Places to visit on a half-holiday

If you wish to go beyond the School Gates, please remember that mufti may only be worn after 12 noon on a Saturday, and the Golden Egg cafe in Town is completely out of bounds. Hats must be worn at all times, and of course, the cinema may only be visited once per term, with your parents, and only after getting written permission from the school.

So, with that in mind, go and explore, but remember - last bell is at 6 pm!

Mr Bibs can heartily recommend you visit these fine establishments

It would be remiss of me if I did not mention first and foremost, the wondrous Enid Blyton Society, where the members gather for meetings and proper picnics, as well as discussing everything Blyton. Heavenly!

For even more Blyton, there is a marvellously attractive and well maintained site to be found at Enid Blyton.net, where a warm welcome is certain, and incredible detail can be explored.

Now, as we're all book lovers here (I hope!) you'll recall that very many of us started to read with a particular series of books - yes, even old Mr Bibs did! I'm talking, of course, about Ladybird books, which are really very collectible, attractive, and cover an enormous range of subjects. If you'd like to learn everything there is to know about these, you simply have to look at the rather intriguingly named The Wee Web to find out. They also have a very extensive Author and Illustrator database which will keep you quiet for hours. No bad thing that actually.

A superb site about the collecting of children's and school stories, as well as support articles and features is to be found at Collecting Books and Magazines.

Many of you enjoy the works of Monica Edwards, I know, with her attractive books about horses. But there is much more to her work too - the series about Punchbowl Farm are just as satisfying a read. You can find lots of details about Monica Edwards at From the Punchbowl.

If you follow the comings and going of Elinor Brent-Dyer's Chalet School with bated breath, then you can't go far wrong with The Friends of the Chalet School, where you'll find a like-minded bunch.

Arch rivals or cosy colleagues? Well, we all know the answer, but if you want to find out more, then read The Abbey Chronicle to explore the world of Elsie J Oxenham.

For a spot of fun (and some education too, which some of you seem to be rather in need of, judging by the test results last week), you could do worse than drop into Big Bill's Angela Brazil Stuff.

If Dimsie is more your thing, then for goodness sake hurry yourself to The Dorita Fairlie Bruce Homepage, where you will find all you could ever wish to know, written in an attractive style and nicely illustrated too.

All you boys are being left out! Goodness! Well how about taking tiffin at Just William and exploring the world of Richmal Crompton? Or for even more William mischief, have a squizz at this Just William site too. I know they have the same names, but there's only one William! Luckily.

Or spread your wings a little and pop over to Holland where you can zoom in for a landing at The International Biggles Society.

Finally for now, the nooks and crannies of the internet have revealed there is a Jennings Society, that celebrates all things Buckeridge. They have meetings, talks and all sorts of other useful resources. You can find them at Linbury Court, of course, but mind old Wilkie doesn't stonk in for a roof-level attack.

If you have a link you'd like to add or have a comment, then let Mr Bibs know at enquiries@bibsbooks.co.uk

Off you pop, children, and form a crocodile please.