True Friends at Fernside
Published on 25. August 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-1-78849-575-2 (ISBN)
Description
Fernside House, nestled at the end of a quiet road, is waiting for eighty girls to disturb its holiday peace ...
Cousins Robin and Linnet are back at Fernside and school life is busier than ever - with the animals at Rowanbank, a new science class, netball rivalry and fun in the dorms.
But the end-of-term exams are not the only test for the girls. As the lower fourth face the good and the bad times of growing up and the cancellation of the Christmas Show, a surprise 'new' girl challenges them to understand what it really means to be a true friend at Fernside.
Cousins Robin and Linnet are back at Fernside and school life is busier than ever - with the animals at Rowanbank, a new science class, netball rivalry and fun in the dorms.
But the end-of-term exams are not the only test for the girls. As the lower fourth face the good and the bad times of growing up and the cancellation of the Christmas Show, a surprise 'new' girl challenges them to understand what it really means to be a true friend at Fernside.
Reviews / Votes
readers will be excited to get straight back into the action -- Inis Magazine This coming-of-age story offers a compelling insight into the personal troubles of each of these characters and accurately displays how issues at home can sometimes have an adverse effect on behaviour at school. Readers will be excited to get straight back into the action as the girls navigate their new responsibilities. -- CBI's The Best Irish Books of 2025More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Dublin
Ireland
Target group
Children/juvenile
Reading Age: From 9 years, Interest Age: From 9 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
224 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78849-575-2 (9781788495752)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Sheena Wilkinson
True Friends at Fernside
E-Book
08/2025
O'Brien Press Ltd
€5.99
Available for download
Persons
Described in the Irish Times as 'one of our foremost writers for young people', Sheena Wilkinson is the author of eight novels for children and young adults, and one for adults. Her books have won numerous awards, including the CBI Book of the Year in 2013 for Grounded, and she has been shortlisted three times for the Astrid Lindgren Award, the world's biggest children's literature award. Sheena lives in County Derry with her husband, stepson and two dogs.
Sheena has been a lifelong fan of girls' school stories ever since reading the Malory Towers and Chalet School books - she even has a PhD on the subject!
Find out more about Sheena on her website, sheenawilkinson.com.
Sheena has been a lifelong fan of girls' school stories ever since reading the Malory Towers and Chalet School books - she even has a PhD on the subject!
Find out more about Sheena on her website, sheenawilkinson.com.
Content
1 Back to Fernside
2 The Anti-Bullying League
3 The New Science Mistress
4 Dr Flynn's Announcement
5 Netball with Mabel
6 Rowanbank with Babs
7 A Princess in Disguise?
8 A Surprising Conversation and a New Boarder
9 A Good All-Rounder
10 Birthday Tea and Armistice Day
11 The Christmas Show
12 In the Middle of the Night
13 The Away Match
14 In the Common Room
15 An Eventful Prep
16 Special Saturday
17 On the Way Home
18 Rowanbank in the Evening
19 Preparations
20 Gillian at Rowanbank
21 Exams
22 Words from the Past
23 In the Bleak Midwinter
24 Sadie Comes Back
25 Terrible News
26 'Matilda' Saves the Day
27 Hope Outdoors
28 The Day of the Show
29 Where is Gillian?
30 At the Bottom of the Garden
31 The Show Must Go On!
32 Midnight Feast
2 The Anti-Bullying League
3 The New Science Mistress
4 Dr Flynn's Announcement
5 Netball with Mabel
6 Rowanbank with Babs
7 A Princess in Disguise?
8 A Surprising Conversation and a New Boarder
9 A Good All-Rounder
10 Birthday Tea and Armistice Day
11 The Christmas Show
12 In the Middle of the Night
13 The Away Match
14 In the Common Room
15 An Eventful Prep
16 Special Saturday
17 On the Way Home
18 Rowanbank in the Evening
19 Preparations
20 Gillian at Rowanbank
21 Exams
22 Words from the Past
23 In the Bleak Midwinter
24 Sadie Comes Back
25 Terrible News
26 'Matilda' Saves the Day
27 Hope Outdoors
28 The Day of the Show
29 Where is Gillian?
30 At the Bottom of the Garden
31 The Show Must Go On!
32 Midnight Feast