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The Terbulent Term Of Tyke Tiler

Summary

The book tells the story of its main characters' final term at Cricklepit Combined School. It is principally narrated by 'Tyke' Tiler, a bold and athletic twelve-year-old with the reputation of being a troublemaker. Tyke's best friend Danny Price has a speech defect, which means Tyke often has to translate for him. Danny has a helpless air which leads him to depend on his often exasperated friend. When Tyke overhears some teachers discussing the possibility of Danny going to a special school next year, the only option seems to be to help Danny to cheat in the assessment test – a plan which naturally backfires.

When Tyke is off sick, Danny is accused of stealing a gold watch and runs away. It is up to Tyke to persuade the headmaster that Martin and Kevin are the guilty ones, and to find Danny.

On the last day of school, Tyke decides to emulate Thomas Tiler, a relative, in climbing up the outside of the school and ringing the school bell, which has been silent for thirty years. When this ends in disaster the headmaster says: "That child has always appeared to me to be on the brink of wrecking this school, and as far as I can see, has, at last, succeeded."

Up to the end of the penultimate chapter the narrative is written without revealing the protagonist's gender, and the daring nature of Tyke's exploits often leads readers to assume Tyke is a boy. The story ends with the revelation that Tyke is a girl, her full name being Theodora Tiler.

Characters[edit]

Pupils

• Theodora "Tyke" Tiler, the narrator
• Danny Price, Tyke's best friend
• Ian Pitt, "Pitthead"
• Linda Stoatway
• Patsy Drew
• Martin Kneeshaw, "Kneebags", a bully, son of Mr Tiler's political rival
• Kevin Simms, "Slime", Martin's friend, another creep
• Sandra Hines

Staff

• Will Merchant, "Sir", Tyke's form master, a keen historian and the narrator of the final chapter
• The Headmaster, "Chief Sir"
• Miss Bonn, "Bonfire", another teacher
• Mrs Somers, the Deputy Head, Tyke's deadliest enemy
• Jenny Honeywell, a pretty student teacher
• Mr Buggitt, "Buggsy", the caretaker

Family

• Mr Tiler, "Dad", a local councillor
• Mrs Tiler, "Mum", a nurse
• Beryl Tiler, "Berry", Tyke's older sister
• Stanley Tiler, "Spud", Tyke's older brother
• Crumble, Tyke's beloved dog

Jokes

Each chapter begins with a suitably juvenile joke, such as:

Q: "Why do you forget a tooth once it's been pulled?"

A: "It goes right out of your head!"

For her play based on the book Gene Kemp created a comic character, Harlequin the Joker, to tell the jokes.