The Naughtiest Girl: Naughtiest Girl In The School: Book 1

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It's interesting that the Famous Five books are renowned for the sumptuous food the Five regularly eat, so you might think (if you weren't familiar with the books) that surely the Five must be eating really fine food - of the elaborate sort found in expensive restaurants, or featured in some of the television cooking shows. But really, when you look at the items in that list, most of them are really quite ordinary foods of the sort that most of us probably eat quite regularly - and it becomes clear that Enid Blyton has the ability to make quite ordinary things (food, and probably lots of other things too) seem quite exciting and wonderful. The unique nature of Whyteleafe and the engaging character of Elizabeth sweep readers into a world that is at once cosy and unexpected. W. Lindsay Cable and Kenneth Lovell were the original illustrators of the books. Blyton also wrote a short story, and six new books were written by Anne Digby in 1999-2000. Naughtiest Girl Books, Stories and Games William and Rita are the head children at Whyteleafe School. They are very understanding and kind and firm in a way. They are well known and highly appreciated around the school. they are the judges at the school meetings and they are also looked up at by almost all the students. I agree with Poppy's comment about wondering if whoever made such changes is just trying to make the story their own? If they think they could have done a better job, why haven't they written their own best selling novel? Another Meeting is held. John Terry asks for money to buy a new spade. He's the green-fingered boy who spends most of his time in the garden and he loves it. Through his industry the school enjoys green peas and other delights for their meals and he's granted 12/6d immediately (there you are — that's near enough to 70 pence for a garden spade). A class-cheat is reported. His name is Harry and his serious misdemeanour is handled by William who is the head boy and one of the judges. He enlists Mr. Johns' help as well. Elizabeth herself is reported and it's probably not all that surprising seeing that she's the Naughtiest Girl. An unexpected ally speaks up for her before she is punished by the school and then she storms out of the gym!

The main character is Elizabeth Allen, a very spoiled girl whose misbehaviour causes her governesses to leave. She is sent to Whyteleafe School – pronounced Whiteleaf [2] – and is determined to behave so badly that she will be expelled. But, in the middle of her first term, she discovers how lonely she was as an only child, and starts to behave. The second main character is her best friend Joan Townsend, who does her best to get Elizabeth to behave. Also, in the second book, The Naughtiest Girl Again, she makes two enemies (Robert Jones and Kathleen Peters) but then becomes great friends with them later on; while the third book The Naughtiest Girl is a Monitor, is as much about fellow pupils Julian and Arabella as it is about her. One thing that makes this book a little different from the other school series is that there's little mention of other classes so Whyteleafe School may be rather small and select. It was in fact once a country house so perhaps there's not all that much room for other grades but you never know. Maybe the follow-up books will enlighten us more. The Naughtiest Girl is actually the first of the school-life books and as the years went by the author introduced more into the stable and rounded the theme out a little by creating many characters in the form of teachers and children who became much-loved and well-remembered — this was amply demonstrated in the St. Clare's and Malory Towers books. He had been bad-tempered and rude all day, and was out in the shed when his mother appeared and told him to go and do something. He refused so she gave him a little push, and he was VERY rude to her. Infortunately for Joe, Nemesis in the shape of his father, came into the shed, having heard what Joe had said.Cheer up," said Dad. " We'll find somewhere else just as good for you. But Mum and I won't be going with you this year. Did Mum tell you?" The confiscation of the pupils' money and the doling out of 2/- each from the box was the basis for accusations of communistic practices which were rampant — at least around the Fifties. Some people didn't like the sound of it! Overall, the kids themselves didn't seem to mind but then children aren't all that political — it's mainly the parents and guardians who pass on any relative prejudice. Richard Watson - A talented musician who plays both piano and violin beautifully and plans to become a famous musician one day. He played duets with Elizabeth at the school concert Whyteleafe School is surprisingly progressive for the 1940s. Enid Blyton's Froebel-based teacher-training course no doubt inspired her and it's possible that Summerhill in Suffolk was another influence. Not only is Whyteleafe co-educational, but discipline and decision-making are in the hands of the pupils. Head Boy William and Head Girl Rita act as Judges at weekly meetings together with a Jury of twelve elected monitors, dishing out advice, praise or penalties as they see fit. Headmistresses Miss Belle and Miss Best ("the Beauty and the Beast") explain that "We never punish anyone, Elizabeth... we leave any naughty person to the rest of the children to deal with." In addition, pupils are expected to pool all their money and are given a considerable degree of responsibility, taking charge (up to a point) of the school gardens and stables, and being allowed to keep pets.

Like Richard, John Terry is also a one sided boy, devoted to gardening and little else. Elizabeth and John have a very good relationship early in the book. John is fond of gardening, due to his and Elizabeth′s common interest in gardening, they become good friends, Elizabeth helping John with his gardening.

Enid Blyton is skilled at writing dialogue and the original conversation flows readily. Phrases like "I dare say" and "And anyway" help convey inflection and tone, and in Anne's longer speech we sense her consternation (as well as surprise) as the news sinks in. The revised conversation sounds curt and not as natural. Nora O'Sullivan, a monitor at Whyteleafe school, is a girl who upholds its traditions. She is very responsible, jolly and sensible, but does not look below the surface. Elizabeth gets into a lot of trouble with the sometimes unreasonable and strict monitor. Nora looks after the girls in dormitory 6 including Elizabeth, Joan, Ruth, Belinda and Helen. Nora is a strict but fair girl and hates it if the school's traditions are disobeyed. She is Irish. I think I read in another forum that someone felt that older children saying 'Mummy' seemed a bit babyish? On the whole I would agree, but I know of 2 families who have children in their late teens, and they still use the name 'Mummy'. Then there are those families such as the boys of Mollie Sugden, who always called their parents by their first names, from an early age. So who is to say what is the 'correct' word to use in text? Barbara Stoney tells us that, by 1928, Enid's brother Hanly was married to Floss and they had a baby daughter called Yvonne. Enid was trying to become pregnant herself at that time, unsuccessfully, and "She tried to satisfy her maternal yearnings by seeing as much as she could of her young niece, Yvonne..." So it seems that Enid and Hanly were in touch at that time. Later, Hanly and his wife had another child. Some people may frown on the Famous Five books - but really, they aren't such a bad role model for children at all: they are physically active, have decent values and consideration for other people, and I would say their diet is pretty wholesome on the whole, although showing no concern for reams of food "rules". If I had kids and they'd turned out like that, I'd feel pretty pleased, and satisfied that I hadn't done too bad a job of bringing them up.