First Term At Fernside is a historical fiction middle grade book published by O’Brien Press. It is set after WW1 and follows two cousins, Robyn and Linnet. Both cousins are struggling to adapt to the changes of the new year. For Linnet, it’s going to a new school and being away from her family. For Robyn, its having to deal with her cousin and the school’s hockey pitch being replaced with a new building. When a friend’s dog disappears the Robyn, Linnet and their friends try to figure out what is going on before any more pets go missing.

First Term At Fernside has strong themes of friendship and fitting in. Throughout the book, the characters learn to make new friends and work together with each other. This is a great book to read for kids who are new in a school or struggling with friend groups.

The mystery in First Term At Fernside is really fun.  It had some great twists and at times I forgot it was a middle grade book.

I really enjoyed reading First Term At Fernside. The plot and writing style was really immersive.

I loved learning about the characters and was really invested in their relationships with each other. I appreciated that the cast of characters were really diverse with kids of all different abilities. For example Robyn and Linnet have different abilities but are able to figure out how to work together and use their strengths.

First Term At Fernside is perfect for anyone who enjoys boarding school mysteries. It’s great for anyone 8+