A World of Girls: The Story of a School

"A World of Girls: The Story of a School" by L. T. Meade is a fictional novel likely written in the late 19th century. The story centers around Hester Thornton, a spirited young girl whose life is transformed as she embarks on her first experience at a boarding school called Lavender House. As Hester navigates the challenges of this new environment, she faces the trials of fitting in with her peers and contending with her emotions after the loss of her mother. The opening of the book introduces Hester alongside her younger sister, Nan. The narrative captures Hester's reluctance and sorrow as she prepares to leave behind her familiar home and face the uncertainties of school life, which she views as a prison. As she travels to Lavender House, we meet other characters, including the kind Miss Danesbury and the mischievous Annie Forest, hinting at the dynamic friendships and conflicts ahead. The beginning sets a tone of emotional depth and explores themes of loss, friendship, and personal growth, inviting readers into Hester's journey of self-discovery amidst the bustling life of a girls' school. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith (1844–1914), writing under the pseudonym L. T. Meade, was a prolific writer of girls' stories. She was born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland, daughter of Rev. R. T. Meade, of Nohoval, County Cork. She later moved to London, where she married Alfred Toulmin Smith in September 1879.