There are three books in the Naughtiest Girl series by Enid Blyton:
The Naughtiest Girl in the School (First Published 1940)
The Naughtiest Girl Again (1942)
The Naughtiest Girl is a Monitor (1945)
While being in many ways typical school stories such as the St Clare's and Malory Towers ... Read review
When Elizabeth Allen is chosen to be a school monitor, she's delighted. But she soon finds ... more
out just what a responsible job it is. The harder she tries, the worse she behaves! Will the naughtiest girl in the school ever learn to be good? There's a new boy in Elizabeth's class. He's sulky and grumpy and he'll do anything to show Elizabeth up.
Advantages: Good book if you like this type of thing. Disadvantages: Not for everyone.
There are three books in the Naughtiest Girl series by Enid Blyton:
The Naughtiest Girl in the School (First Published 1940)
The Naughtiest Girl Again (1942)
The Naughtiest Girl is a Monitor (1945)
While being in many ways typical school stories such as the St Clare's and Malory Towers books, also by Enid Blyton these books are also significantly different. (Interestingly, The Naughtiest Girl in the School ... ...published.)
**So What Are The Differences?**
Well for a start, the school is a mixed school, educating both girls and boys, while in most school stories from this era deal with single sex boarding schools. The other major difference is that the school is run by the children themselves, who deal with matters of discipline at a weekly meeting. At this meeting the children are allowed to bring up any complaints that they have against ... more
There are three books in the Naughtiest Girl series by Enid Blyton:
The Naughtiest Girl in the School (First Published 1940) The Naughtiest Girl Again (1942) The Naughtiest Girl is a Monitor (1945)
While being in many ways typical school stories such as the St Clare's and Malory Towers books, also by Enid Blyton these books are also significantly different. (Interestingly, The Naughtiest Girl in the School was actually the first Enid Blyton school story to be published.)
**So What Are The Differences?** Well for a start, the school is a mixed school, educating both girls and boys, while in most school stories from this era deal with single sex boarding schools. The other major difference is that the school is run by the children themselves, who deal with matters of discipline at a weekly meeting. At this meeting the children are allowed to bring up any complaints that they have against other children and the problems are considered and dealt with by the "Monitors" who are elected by the children and act as a jury, and the Head Boy and Head Girl who have the position of judges. The children also bring all their pocket money to the meetings, where it is redistributed (2 shillings each!) so as to be fair.
To me as a child reading these books, I was acutely aware that such a structure would never work in any of the schools I had attended. Nevertheless, I was interested in the system and managed to believe that in the world of the books this system would work. While now the books are far to untrue to life, as a 10 year old I found them extremely absorbing and even fascinating to read.
**What Else Is There?** The books in many other ways are typical of the school story type genre. The books begin with Elizabeth Allen, who hates the idea of going to boarding school. She arrives trying to cause trouble and get sent home, but as would be expected by those familiar with boarding school books, the school works its magic and she comes to love her school.
In the other books in the series we read about Elizabeth's future progress through the school. She gets into trouble a lot due to her mischievous nature and her fiery temper. However, we see how she tries to overcome these faults and it is always absolutely clear that behind it all she tries to be kind.
**Would I Enjoy Reading It?** If you generally enjoy children's school stories then I would certainly suggest that you try these books. I must admit that they seem to me slightly more unrealistic and childish to the extent that I enjoy them less than some books of the genre (the Chalet School books, for example have more depth in my opinion). Nevertheless, like most school stories from this time period they have the advantage that it is possible to lose yourself in a long ago (and I suppose never really existent but far more happy) age where ideals are realised. If you like this sort of thing then go for it!
Beware though! There are books on the market which claim to be part of the series but are written by a different author. These are, in my opinion, of a far lower standard. They were written far more recently and seem to attempt to bring the series up to date in some ways, which certainly to an adult reader make them far less believable. While the original books are unbelieveable, you can believe in them while reading you live in the world of the books. These are, to my mind at least, unbelievable in the context of the books themselves, and I find them painful to read.
Advantages: good fun, great characters, enjoyable read Disadvantages: rather dated in parts
This series of books by Enid Blyton includes The Naughtiest Girl In The School, The Naughtiest Girl Is A Monitor and The Naughtiest Girl Again.
The books are about a girl called Elizabeth Allen, who goes to a school called Whyteleafe. The Naughtiest Girl In The School is the first book, following Elizabeth as she first goes to the boarding school.
She is a rich and spoilt girl, with a pet dog and pony, so she is upset at having to go away to school ... ...she usually does. She decides to be as naughty as possible at the school, so that she will have to be sent back home. She soon manages to get into trouble, but then finds out there are some good things about the school after all.
Enid Blyton's world still consists of lacrosse and dormitories, but these books are set in a mixed boarding school, unlike the girls-only worlds of Malory Towers and St. Clare's.
The Naughtiest Girl Again features a bully ...
KarenUK 10.01.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Here's the Naughtiest Girl! - Enid Blyton
Advantages: a boy and girl school! Disadvantages: same old stuff
In Germany known as "Lissy im Internat" is The Naughtiest Girl not very popular. I've seen it once in a book shop and because it was from Enid Blyton I've bought it. It was a bit different from St. Clares or Malory Towers. At Elizabeth Allens school are students of both sexs. So that was a surprise because I haven't think Enid would ever write something like this. In all the other books schools were seperated. So that boys and girls boarding school ... ...turns out to be as fun as the girl/boy schools, even better. Well the story pretty the same. A girl from a rich family who's naughty should go to boarding school but don't want to. Elizabeth tries to be the naughtiest girl at school but that schools turns out to the nice and so she decides to be nice, too. That book is nothing special like adventure series but nice as well! ...
SerenaStarlight 02.10.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Here's the Naughtiest Girl! - Enid Blyton