Jennings Goes to School

What a delight! I had to read pieces to my husband because I was laughing so hard. Jennings is a wonderful character! This is a boarding school story and a terrific one at that. The last chapter says it all. I'm reading this for my Vintage Book Circle group which have taken on the task of selecting books from a series to read and review. I'm considering similarities and differences in this and Just William! by Richmal Crompton. Jennings is a more likeable character. Just William seems to be trying to punch adult buttons. I'll be curious to know if others in my group would be interested in comparing the two.

The first of a long series of boarding school comedies, Jennings Goes To School tells the story of a 10-year-old boy, Jennings, who is sent to boarding school. Separation from his family at such an early age could be a bit traumatic, but Jennings is too high-spirited to be brought down. His school life is a succession of incidents that I found quite funny because of how his well-meaning childish logic causes havoc around him. It's children's literature but can very easily be enjoyed by adults. In that sense, it reminded me of the Le Petit Nicolas (Little Nicholas) books by René Goscinny and of the Just William series by Richmal Crompton.

Jennings' best friend, Darbishire, is the perfect companion for him, slightly more sensible and show more sober but always willing to be dragged into Jennings' schemes. We have Mr. Carter, the housemaster, friendly and with a good understanding of boys, but consequently difficult to fool. There's Mr. Wilkins, much less deft in managing the young boys and with an explosive temper, redeemed by a hidden heart of gold. There's Venables, Atkinson, Temple and Bromwich Major, the other boys in Jennings and Derbishire's dormitory... The chapters in this book read like short stories with a few common plot threads. The incidents include Jennings' difficult first days as he learns the ropes and gains acceptance from his new school mates, a fire-drill filled with incidents, Jennings' bewildering letters home to his parents, a big spider on the loose that terrifies the dormitory, Jennings and Derbishire's literary efforts when they write a story for the school magazine, Jennings' long struggle to earn a place in the school soccer team, and his first match, and so on.

A light, gentle and surprisingly funny read, full of charm and fondness for its characters, both children and adults. show less

A nostalgic skim through a book about a character who was my near contemporary. As with so much children's literature in the 50s - in the UK, anyway - the protagonists are essentially polite and upper middle class, indulging in boarding schools and well-heeled hobbies like sailing and horse-riding. Here are nice boys sent, pre-teen, away to school where they get up to japes and scrapes with only very temporary home-sickness. I seem to remember enjoying the series as a child but, coming back to it as a pensioner, it appears to be written entirely from the adults' viewpoint. Strange!

Jennings is alive and well and long may he continue.
A delightful book of Jennings and Darbishire and their first term at prepatory school.
Essences of homesuckness,bullying,rules and regulations,inventiveness of ten year olds everywhere and a marvellous sense of naivety.
The book is very middle class and of a changed time,but is not meant to be a work of sociology.

probably the greatest book ever written