’d need to to find it.) Fortunately, the following was on top f my ‘to be read’ pile:

First Term at Ash Grove: Mabel Esther Allan, Blackie 1988

Reading this book, I felt a slight pang that I hadn’t come across it when it was first published, when I was Read more... )
feather_ghyll: Girl reading a book that is resting on her knees (Girl reader)
Jane Runs Away from School: Joanna Lloyd. Blackie (inscribed 11 Oct 1947)

This book is set in the Bramber Manor/Catharine (Kate) Maitland series, focused on new girl Jane Duncan. Read more... )
feather_ghyll: drawing of a girl from the 1920s reading a book in a bed/on a couch (Twenties girl reader)
Terry’s Only Term: Ethel Talbot, Blackie

I had a quick look at what I’ve had to say about Ethel Talbot’s books in the past, and realised how much she likes this ‘Girl’s name descriptive word Term’ formula for titles. Read more... )
feather_ghyll: Tennis ball caught up at mid net's length with text reading 15 - love (Anyone for tennis?)
A quick word on the tennis, first, mainly the US Open. Read more... )

The Testing of Tansy: Winifred Norling, Ward Lock.

I don’t much rate Winifred Norling, and this book did not change my mind. A question is posed in the early chapters: Read more... )

[Edited on 31/07/23.]
feather_ghyll: Boat with white sail on water (Sailboat adventure)
Bright Island: Mabel L. Robinson, Hutchinson

You make assumptions when you pick up the next book on your ‘to be read’ pile, some of them encouraged by its design and age. In my defence, Hutchinson boasts that this is published in the same series as ‘Christine, Air Hostess’ and ‘The Intelligence Corps Saves The Island’, which I’ve read, although I haven’t reviewed them here. I don’t remember being impressed by either. So, I prepared myself for some children, probably girls, having not entirely credible adventures on an island. Well, it’s always salutary and a pleasure to have assumptions smashed to smithereens by something far better.

Read more... )
feather_ghyll: Girl reading a book that is resting on her knees (Default)
A Little Princess: Frances Hodgson Burnett, Puffin 1073 reprint

Rereading February has been happening this year again (although I’m counting it as between 8 February and 8 March). This is the third book I’ve reread as part of that. I’d put it on the reread pile a while ago, although knowing there’s a new adaptation of ‘The Secret Garden’ arriving soon at cinemas made me more eager to reread it. I don’t know when I first read ‘A Little Princess’, possibly not as a child, Read more... )
feather_ghyll: drawing of a girl from the 1920s reading a book in a bed/on a couch (Twenties girl reader)
Triplets at Royders: Margaret Biggs and Jacqueline Blairman, Sampson Low.

I’m presuming that this book preceded Brent-Dyer giving Joey Maynard triplets! This is based on internal evidence in this book about the effects of what has to be the first world war. It’s a look at what it is to be a triplet as well as a good school’s influence on girls’ growing up. The triplets are Sheila, Robina and Anne Travers. Read more... )
feather_ghyll: Back of girl whose gloved hand is holding on to her hat. (Girl in a hat)
Audrey’s Awakening: E.L. Haverfield Oxford, 1924 reprint.

This is a book with improving quotes at the head of each chapter, and it has much to say to ‘bibliomaniac girls’ who are so involved in their reading that they’re selfishly guarded and reticent with others, but I was quite out of charity with the author on one character. Read more... )
feather_ghyll: One girl seated by an easel with a watching girl standing behind (Girl painter)
Gillian of the Guides: Winifred Darch, Oxford, 1929.

This is the best girls own book I’ve read so far this year. It’s much more thoughtful about human nature and depicts it rather more credibly than the last couple of books I’ve reviewed. Also, Read more... )
feather_ghyll: drawing of a girl from the 1920s reading a book in a bed/on a couch (Twenties girl reader)
The Head Girl’s Deputy: Brenda Page. 1930, Cassell

This book features a lot of the elements you’d expect or hope to find in a girls boarding school story, even a new girl whose ideas of school life have been influenced by reading school stories, although that isn’t a strong strand. Up to the end, Read more... )

Profile

feather_ghyll: Girl reading a book that is resting on her knees (Default)
feather_ghyll

June 2025

S M T W T F S
12 34567
8 910 1112 1314
15 161718192021
22232425262728
2930     

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jun. 16th, 2025 10:42 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios