Chalet School
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The Chalet School is a fictional girls' boarding school, the setting of around sixty school story novels by Elinor Brent-Dyer, initially published between 1925 and 1970. The school was initially located in Austria, moved to Guernsey in 1939, following the rise to power of the Nazi Party, then to "Plas Howell", a house on the border of England and Wales, then to the fictional island of St Briavels, off the south-west Welsh coast and finally to Switzerland.[1]
Elinor Brent-Dyer is widely regarded as one of the most famous writers of school stories for girls. There are a number of websites and societies of fans who still enjoy and collect her books.
Contents |
[edit] Background and main characters
The Chalet School was founded in 1925 by Madge Bettany when her brother, Dick decides to take up a job in India. She comes to the conclusion that starting a school would be a convenient way to generate some much-needed income, while also looking after her infirm younger sister Joey. Finding that suitable locations in England would be too expensive for her plans, she decides to look abroad, and finally settles on a large chalet in the Austrian Alps, conveniently providing a helpful climate for Joey's recuperation. Within a few years a sanitorium where tuberculosis patients convalesce is built not far from the school. The founder, Doctor Jem Russell, along with Doctor Jack Maynard, provide assistance to members of the school and eventually marry Madge and Joey respectively.
Throughout the series, various girls arrive at the school with personal problems, bad attitudes or behavioural issues. As a result of the ministrations of better-behaved classmates and the school mistresses, including Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson, they all tend to discover the error of their ways and become model pupils. Not least among these is Mary-Lou Trelawney, who eventually becomes head girl.
[edit] Book details
[edit] Hardback
Chalet School books were originally published in hardback between 1925 and 1970 by W. & R. Chambers.[2]
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The School at the Chalet | 1925 |
| 2 | Jo of the Chalet School | 1926 |
| 3 | The Princess of the Chalet School | 1927 |
| 4 | The Head Girl of the Chalet School | 1928 |
| 5 | The Rivals of the Chalet School | 1929 |
| 6 | Eustacia Goes to the Chalet School | 1930 |
| 7 | The Chalet School and Jo | 1931 |
| 8 | The Chalet Girls in Camp | 1932 |
| 9 | The Exploits of the Chalet Girls | 1933 |
| 10 | The Chalet School and the Lintons [a] | 1934 |
| 11 | The New House at the Chalet School | 1935 |
| 12 | Jo Returns to the Chalet School | 1936 |
| 13 | The New Chalet School [b] | 1938 |
| 14 | The Chalet School in Exile | 1940 |
| 15 | The Chalet School Goes to It [c] | 1941 |
| 16 | The Highland Twins at the Chalet School | 1942 |
| 17 | Lavender Laughs in the Chalet School [d] | 1943 |
| 18 | Gay From China at the Chalet School [e] | 1944 |
| 19 | Jo to the Rescue | 1945 |
| 20 | Three Go to the Chalet School | 1949 |
| 21 | The Chalet School and the Island | 1950 |
| 22 | Peggy of the Chalet School | 1950 |
| 23 | Carola Storms the Chalet School | 1951 |
| 24 | The Wrong Chalet School | 1952 |
| 25 | Shocks for the Chalet School | 1952 |
| 26 | The Chalet School in the Oberland | 1952 |
| 27 | Bride Leads the Chalet School | 1953 |
| 28 | Changes for the Chalet School | 1953 |
| 29 | Joey Goes to the Oberland | 1954 |
| Title | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | The Chalet School and Barbara | 1954 |
| 31 | Tom Tackles the Chalet School [f] | 1955 |
| 32 | The Chalet School Does It Again | 1955 |
| 33 | A Chalet Girl from Kenya | 1955 |
| 34 | Mary-Lou of the Chalet School | 1956 |
| 35 | A Genius at the Chalet School [g] | 1956 |
| 36 | A Problem for the Chalet School | 1956 |
| 37 | The New Mistress at the Chalet School | 1957 |
| 38 | Excitements at the Chalet School | 1957 |
| 39 | The Coming of Age of the Chalet School | 1958 |
| 40 | The Chalet School and Richenda | 1958 |
| 41 | Trials for the Chalet School | 1958 |
| 42 | Theodora and the Chalet School | 1959 |
| 43 | Joey and Co in Tirol | 1960 |
| 44 | Ruey Richardson: Chaletian [h] | 1960 |
| 45 | A Leader in the Chalet School | 1961 |
| 46 | The Chalet School Wins the Trick | 1961 |
| 47 | A Future Chalet School Girl | 1962 |
| 48 | The Feud in the Chalet School | 1962 |
| 49 | The Chalet School Triplets | 1963 |
| 50 | The Chalet School Reunion | 1963 |
| 51 | Jane and the Chalet School | 1964 |
| 52 | Redheads at the Chalet School | 1964 |
| 53 | Adrienne and the Chalet School | 1965 |
| 54 | Summer Term at the Chalet School | 1965 |
| 55 | Challenge for the Chalet School | 1966 |
| 56 | Two Sams at the Chalet School | 1967 |
| 57 | Althea Joins the Chalet School | 1969 |
| 58 | Prefects of the Chalet School | 1970 |
[edit] Paperback
The novels were reissued in paperback format between 1967 and 1995, usually updated for language, and some heavily abridged. A few were split into two paperback volumes, and several were retitled.[3]
| Hardback | Paperback | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | The Chalet School and the Lintons | The Chalet School and the Lintons |
| A Rebel at the Chalet School | ||
| 13 | The New Chalet School | The New Chalet School |
| A United Chalet School | ||
| 15 | The Chalet School Goes to It | The Chalet School at War |
| 17 | Lavender Laughs in the Chalet School | Lavender Leigh at the Chalet School |
| 18 | Gay From China at the Chalet School | Gay Lambert at the Chalet School |
| 35 | A Genius at the Chalet School | A Genius at the Chalet School |
| Chalet School Fête | ||
| 44 | Ruey Richardson: Chaletian | Ruey Richardson at the Chalet School |
[edit] Additional books
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| The Chalet Book for Girls (including The Mystery at the Chalet School) |
1947 |
| The Second Chalet Book for Girls (including Tom Tackles the Chalet School, part 1) |
1948 |
| The Third Chalet Book for Girls (including Tom Tackles the Chalet School, part 2) |
1949 |
| The Chalet School and Rosalie | 1951 |
| The Chalet Girls’ Cookbook | 1953 |
| The Chalet Club News Letter Book | 2004 |
| Elinor M Brent Dyer's Short Stories | 2005 |
[edit] Books by other authors
Several authors have written books about the Chalet School, some of them follow on from the last book of the series, and others attempt to fill in some of the "gaps" in the earlier years of the school.
[edit] Fill in novels
This list indicates the book which immediately precedes the new story.
- Juliet of the Chalet School - Caroline German (2006) - Jo of the Chalet School
- Visitors to the Chalet School - Helen McClelland (2004) - The Princess of the Chalet School
- Two Chalet School Girls in India - Priyadarshini Narendra (2006) - The New Chalet School (and A United Chalet School)
- Gillian of the Chalet School - Carol Allan (2001) - Two Chalet School Girls in India
- Joey and Patricia: A Reunion in Guernsey - Helen McClelland (2000) - The Chalet School in Exile
- The Chalet School and Robin - Caroline German (2003) - The Chalet School Goes to It
- A Chalet School Headmistress - Helen Barber (2004) - Gay From China at the Chalet School
- Hilda Annersley: Headmistress - Lesley Green (2005) - Gay From China at the Chalet School
- Peace Comes to the Chalet School - Katherine Bruce (2005) - The Chalet School and Rosalie
[edit] Sequels
The first book follows some of the Chalet School characters, though it is not set in the School itself. It is not recommended for younger readers.
- Chalet Girls Grow Up - Merryn Williams (1998)
These two books follow on immediately after Prefects of the Chalet School
- New Beginnings at the Chalet School - Heather Paisley (1999)
- The Chalet School Librarian - Pat Willimott (2005)
[edit] The Chalet School On The Internet
- Over the past few years the internet has contributed to a resurgance of interest in Brent-Dyer and the Chalet School; the interest never went away, but now fans have been able to discover like-minded people and enjoy the books in a new way.
- It began with Friends Of The Chalet School who issue a quarterly magazine to members, and their venture grew to encompass publishing and the creation of Girls Gone By Publishers so now people can buy the book with the original text and illustrations, as Hardbacks can often reach hundreds of pounds!
- On the internet, as with the trend, fansites have appeared. This includes the Chaletian Bulletin Board which has a mixture of discussion threads and drabbles aka fanfiction. There is also a Chalet School Delphi Forum for discussion and the Sally Denny Library for more fanfiction.
[edit] References
- ^ Ann Mackie-Hunter (May 1998). The Chalet School's homes. Friends of the Chalet School. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
- ^ Complete Numerical List of Titles in the Chalet School Series. Friends of the Chalet School. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
- ^ Chalet School reference list. The New Chalet Club. Retrieved on 2008-03-20.
