Winter Term at Malory Towers

Felicity Rivers is a fourth former now, and Pamela Cox's Winter Term at Malory Towers is a school story for 9 year olds about the girl in the corner of the carriage who won't talk to anybody.

What happens

She is going back by train for once, because her father had an appointment he couldn't move. She is so busy trying to reach Susan on the platform that she runs straight into the new Head Girl.

Fenella glares. Felicity goes scarlet. Then Fenella's face breaks into a grin and she tells her to push off and walk, because she is a fourth former now, not a silly little third former.

That thought carries Felicity down the platform. Fancy me being a fourth former!

Being a fourth former turns out to be complicated. Nora points out gloomily that they will have to settle down and be responsible in the upper school, which sounds like no fun whatsoever. June has no intention of settling down. Freddie mentions a midnight feast and five pairs of eyes light up.

Felicity talks herself into it in about two seconds, on the grounds that her big sister Darrell had a feast when she was in the upper fourth, so it must be all right.

And in the corner of the carriage, saying nothing, is Olive Witherspoon.

Olive answers in single words. She doesn't ask anything back. She has been to boarding school before, she isn't homesick and she isn't remotely curious about this one, which Felicity finds very strange indeed. When Nora complains about growing up, Olive shoots her a look of pure scorn that Nora doesn't even see.

This is a lovely book for a reader who likes school stories where the stakes are entirely small and entirely enormous. Who will be head of the form. Whether you can still play tricks now you're supposed to be sensible. Whether the odd girl in the corner is shy or actually doesn't like you.

Just be aware that the girls are quite hard on Olive early on. She is written off within one train journey, and there's a bit of muttering behind her back about what a cheerful little soul she is. Felicity is the one who keeps trying, which is rather the point, but a child who has been on the receiving end of a group decision like that may feel it.

What to read next

First Term at Malory Towers is in the library too, and that one is Darrell's own arrival. Brown uniform, orange ribbon, and a girl very much hoping she makes a friend.