Another solid school tale by Enid Blyton. Readers familiar with the previous books in the series will not be surprised by this one, because it follows the same formula, but the author is skilled enough to make it come to life.

Darrell & Co. are now in the fifth form. Just the previous term they took important exams, so this term is supposed to be more relaxed. Academically, I mean, because otherwise the girls get a lot of work on their plates. They are responsible for the Christmas entertainment, and Darrell also gets responsibility directing the younger girls' lacrosse teams.

Producing their own pantomime was interesting, and obviously it helps they have a lot of talent in the form, which is put to good use.

We get the usual personality conflicts, often featuring the new girls to keep things fresh. I am surprised the tomboy Bill is not given a more prominent role in these stories, but she and Clarissa are just so horse-mad that they keep themselves apart from most of the tensions and conflict in the form. Darrell's best friend Sally is also not given much to do after the first book.

The conflict centers around Moira, a girl who has been left behind in the fifth form and is made head girl. She is a good organizer but too controlling and domineering. We also have a writer of anonymous poison pen letters (the identity of that spiteful writer, unlike some Blyton mysteries, took me a while to guess), the sport ambitions of the younger girls, Gwendoline's antics and many more things.

We get one of the funniest scenes in any Enid Blyton book, when the sweet Mam’zelle Dupont, always the target of the girls' funny tricks, decides to play a trick of her own.

Perhaps one thing that sometimes bothers me in Blyton's stories makes a show here: a certain mean streak against those who are different, who are unable to conform to the unwritten rules of the other children. Often it's hidden by the fact that these "different" characters often turn out to be nasty pieces of work, but the mean streak sometimes comes before there's a real reason for it. Was it necessary to be so harsh towards the new girl Maureen, because she didn't get the social cues about how everybody was tired of hearing her talk about her old school? Or against Catherine, who makes herself annoying by trying too hard to be helpful? Even Darrell felt uncomfortable at the tension. In any group of children there will always be those who are popular and those who are not, but it's not always a nice thing, and the author sometimes treats it as "it's for their own good". Perhaps it is, but moments of mercy or kindness like the one shown to the writer of the anonymous letters are very welcome. ( )

Quinto grado en torres de Malory, es un año muy distintos a los demás ya que las adolescentes están a solo un curso de terminar el colegio. Darrell como todos los años llega a su colegio con sus padres y por segundo año consecutivo con su hermana menor Felicity (en segundo año esta última). Se reencuentra con sus viejas amigas ,pero hay una niña nueva que se llamaba Maureen (según Darrell y sus amigas una niña que solo piensa que es la mejor que todas en todos los sentidos y que ella si se podría llevar bien con Gwen), y otra chica llamaba Moira, que en realidad tendría que estar en 6° año pero repitió, Moira era una chica que se mostraba autoritaria, se cree que como era la más grande podía hacer y mandar como le parecía. Otra niña nueva era Catherine, que al igual que Moira había repetido curso. Catherine era muy servicial y, debido a eso, todas la empezaron a llamar Santa Catherine, e incluso Belinda la dibujó con aureolas y con mensajes diciendo : Santa Catherine, nuestra mártir. También conocemos al pequeño caballo de Clarissa Carter, Patitas. Darrell se convierte en la capitana de la escuela elemental de Lacrosse, o sea que iba a dirigir el equipo y en él se encontraba su hermana Felicity. La profesora les propuso que todas las alumnas de 5° año hagan una obra de teatro, así que ella y sus compañeras logran hacerla, cada una en un sector determinado, por ejemplo Darrell se encargó de escribirla, Irene de la música, Moira de dirigirlo, Belinda de dibujar y hacer los diseños de vestido (la obra era la Cenicienta) y otras alumnas en interpretarlo. Sucedió un caso particular cuando se estaban eligiendo los personajes, Gwen y Maureen se creían las más lindas del colegio y las indicadas para el papel de Cenicienta, ya que las dos poseían una cabellera dorada que caía en forma de cascada y unos ojazos azules, pero en realidad las demás chicas no las veían como Cenicienta ya que Maureen tenía los dientes de conejo y Gwen estaba un poco gordita, así que eligieron a Mary-Lou. Igual ellas nunca irían a elegir a alguien como Maureen y Gwen porque las dos se la creían mucho. Así llega a fin de año y la obra teatral es representada por las chicas y es así como Darrell descubre tener una gran talento para escribir, ya que al final de la obra todos la aplaudieron de pie.

I loved the school details - scolding friends about not writing during the holidays (I feel old that I remember that now that nobody writes letters or postcards anymore), the excitement over the School Cert results, the discovery of the new classroom for the new form, Bill coming to school on horseback (I WISH) the lacrosse match and the pantomine which was decently described. Blyton's strength isn't in description and that was a good effort for her. Darrell becoming head of Games and then revealing a talent for writing (Blyton's attempt at self-insertion?) was unexpected yet really nice.
I wasn't too fond of Blyton's politics of bullying where every girl with a special talent is deemed 'perfectly idiotic' if said talent doesn't benefit the whole school. The girls' herd mentality, 'new girls should be seen and not heard' is really odd, I prefer the more supportive environment of, say, Trebizon, where crying over missing home isn't instantly dismissed as utterly ridiculous. Can't have it all but that's the reason I can't give this book five stars. ( )

The fifth formers are going to make the christmas play this year. it is written by Darrel, Alicia as the Demon King, and Gwen (or will it be maureen) as Cinderella. there will be drama before the curtain goes up! ( )

I quite enjoyed this one. It introduced the bossy Moira, pious Catherine and rabbit-teeth Maureen. Poor Gwendoline was most perturbed to discover that people thought she and Maureen were alike. The fifth-formers stage a pantomime, and Alicia's cousin June gets a wake-up call.