The Magic Faraway Tree

[Mugtree]

My absolute favourite book as a child. I re-read it over and over, beyond when I was too old for it, I expect.

I see they've made a film....am I going to be disappointed?

Probably!

I hope the film is more of an “inspired by” rather than an adaptation of the book. Because there are a lot of things in the book that quite rightly wouldn’t be appropriate these days, and attempts to update old books to reflect modern values never really work.

I was thinking about it only the other day and often dream about it
it’s like it was the perfect book 😂
dod t know there was a film and I will.not be watching

Yes, I also wondered about that. Not many Blyton inspired films recently.

The blurb says it's about a "modern family".

I've seen the trailer.
It's contemporary set but how much is majorly different I don't know.
I never liked Enid's fantasy books (school stories for me).

The was a sequel which I didn't enjoy nearly as much. I forget what it was called?

I assume they’ve renamed Dick and Fanny, at least!

I see they've made a film....am I going to be disappointed?

Probably!
I bet Fanny won't be allowed to be Fanny..
And the original illustrations are so perfect that anything in a different style just won't seem right.

They've been Rick and Franny in modern editions for absolutely ages.

I tried reading it again as an adult and sadly didn’t have the same impact.

I used to like Malory Towers too

I LOVED this book and loved reading it again to my ds, I hope I have grandchildren one day and I can read it to them too,of not I might read it to the cat 😂

I wonder if there will be Dame Slap in the film?!

There is a trailer and Moonface is a crescent 🌙 in top of his head not a big round face!! I’m already outraged!!

I’m reading this to DD now, it’s Joe, Beth and Frannie in this version that I got just before Christmas.

I loved the books too as a child

I loved this book too, but haven’t read it since I was a child. What age are people reading it to their DC? My son is about to turn six but has an advanced reading age, could he read it to himself?

My son is about to turn six but has an advanced reading age, could he read it to himself?

Let him try. You can always take over if he can't manage it. I must have been about that age when I read it and the Wishing Chair, which I also loved.

Almost definitely will disappoint! The reality is nothing can recreate the evocative wonder children's books did when read as a child. Might be better it's a updated and modernised rather than trying to recreate the book!

I'm still going to watch it. Even if it's just to reminise the different worlds the top of the tree. Dame Slap and al that!!!

@Mugtree there were 3 books altogether, The Enchanted Wood, The Magic Faraway Tree and The Folk of the Faraway Tree (the last one had 'Curious Connie' in it).HTH

She is Dame Snap in the updated version of the books. The updates are a little modernised in terms of names and less use of the word 'queer' but they are still very true to the original. While I'm not a fan of sanitising or updating literature generally, I think it was a good job. The old Blyton principles are still there, cities are awful place and countryside is better. Children have wonderful adventures alone but unlike other Blyton characters, these kids have to help out at home a lot and they are low income. They had to move for their Dad's work and the mum is doing laundry to save a bit. It's in the Enchanted Wood (prequel to Faraway tree).

The film is by the writers of Paddington 2, so even if it’s not true to the books it still could be a good watch.

I too loved this book as a child. Still have my copy of The Faraway Tree which was the first book in the series. I don't know why they couldn't have made an animated version like Toy Story with all the original characters. Moonface won't be the same if he hasn't got a round face. I don't know why people have to change books when they were written during a certain time.

I absolutely loved these books.
I think I read them at maybe 5/6 as I was a real bookworm.
I used to read a book a day on holiday as a kid.
My mum used to buy us loads of paperbacks & I used to sit in the swivel chair all day & read them all day with a packet of crisps.
Dd2 also adored them.

I used to love these books when I was small - film looks great.

I’m so excited for the film! I’ve literally waited about ten bloody years for it since I heard Sam Mendes had acquired the rights to it. The trailer looks great imo

Oh they did a good job with Paddington!

My kids are obsessed with listening to these books on the Yoto and I love it because I read them about a million times myself.

I thought the trailer looked great!