Elinor Brent-Dyer is probably the best known Girls' School Story writer in existence, famous in particular for her Chalet School Series. Born on 6th April 1894, this author grew up as Gladys Eleanor May Dyer in South Shields. Her father walked out when she was 3 years old, and when she was 18, Elinor started work as an unqualified teacher, and worked in various locations, teaching both boys & girls,  around the UK. She later gained her teachering qualification, and in 1938 set up her own School for Girls (the Margaret Roper School). Elinor died in 1969.

Elinor wrote from an early age, starting at school, when she produced stories for magazines and papers.  In 1922 her first book was published - 'Gerry goes to school' the first of the 'La Rochelle' series.  In 1925 'The School at the Chalet' was published, the first of her famous Chalet School series. Until 1948, when her school closed, Elinor produced 1 to 2 books per year, but when the school closed this increased dramatically.  She had 100 books in total published - alongside her famous school stories, there were books of other genres including Geographical Readers, Girl Guides, historical, adventure stories and a cook book. Her Chalet School series is the longest girls school series ever known. Alongside the chalet school book series, various fan clubs developed, the first being one started by Chambers (her Chalet School publishers) in 1959. Her fan clubs continue today with members world wide. The New Chalet Club can be accessed at http://www.newchaletclub.co.uk and Friends of the Chalet School (FOCS)  at http://www.chaletschool.org.uk. 




There follows a list of Elinor Brent-Dyer's books, in series order. Date of publication is in brackets.

Chalet School Books - Chambers Hardback editions (except Rosalie which is paperback)

1.  The School at the Chalet (1925)
2.  Jo of the Chalet School (1926)
3.  The Princess of the Chalet School (1927)
4.  The Head-Girl of the Chalet School (1928)
5.  The Rivals of the Chalet School (1929)
6.  Eustacia goes to the Chalet School (1930)
7.  The Chalet School and Jo (1931)
8.  The Chalet girls in Camp (1932)
9.  The Exploits of the Chalet Girls (1933)
10. The Chalet School and the Lintons (1934)
11. The New House at the Chalet School (1935)
12. Jo Returns to the Chalet School (1936)
13. The New Chalet School (1938)
14. The Chalet School in Exile version 1 with Brisley d/w (1940)
      The Chalet School in Exile version 2 with non-Brisley d/w (1940)
15. The Chalet School goes to it (1941)
16. The Highland Twins at the Chalet School (1942)
17. Lavender Laughs in the Chalet School (1943)
18. Gay from China at the Chalet School (1944)
19. Jo to the Rescue (1945)
The Mystery at the Chalet School (1947) (this is purely for reading order - it is a short story published in The Chalet Book for Girls)
20. Three go to the Chalet School (1949)
21. The Chalet School and the Island (1950)
22. Peggy of the Chalet School (1950)
23. Carola storms the Chalet School (1951)
      The Chalet School and Rosalie (issued in paperback) (1951)
24. The Wrong Chalet School (1952)
25. Shocks for the Chalet School (1952)
26. The Chalet School in the Oberland (1952)
27. Bride leads the Chalet School (1953)
28. Changes for the Chalet school (1953)
29. Joey goes to the Oberland (1954)
30. The Chalet School and Barbara (1954)
31. Tom Tackles the Chalet School (1955) (for reading order, this was originally published in the second and third chalet books for girls and should be read after  Mystery at the Chalet School)
32. The Chalet School does it Again (1955)
33. A Chalet Girl from Kenya (1955)
34. Mary-Lou of the Chalet School (1956)
35. A Genius at the Chalet School (1956)
36. A Problem for the Chalet School (1956)
37. The New Mistress at the Chalet School (1957)
38. Excitements at the Chalet School (1957)
39. The Coming of age of the Chalet School (1958)
40. The Chalet School and Richenda (1958)
41. Trials for the Chalet School (1959)
42. Theodora and the Chalet School (1959)
43. Joey and Co in Tirol (1960)
44. Ruey Richardson - Chaletian (1960)
45. A Leader in the Chalet School (1961)
46. The Chalet School Wins the Trick (1961)
47. A Future Chalet School Girl (1962)
48. The Feud in the Chalet School (1962)
49. The Chalet school Triplets (1963)
50. The Chalet School Reunion (comes with an identification key) (1963)
51. Jane and the Chalet School (1964)
52. Redheads at the Chalet School (1964)
53. Adrienne and the Chalet School (1965)
54. Summer term at the Chalet School (1965)
55. Challenge for the Chalet School (1966)
56. Two Sams at the Chalet School (1967)
57. Althea Joins the Chalet School (1969)
58. Prefects of the Chalet School (1970)

The Paperbacks published by Armada differ a little from the above list. Some titles are a little changed, and a couple of books have been split. They are as follows:

1. The School at the Chalet

2. Jo of the Chalet School

3. The Princess of the Chalet School

4. The Head Girl of the Chalet School

5. The Rivals of the Chalet School

6. Eustacia Goes to the Chalet School

7. The Chalet School and Jo

8. The Chalet Girls in Camp

9. The Exploits of the Chalet Girls

10. The Chalet School and the Lintons

11. A Rebel at the Chalet School (second part of Chalet School and the Lintons  Hardback)

12. The New House at the Chalet School

13. Jo Returns to the Chalet School

14. The New Chalet School

15.A United Chalet School (second part of ~The New Chalet School Hardback)

16. The Chalet School in Exile

17. The Chalet School at War The Chalet School Goes to it in hardback)

18. The Highland Twins at the Chalet School

19. Lavender Leigh at the Chalet School (Lavender Laughs in the Chalet School in hardback)

20. Gay Lambert at the Chalet School (Gay From China at the Chalet School in hardback)

21. Jo to the Rescue

21a. The Mystery at the Chalet School (published only in the same volume as 23)

22. Tom Tackles the Chalet School

23. The Chalet School and Rosalie

24. Three Go to the Chalet School

25. The Chalet School and the Island

26. Peggy of the Chalet School

27. Carola Storms the Chalet School

28. The Wrong Chalet School

29. Shocks for the Chalet School

30. The Chalet School in the Oberland

31. Bride Leads the Chalet School

32. Changes for the Chalet School

33. Joey Goes to the Oberland

34. The Chalet School and Barbara

35. The Chalet School Does It Again

36. A Chalet Girl from Kenya

37. Mary-Lou of the Chalet School

38. A Genius at the Chalet School

39. Chalet School Fête (2nd part of A Genius at the Chalet School in Hbk)

40. A Problem for the Chalet School

41. The New Mistress at the Chalet School

42. Excitements at the Chalet School

43. The Coming of Age of the Chalet School

44. The Chalet School and Richenda

45. Trials for the Chalet School

46. Theodora and the Chalet School

47. Joey and Co in Tirol

48. Ruey Richardson at the Chalet School (Ruey Richardson—Chaletian in hardback)

49. A Leader in the Chalet School

50. The Chalet School Wins the Trick

51. A Future Chalet School Girl

52. The Feud in the Chalet School

53. The Chalet School Triplets

54. The Chalet School Reunion

55. Jane and the Chalet School

56. Redheads at the Chalet School

57. Adrienne and the Chalet School

58. Summer Term at the Chalet School

59. Challenge for the Chalet School

60. Two Sams at the Chalet School

61. Althea Joins the Chalet School

62. Prefects of the Chalet School

 

Related Chalet School Titles

The Chalet Book for Girls (issued without a dustwrapper) -  Chambers, 1947

The Second Chalet Book for Girls -(issued without a dustwrapper) - Chambers, 1948

The third Chalet Book for Girls - Chambers, 1949

The Chalet Girls Cookbook - Chambers, 1953

 

La Rochelle Books

Gerry goes to School (Illustrated by Gordon Browne) - UK: Chambers 1922

Gerry goes to school (US - Lippincott, 1923)

A Head Girl's Difficulties - Chambers, 1923

The Maids of La Rochelle - Chambers, 1924

Seven Scamps - Chambers, 1927

Heather Leaves school - Chambers, 1929

Janie of La Rochelle - Chambers, 1932

Janie steps in - Chambers, 1953

 

Chudleigh Hold Books

Chudleigh Hold (1954)

The Condor Crags Adventure (1954)

Top Secret (1955)

 

Others

A Thrilling Term at Janeway's (Nelson 1927)

The New House Mistress (Nelson 1928)

Judy the Guide (Nelson, 1928)

The School by the River (Burns, Oates & Washbourne, 1930)

The Feud in the Fifth remove (Girls Own Paper 1932)

The Little Marie-Jose (Burns, Oates & Washbourne, 1932)

Carnation of the Upper fourth (Girl's Own Paper, 1934)

Elizabeth the Gallant (Butterworth, 1935)

Monica Turns up Trumps (Girl's Own Paper, 1936)

Caroline the Second (Girl's Own Paper, 1937)

They Both liked Dogs (Girl's Own Paper, 1938)

The Little Missus (Chambers, 1942)

The Lost Staircase (Chambers, 1946)

Lorna at Wynyards (Lutterworth, 1947)

Stepsisters for Lorna (Temple, 1948)

Fardingales (Latimer House, 1950)

Verena Visits New Zealand (Paperback Chambers, 1951)

Bess on her own in Canada (Paperback Chambers, 1951)

A Quintette in Queensland (Paperback Chambers, 1951)

Sharlie's Kenya Diary (Paperback Chambers, 1951)

The Susannah Adventure (Chambers, 1953)

Nesta Steps Out (Oliphants, 1954)

Kennelmaid Nan (Lutterworth, 1954)

Beechy of the Harbour School (Olphants, 1955)

Leader in Spite of Herself (Oliphants, 1956)

The School at Skelton Hall (Parrish, 1962)

Trouble at Skelton Hall (Parrish, 1963)

 

Short Stories by Elinor Brent-Dyer contained in Other Books

 

'Jack's Revenge' contained in Sunday and Everyday Reading for the Young (Wells, Gardner Darton, 1914)

'The Lady in the Yellow Gown' contained in 'The Big Book for Girls' (Milford/OUP, 1925)

'The Lady in the Yellow Gown' contained in 'The Golden Story Book for Girls' (Milford/OUP, 1931)

'Carlotta to the Rescue' contained in 'Stories of the Circus, Book 4' (Magazine, c1931)

'Cavalier Maid' contained in 'The Second Coronet Book for Girls' (Sampson Low, nd)

'Rescue in the Snows' contained in 'My favourite Story' (Thames, nd - our book ref 38305)

'House of Secrets' contained in 'Sceptre Girls' Story Annual' (Purnell, nd)

'The Robins make good' contained in 'Girls Own Annual volume 57' (Girls Own, nd)

'The Chalet School Mystery' contained in 'My Treasure Hour Bumper Annual' (Murray Sales & Service Co, 1970)