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Original poster

To keep my old Enid Blyton books?

101 replies

Kyrptonite · 15/01/2013 12:35

I'm at my DMs and in the loft there is every Enid Blyton book published. I loved them when I was younger and want to keep them for DCs. I know there's the issue of racism and sexism in there but what would be better- keep them and show DCs the attitudes of the past and how much better things are now or buy new politically correct ones?

Most of the copies are ones published in the 50s/60s I think. They're quite dog eared and DP thinks I should charity shop the lot.

So, wise MNers what do I do? Keep or charity shop?

OP posts:
landrover · 15/01/2013 17:30

I am re-collecting all the fb red books. I love the old copies where children have written their names etc in them!
I have however laughed at Anne buying her tutor cigarettes for his birthday, as " i know which ones he smokes!!!"
Its a part of history and is good for children to learn how things used to be!

SallyCinnamonandNutmeg · 15/01/2013 17:32

Keep! I read Magic Faraway series & Wishing Chair series to my 5 year old last year. Now reading Magic Fairy Folk collection (short stories).
I remembered some of Faraway Tree as if I had read it yesterday and DD absolutely loved it and spent a good few months looking at every large tree we saw and wondering if Silky and Moonface lived there.

FarrahFawcettsFlick · 15/01/2013 17:41

Keep them.

You can use them as reference as 'how not to parent' and chortle over with a glass (or two) of wine ginger beer.

I remember two stories very well. One was the girl(?) with the untidy bedroom. Mother removes items one by one, inc bed, until she learns to keep her room tidy . And the one where the family gets a new little boy because their one was misbehaving. They shower love and attention on the new boy until their one learns to behave. Then they get rid of the new one! You gotta love EB...

Personal fav title "Mr Pink Whistle Interferes"

degutastic · 15/01/2013 17:48

Oh keep, definitely... I grew up on them and I'm not a racist, sexist pig oink oink

Children can understand that what was appropriate then isn't any more, and though some many stories may not hold up to adult scrutiny, to a child nothing is more appealing than networks of secret passages, abandoned trains, blocked up passages with hidden entrances and all that.

I still live in hope of finding secret ways and false backed wardrobes Blush

JustFabulous · 15/01/2013 17:52

I bought DD the new version of Doctor Dolittle and even the cover doesn't look as good as my original copy.

StanleyLambchop · 15/01/2013 17:54

I remeber 'The Boy Next Door', brilliant book. 'The Put-em-rights' was also a good read!

MadHairDay · 15/01/2013 17:55

Definitely keep. I kept most of mine and have some very ancient editions. My dc now love them, ds thinks the most politically uncorrect Mr Meddle's Muddles etc are hilarious. DD has worked her way through Malory Towers, St Clares, Famous Five, Adventure series etc. We've bought new ones too but they are amended and not the same. Faraway Tree etc classics in my opinion.

The dc don't seem to be inheriting any kind of racist or sexist attitudes from reading them, it just gives us a chance to discuss how things have changed. DD laughs at Anne and calls her a wuss. It's ok, it really is.

deleted203 · 15/01/2013 17:57

Keep. I've kept all mine and I love reading them again - particularly when stressed. Nothing like sitting with a bag of sweeties and an Enid Blyton book for transporting you back to being a kid again.

soontobeburns · 15/01/2013 18:05

Definitely keep. I still regret giving all my sweet valley high collection away I just didnt have room for another 100 books on top of the 500 I already have.

I still have all my point horror books though which I still read and love.

fuzzpig · 15/01/2013 18:10

I remember point horror! I read them lots after I outgrew goosebumps (which, unlike the PH, still do a roaring trade in the library I work in)

fuzzpig · 15/01/2013 18:11

I couldn't do it last year as I have been ill but, following a pre-wedding dinner where loads of us were reminiscing about Famous Five, I am planning a famous five party :o

EmpressOfThePuddle · 15/01/2013 18:17

No problem Fuzzpig, glad you've got it! Tell up more about the Famous Five party.

3birthdaybunnies · 15/01/2013 18:58

Petite it was Gwendoline that she slapped, just read that bit to dd2. I have the Malory Towers ones, St Clares and quite a few of the mystery ones. It is funny reading them to my dc and thinking that I was reading the very same book many a few years ago.

Dd1 is reading Hucklebury Finn at the moment. We discussed things and why certain words are not acceptable today, it also was a chance to discuss slavery too, far from making her racist it has shocked her that people might have thought like that and made her more socially aware.

storynanny · 15/01/2013 19:05

I loved them, my children loved them .......and the stories children in my classes over the last 33 years have loved best have been The Magic Faraway Tree and The Wishing Chair.
I can remember nearly every one of the hundreds of EB stories I've read and when the first Harry Potter story was published had flashbacks to similar story lines in EB's work. I think JK must have been a fan!

colleysmill · 15/01/2013 19:22

I still have all mine but they're in the loft.

We have some of the original Railway Series books from which Thomas the tank engine came from and some of the language is old fashioned and some words are racist

thegreylady · 15/01/2013 19:23

keep them definitely-lucky you to have them :)

fuzzpig · 15/01/2013 19:23

I haven't finalised anything, but the basic idea is that it'll be fancy dress, possibly with allocated characters? (So including uncle quentin etc) it actually started because we were reminiscing about the 1979s tv version (though we all loved the books too) which I have on DVD good old eBay so we will be watching some of that. I'm going to print out the lyrics to the theme song so we can sing along :o

Food will be picnicky, unfortunately we don't have a back garden so can't do a campfire, but we might set up our big tent on the front lawn. Lashings of alcoholic ginger beer of course, and a cream tea perhaps.

I've also found a few famous five branded games - there's an old card game which we've yet to try, and those ones where you do a jigsaw and read a book of clues etc.

JoanByers · 15/01/2013 19:25

The new ones are dreadful, keep the old ones.

Skinnywhippet · 15/01/2013 20:51

No brainier to me! Loved reading these in the nineties, although my mean primary school teacher made me feel guilty as the grammar is poor in them apparently. Off to check whether these are cheap on the kindle.

theoldtrout01876 · 15/01/2013 23:08

Have you checked the price youd get for some of those Enid Blyton books?

I was horrified. I was looking for Enid Blytons red book of fairies for Dd2 ( it was my very favorite book as a child) Cheapest I could find it was over 200 pounds. Some of the other ones were going for that too.

Called my mum to see if she still had my old ones but she lost them when her house flooded

thebody · 15/01/2013 23:22

Are you insane.... Keep.. I have all of Malory towers, St Clair's and wait for it.... CHALET SCHOOL series.....

We had all of famous 5 and Mallory towers in tape for the car, best journeys ever with the kids.

Just William anyone? Brilliant and my teen kids love these stories now.

SquinkiesRule · 15/01/2013 23:25

I still have a few left. Dd has read most of them already, I quite liked them, I used to have just about every book she wrote, but that was in the 70's, they all fell apart and went moldy in my damp room after I went o college so most got binned.
Dd really liked the Magic faraway tree when she was about 6.

shesariver · 15/01/2013 23:33

I recently moved into my Mums old house (my brother still lived there) and came across a whole load of my old Enid Blyton books...it was like I was a child again! Probably wont read them but of course Im keeping them. Obviously includes Mallory Towers, St Clares and Secret 7, and also the Mystery club series I think it was called where the leader was called Fatty! Plus some like The Rilloby Fair Mystery, and the Rat a tat Mystery.

Cerealqueen · 15/01/2013 23:41

Keep, all our books tell a story about us.

I am intrigued that some of the Enid Blyton books have been updated, in what way??

steppemum · 15/01/2013 23:46

my ds absolutely loves famous five and secret seven etc. He doesn't like alot of books other kids are into, but loved these and they got him really reading. I read some to look out for non pc language and to be honest they were fine. Dated but ok. He had to ask about things like different social conventions (having a cook) which led to interesting discussions.

I really don't like the youger children's stuff (faraway tree and noddy)

NewyearNewNago - they are aweful to read aloud, but the great thing about the famous five age ones is that they are really good as early novel to read to yourself, straightforward, exciting and preditable

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