Third Year at Malory Towers
Third Year at Malory Towers is a children's novel by Enid Blyton set in an English girls' boarding school. It is the third book in the Malory Towers school story series. The novel was first published in 1948.
Plot
Darrell is on the way to Malory Towers once again. She finds out that Sally Hope, her best friend is in quarantine for mumps and will not be able to come to school for a short time. On the way, they pick up a new girl, Zerelda Brass, who is fifteen and a half and from the USA. Once they arrive, they see Gwendolyn making a Fond Farewell with her mother and governess. When Gwendolyn sees Zerelda, she immediately loses her heart to her. Alicia notices it and points it out to Darrell. It is then revealed that not only is Zerelda in North Tower but in the fourth form. A few days later, the final new girl arrives Bill Robinson. Bill is short for Wilhelmina, who in turn has truckloads of horses and seven brothers. She arrives with the brothers and her horse. The brothers and their horses leave leaving Bill to take her horse, Thunder, to the stables. A few weeks later, Zerelda is demoted to the third form because her standard is lower than the fourth form’s requirement. Darrell becomes a reserve for one of the Malory Towers lacrosse teams. When Zerelda tries to rehearse for the third form play, “Romeo & Juliet” and is caught throwing a book at a former classmate, she is scolded by Matron. Later, drama teacher Ms Hibbert tells her she is unable to act. A few weeks later, Thunder (Bill’s horse) suffers from colic while Darrell and Bill work all night in the rain to stop him lying down and Ms Peters rides for miles in the pouring rain to get the vet and saves the life of aspiring opera singer Mavis Allyson who loses her voice as a consequence. Later, Mavis befriends Zerelda. Ms Peters saves the day and she and Bill become very close friends. The end of term comes and the girls can't wait to see their parents again.