Published: 2006
The first title in 'Fun in the Fourth' (click here for more details) is A Fourth Form Friendship by Angela Brazil, that doyenne of the girls' school story, whose first school story was published in 1906 - one hundred years ago.
A Fourth Form Friendship was first published in 1912, and features Birkwood Grange, run by the progessively minded Miss Drummond, and one of these "up-to-date" schools: "If there's any jolly thing that it's possible to do Miss Drummond thinks of it."
One of Angela Brazil's strengths is her depictions of schoolgirl relationships. A Fourth Form Friendship is a compelling and carefully constructed story of a strong and demanding friendship.
Aldred Laurence is an attractive "ordinary" fourteen-year-old girl who becomes a new girl at Birkwood Grange and makes friends with Mabel Farrington.
Mabel has a great following at Birkwood Grange, partly because of her appealing personality, and partly because of her impeccable family connections .
The introductory pieces include articles by Mary Cadogan and Sally Dore. All of the original colour illustrations are included, and the publishing history features the later styles used.