The Second Form at Malory Towers facts for kids
1947 UK 1st Edition dustjacket
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| Author | Enid Blyton |
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| Illustrator | Stanley Lloyd |
| Cover artist | Stanley Lloyd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Malory Towers |
| Genre | School story |
| Publisher | Methuen (UK) |
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Publication date
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1947 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| ISBN | 0 7497 1925 7 (first edition, hardback) |
| Preceded by | First Term at Malory Towers |
| Followed by | Third Year at Malory Towers |
The Second Form at Malory Towers is an exciting children's book by Enid Blyton. It tells a story set in an English boarding school called Malory Towers. This book is the second one in the popular Malory Towers school story series. It was first published in 1947. The first edition had lovely drawings by Stanley Lloyd.
Contents
What Happens in the Story
This book follows Darrell Rivers as she starts her fifth term at Malory Towers. She and most of her friends move up to the Second Form. Their new teacher is Miss Parker.
Three new girls join North Tower this term. They are Belinda Morris, Ellen Wilson, and Daphne Milicent Turner.
New Friends and Talents
Belinda is a bit forgetful, just like Irene. They quickly become good friends. Teachers might find them a bit messy, but their classmates love Belinda's drawing skills. She often draws funny pictures of the teachers. This helps her get out of chores!
Daphne seems very charming and pretty. She talks a lot about her rich family. Gwendoline, who is still a bit snobby, quickly tries to be Daphne's friend. But readers might guess that Daphne isn't quite what she seems.
Ellen is a scholarship girl. This means she works very hard to stay at Malory Towers. She worries a lot about her schoolwork. This worry makes her grumpy and unwell. Sally asks Jean to try and help Ellen, but Ellen pushes her away. Ellen gets so sick with worry that she has to stay in the school's hospital for a while. This makes her even more worried about falling behind.
School Plays and Secrets
There's a funny disagreement between the two French teachers, Mam'zelle Dupont and Mam'zelle Rougier. They can't agree on which girls should be in the French plays. Belinda draws some funny, but unkind, pictures of Mam'zelle Rougier. The teacher sees them and gets very upset. The girls quickly apologize, and the problem is solved with help from Mam'zelle Dupont.
Meanwhile, Ellen keeps worrying about her studies. She asks for extra help, but it's not possible. She starts to think about looking at the exam questions early. At the same time, things start to go missing. Emily loses a brooch, Katie loses a necklace, and several girls lose their purses. Alicia remembers seeing Ellen near Miss Parker's desk. She starts to think Ellen might be the thief. Alicia tells the other girls and then confronts Ellen.
Truth and Consequences
Ellen is shocked by the accusation. She was almost going to give up her idea of cheating. But being accused makes her so angry that she decides to go through with it. She sneaks downstairs to find the exam papers. Darrell sees her and follows. Darrell finds Ellen with the papers, gets angry, and they argue. Darrell accuses Ellen of stealing and cheating. After this, Ellen is so upset that she goes to Matron, who sends her to the Sanatorium. The next morning, the other girls think Ellen has been sent home from school.
One stormy night, Mary-Lou offers to post a parcel for Daphne. She doesn't come back, so Daphne goes to find her. A search party goes out and finds both girls clinging to the edge of a cliff! Daphne had bravely stopped Mary-Lou from falling. Everyone sees Daphne as a hero.
The next day, Darrell, Sally, Irene, and Belinda find Daphne's parcel. Inside are all the missing purses and jewelry! They tell Miss Grayling, the headmistress. Daphne is revealed to be the one who took the items. Miss Grayling is surprised to hear the girls think Ellen was expelled. She realizes she needs to help Ellen.
Miss Grayling talks to Daphne. She knows Daphne has had problems before. But she also tells Daphne that her brave actions show she has good in her. Miss Grayling gives Daphne a choice: if she wants to stay, she must tell the other girls everything and ask for their support. Daphne does this. The girls decide that Daphne's bravery means she deserves another chance. Miss Grayling also talks to Ellen. She is relieved to learn that Ellen's problems were caused by too much worry and overwork.
The term ends with Mary-Lou and Daphne becoming good friends.
Meet the Characters
North Tower Second Form Girls
- Darrell Rivers - The main character of the Malory Towers stories.
- Sally Hope - Darrell's best friend, who is very reliable.
- Gwendoline Mary Lacey - A spoiled, lazy, and boastful girl.
- Alicia Johns - Lively and clever, always ready with a sharp comment.
- Jean MacDonald - A cheerful and smart Scottish girl, good with money for school clubs.
- Mary-Lou - A bit taller now, but still shy and easily scared.
- Irene - A forgetful girl who is amazing at music and maths.
- Emily - A quiet and hardworking girl, very good at sewing.
- Belinda Morris - A new girl with short, curly black hair.
- Ellen Wilson - A new girl who is tall and thin, with a pale, tired face.
- Daphne Millicent Turner - Pretty, graceful, and charming, with many stories about her rich family.
Other Girls
- Betty Hill - Alicia's friend from West Tower.
- Winnie Toms - A girl considered for Head Girl of the Second Form.
Teachers and Staff
- Miss Grayling - The calm and wise Headmistress of Malory Towers.
- Miss Parker - The Second Form mistress.
- Miss Potts - The House Mistress of North Tower and First Form mistress.
- Mam'zelle Dupont - A short, plump, and cheerful French teacher.
- Mam'zelle Rougier - A thin, grumpy, and ill-tempered French teacher.
- Miss Linnie - The art teacher.
- Mr Young - The music teacher.
- Miss Carton - The history teacher.
- Miss Hibbert - The English teacher.
- Matron - The North Tower Matron, who looks after the girls' health.
Other Characters
- Dr Rivers - Darrell's father, who is a surgeon.
- Mrs Rivers - Darrell's mother.
- Felicity Rivers - Darrell's younger sister.
- Nurse - Helped Matron look after Ellen in the Sanatorium.
- Gardener - A strong gardener who helped search for Daphne and Mary-Lou.
