My favorite parts in Claudine at School were when the classmates were thrown even closer together due to shared experiences, such as the Certificate exams in Claudine at School or preparing for a French official’s visit to town. I like seeing the push and pull between the schoolchildren who are stuck together year after year. Last year, I loved all the scenes set at the Montana one-room schoolhouse in Ivan Doig’s The Whistling Season. I think I really love stories set in small schools in the past. She likes to insult the “lanky” Anais, but Anais is probably the classmate almost Claudine’s equal in cleverness and perception. Aimee’s head gets turned by the headmistress, however, and Claudine must settle for being amused at the pair’s indiscretion and sometimes neglectful management of the school.Ĭlaudine is admired by the younger set – particularly Aimee’s little sister, Luce – and has varying levels of companionship with her own class. She likes to come off as worldly-wise to men, but in Claudine at School, her affections are directed mostly at the sly and pretty Aimee, the assistant teacher. She is full of life and observes her fellows and elders with sharpness and humor. Claudine at School is a tale of Claudine’s mischief at school among her classmates and the teachers.Ĭlaudine is a vain, willful brat that I would hope never to meet in person, but she is absolutely delightful as a character and narrator. She also quite likes being the queen bee at her school. Her father could have afforded to send her to a boarding school, but Claudine prefers the countryside of her youth.

Recommendation from: I think it was Eva of a Striped Armchair.ġ5-year-old Claudine is in her last year at the village school.

Claudine at School by Colette