Chestnut Hill (novel series)
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Chestnut Hill is a novel series written by Lauren Brooke. The author, more commonly known for writing the Heartland series. The first book in the series, The New Class, was published in August 2005. The series revolves around four girls who all live together at a boarding school in Virginia called Chestnut Hill, where they take classes and ride horses at a stable on campus. Lauren Brooke has said that she went through a lot of preparation for this series, including listing and developing over one-hundred names and drawing maps of her new setting.
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[edit] Connecting Series
Author Lauren Brooke has createed ties between her popular series, Heartland and Chestnut Hill. Both series take place in Virginia. Readers that have read the last book in the Heartland series will see an indefinite connection. Amy, the main character of the Heartland series, gave a talk in the first novel, and helped Malory to solve the trusting issue with Tybalt in the second Chestnut Hill book, Making Strides.
[edit] The Novels
- The New Class (2005)
- Making Strides (2005)
- Heart of Gold (2006)
- Playing for Keeps (2006)
- The Scheme Team (Team Spirit in the UK) (2006)
- All Or Nothing (2006)
- Chasing Dreams (2008)
- A Time to Remember[2008]
[edit] The Characters
[edit] Main Characters
Dylan Walsh - Books revolving around Dylan are The New Class and The Scheme Team. She is friendly, witty and sometimes spontanious, and her favorite pony is a paint gelding named Morello owned by her Aunt Ali, known to the students as Mrs. Carmicheal, the director of riding. She has wanted to attend Chestnut Hill since fourth grade, and befriends Honey, Lani, and Malory, while making enemies with Lynsey Harrison and Patience Duvall.
Lynsey Harrison - She shares a room with Dylan and Honey in books 1-6 and with just Dylan in book 7. Lynsey has made fast enemies with the four main characters, Dylan, Malory, Honey, and Lani, due to her snobby attitude. Her best friend is Patience Duvall. Lynsey keeps her blue roan gelding, Bluegrass, at Chestnut Hill. Lynsey is cocky and arragant and loves being the center of attention. She looks down on those less wealthy than herself. She is on the junior jumping team and field hockey team. She carries a high social status, wears fashionable and expensive clothing, and has had two sisters attend Chestnut Hill ahead of her.
Malory O'Neil - Books revolving around Malory are Making Strides and All or Nothing. Malory's favorite pony is a bay gelding named Tybalt, who she convinced Ms. Carmichael to purchase. He was skittish and unfriendly when he arrived at the boarding school, but, through alternative therapies, Malory slowly gains his trust. She came to Chestnut Hill on a scholarship after winning the prestigious Rockwell Award, given out by Diane Rockwell, a former student at the school who felt that she had to give the chance at the fab school to less wealthy girls. She does not pay much attention to fashion, and seems to lack self-confidence at times, but never around horses. She is shy and timid at points but can also be appear moody and finds it hard to talk about personal issues. Her friends are Dylan, Honey, and Lani. Malory is an only child. Her Mother died a year prior to the first book and her Father is a shoe-shop owner. Her Father is not very wealthy - a fact Lynsey reminds her of frequently. Malory met a boy, Caleb Smith, from Saint Christophers, the neighboring school, over the summer. They went on a few dates, broke updue to Caleb not thinking that horses need to be treated like a friend and not just a horse, and then reunited in All or Nothing.
Felicity Harper - Goes by Honey. The books revolving around this character is Heart of Goldand Chasing dreams. Her favorite pony is Patience Duvall's gray mare, Moonlight Minuet, whom she calls "Minnie" whom she ends up owning. She had her own pony before moving to America, named Rocky. Her best friends are Dylan, Lani, and Malory. She is originally from London. Honey is very much like her name in that she is very sweet and she likes to make everyone happy. Honey has a twin brother, Sam, who has had leukemia. A boy, Josh, from Saint Christophers, the nearby boarding school, seems to like Honey, and she has attended a dance with him.
Lani Hernandez - Books revolving around Lani are Playing for Keeps and A Time to Remember. Lani's favorite pony is a buckskin (color) named Colorado, who happens to share a name with her home state. She originally learned to ride Western, and is known to wear chaps instead of jodhpurs or breeches. Her friends are Malory, Honey, and Dylan. Lani is smart and does well in school, and knows how to lighten the mood. She is very friendly and is generally a happy and outgoing person. She has a mother and father and 3 older sisters,Marta, Guadeloupe, and Dacil. In Heart of Gold, Lani shows a strong interest in Honey's brother, Sam, although she has yet to admit this.
[edit] Supporting Characters
Ali Charmichael - Director of Riding at Chestnut Hill, she has a horse ranch in Kentucky that she left for Chestnut Hill. She is Dylan's aunt. She is a pleasant person but is firm with the students. She is the replacement of previous Director of Riding, Elizabeth Mitchell, who decided to leave Chestnut Hill. Many of the students question her ability to measure up to the former riding instructor. Her horse Quince is a silver Thoroughbred who came with her to Chestnut Hill.
Patience Duvall - She is Lynsey's best friend and, like Lynsey, Patience is spoiled but less confident and only shows interest in something if Lynsey does, such as horseback riding. Having Edward Hunter Duvall, author of a bestselling fantasy book series, as a father adds to her yet another reason to look down upon the less socially-promenent students. Patience has a Connemara named Moonlight Minuet that her father bought for her because he enjoys horseback riding. His daughter, however, was irresponsible and schooled Minnie in wet sand, causing her to strain a tendon, and Patience quickly lost interest. After this incident, her father negotiates a deal with Ms. Carmichael: Minnie will stay at Chestnut Hill as a school horse, to be used in the riding lessons and enjoyed by other students. She is also enemies with the four main characters after she tattled on Dylan for jumping Morello as a midnight dare set by Lyndnesy.
[edit] External links
- http://www.scholastic.com/chestnuthill/author.htm
- http://www.laurenbrookefans.com/chestnuthillcharacters.htm
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