feather_ghyll

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... )

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... )

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... )

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.]

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... )

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... )

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... )

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... )

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... )

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... )