'What Katy Did at School' by Susan Coolidge

Dr. Carr's mind is firmly made up. Katy and her little sister Clover are to spend a year away at boarding school. A strange place, far from home, but on arrival the girls have an inkling that it might turn out to be rather different from their expectations. One thing is for sure, it certainly isn't going to be dull with Rose Red as an ally.

MY THOUGHTS

 Here's another enjoyable read, with more of the charming life observations we get in the first book.

It begins with a visit from the fashionable and disapproving Cousin Olivia Page. She convinces Papa Carr that it would do Katy and Clover a world of good to go to boarding school for a year, before they're set in their ways with provincial adult responsibilities, making them staid before their time with limited outlooks. Dr Carr thinks she has a point, so before they know it, the two girls are heading off to a distant town called Hillsover, where there's a girls' boarding school known as 'The Nunnery' which Aunt Olivia's, Lilly, daughter attends. 

It's a strict institution run by the majestic Mrs Florence, along with her deputy Mrs Nipson, and the prim and crabby Miss Jane. There are other staff members too, of course. It appears a prerequisite for working there must be no sense of humour, for it would never do to crack a smile or allow yourself to be the butt of girlish pranks or teasing. 

Luckily for us, the girls themselves have spades of bright humour, especially Clover and Katy's good friend Rosamond Redding, aka Rose Red. This girl is a legend who's often regarded by the adults as an 'evil influence' just because she's figured out a great secret to life is not taking herself, or others, too seriously.  

The crux of the story occurs when Katy, and by extension Clover, are severely punished for something they didn't do. The teachers discover some circumstantial evidence and instantly go off their sanctimonious nuts! Katy handles the situation beautifully, expressing her indignation but drawing on her inner Cousin Helen to help her move forward. And the culmination of this incident is perfect. 

I also like this book for the interesting finer details. The brutally cold winter term when Katy's toothbrush turns to ice and every drop of water in pitchers and washbowls is frozen solid each morning. The autograph albums, which were the girls' form of social media (as in Little Town on the Prairie). Their very clever club meetings, when the girls play some great literary games. The school soiree which Clover gets to attend for good conduct, but turns out to be a bit of a letdown with cream of tartar water being fobbed off as lemonade (Yuck!) 

There are plenty of updates in the form of newsy family letters to keep us in touch with what's happening at home with Elsie, Dorry, Johnnie and Phil. And now we have extended family to add to the mix, with Cousin Olivia and her kids; Lilly, who looks out solely for her own interests, and Clarence, a sulky rebel who's so over being scolded and corrected for every little thing he does. 

I'll continue soon with What Katy Did Next. 

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