Elinor M Brent-Dyer Ordre des livres

Gay Lambert is an impetuous, warm-hearted senior at the Chalet School who quickly takes sad shy Jacynth Hardy under her wing. But the summer term proves to be a difficult one for Gay and her friends when a dreadful accident causes a new headmistress to be appointed. Authoritarian Miss Bubb has very different views on how a school should be run and soon there is wide discontent. When Gay takes matters into her own hands, it's clear something must be done...

Elinor M. Brent-Dyer was an English writer of children's literature who wrote more than one hundred books during her lifetime, the most famous being the Chalet School series. Brent-Dyer's first book, Gerry Goes to School, was published in 1922 and became the first of the La Rochelle series. She was inspired to start the Chalet School series after holidaying in the Austrian Tyrol at Pertisau-am-Achensee. The first book in the series, The School at the Chalet, was published in 1923. Although she was raised as an Anglican, she converted to Roman Catholicism in 1930. In 1933, Brent-Dyer and her mother moved to Hereford, where Brent-Dyer was employed as a governess in Peterchurch. In 1938, she opened her own school, the Margaret Roper School, which closed in 1948. She then dedicated all of her time to writing. Brent-Dyer's mother died in 1957. In 1964, her long-time friend Phyllis Matthewman persuaded her leave the unmanageably large Victorian villa at which she had previously run her school in order to live with Phyllis and her literary agent husband, Sydney. After first living together as tenants in half of a house called Albury Edge, at Redhill, Surrey, they bought a house together, Gryphons, also at Redhill, in 1965. Phyllis's aunt, who knew the Dyer family, had introduced them to one another in childhood. Sydney Matthewman served as Brent-Dyer's agent.

Kath Arnold is troubled by the news from her sister Bess Carey in Madeira. Not only is Bess going to marry again, but her new husband has two daughters, Rosemary and Marigold Corbett, who are in desperate need of schooling after a series of ineffectual governesses. Bess believes that much the best thing for the two girls will be for them to be enrolled at Wynyards, the well-known day school where Bess's own daughter Lorna goes. In turn that means that Rosemary and Marigold will live at the Arnolds' house, just as Lorna does. Lorna is deeply upset. It is less than a year since her father died and she does not like the idea of acquiring two stepsisters who will live with her at all. But a year with the Arnolds has taught Lorna unselfishness and she prepares to make the best of things. Things might have gone smoothly, for Rosemary turns out to be friendly, and eager-to-please. But Marigold is a little wildcat. She cares little for her lessons, she is jealous of her sister's affection and she greatly resents Lorna's place at the heart of the household. Soon Marigold is at daggers drawn with everyone: her schoolmates, Lorna, Kath Arnold, even her beloved sister. But in one foolhardy act of disobedience Marigold brings upon herself a worse punishment than any of her elders could have devised for her, and eventually, she finds it within herself to control her temper and think of others. (from here.)

Joey and her friends from the Chalet School are on holiday. They discover to their surprise and pleasure someone their age living next door, the daughter of a famous cellist. She is crippled by arthritis and is being harassed by a spoilt girl of 19 who is determined to possess the Wychcote cello.

When Madge Bettany decides to start a school in the Austrian Alps, little does she realize how such a small idea will so completely change her life. Now, in this classic series of books, first published in the 1920s, join the Chalet School's first pupil, Joey Bettany, as she forges strong bonds of friendship with girls from Europe and America. Independent, intelligent, resourceful, and bold—the girls of Chalet School make each new term and adventure.