The Magic Faraway Tree, Wishing Chair, Secret Seven, and Famous Five- they all share a connection- the author, Enid Blyton. A world-renowned author, Enid Blyton wrote several books back in the 20th century. Although she is no more, her legacy lives on in the form of her books. She is known for her simple yet vividly creative style. Having read so many of her books, I was once again captivated by her young, snobbish and endearing heroine- Elizabeth Allen, in the ‘Naughtiest Girl in the School.’
A Quick Summary
The naughtiest girl series traces the journey of Elizabeth Allen who is a spoiled and pampered girl. Her exasperating behaviour forces her parents to pack her off to a boarding school- Whyteleafe. Being naughty, Elizabeth is determined to misbehave so that she will be expelled and allowed to go back home as soon as possible, but Whyteleafe school is not like any cliche boarding school, which makes being the naughtiest girl in the school extremely difficult.
Captivating Imagery
The book rates 10/ 10 for its excellent use of imagery. “Elizabeth Allen is a pretty girl with dark curly hair and blue eyes.” This line conjures up just the right image of Elizabeth as you travel along her meeting other characters who are just as aptly described. Likewise the descriptions of places and events are so realistic that one feels like being a part of them. The simplistic, lucid and effective imagery appeals to the senses and draws up images that become real by the time you are done with the first book.
Values and Words
A plethora of emotions can be experienced through books, like joy, sorrow, adventure and many more. This book was a book that made me go through a variety of emotions but along with that, it taught me values through black and white words. Yes, The Naughtiest Girl in the School taught me the value of discipline through Elizabeth’s behaviour and Whyteleafe’s functioning. It taught me a few proverbs that I hear continuously by parents, counsellors and teachers such as- think before you speak, actions speak louder than words, time makes you change and finally, every cloud has its silver lining. I was taught all these values in ways I never imagined. Through this book, I realised the magic of reading and how messages can be conveyed by events in a book.
Curiosity
Questions tend to start overflowing our brains whilst reading. We wonder whether a character will change or will they stay the same. We wonder whether the character would have a great journey or a deplorable one. We also wonder whether the imaginative descriptions of the book are actually plausible. All these questions and many more came to me whilst I read this book.
The customs of Whyteleafe school were indeed surprising. The whole school gets run by children and children themselves give punishments for inadequate behaviour. So, whilst I read, the main question that came to me was whether this was possible or not. Either way, I enjoyed the whole plot of the book and the various twists and turns that kept me glued to it till the very end.
To conclude I would like to say that this book is an ideal story for children who are ready for a bit of light reading and those who are aged between 6 and 13. I guess that’s why I enjoyed this book because I fit perfectly within this age group. Therefore, if you want a few chuckles or giggles, ‘The Naughtiest Girl in The School’ is without a doubt the flawless book you’ve been looking for.
Writer : Aarna Sharma
Grade : 6 (Year 2023)
Place : Sydney, Australia
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