To wonder why Enid Blyton has such enduring appeal

[balletnotlacrosse]

Even today, with such a huge amount of children's books available, modern children still become gripped by the Famous Five, Malory Towers etc. Better written books such as The William Books, The Chalet School etc don't seem to have nearly as much appeal to young readers.

Is it because she doesn't really ground her books in a particular time? I know some of the language and activities make it clear they're not set in the 21st century, but even though most of her books were written during the 40s and early 50s there's no mention of rationing, fathers having fought during the war or any very specific references to what was quiet a seismic period of British history.

Just curious to know what the on-going fascination with her books is for today's children?

Used to devour her books myself as a child. Tried to introduce my DS to her writings and he was most umimpressed.

I read about her, the person, and like my DS I was most unimpressed.

(Off to see if cook has prepared me some nice tongue sandwiches, a couple of boiled eggs and lashings of ginger beer. Jesus I am going to have poisonous wind tonight.)

Recently tried to read the faraway tree with dd. We agreed it was very badly written and quickly ditched it for another text. I loved the famous five as a girl so am a bit worried that it won't live up to expectations if I revisit with dd. but as an aside I thought Harry potter was badly written and have to accept I'm in a minority of one that one.

Loved the Famous Five books, was there one called "Five go off in a caravan" or something? No wonder those books were so appealing to kids, who wouldn't have wanted to do that with no adults around. I liked Dick the best, always thought Julian a bit of a prat. Wasn't George's father a scientist, who couldn't be disturbed when all the children were together?
Also loved Malory Towers and Magic Faraway Tree. All a big part of my childhood.

Babymama I think there are plenty who agree with you - I found Harry Potter impossible to read at first. Then I was forced into continuing it by my child and once I got to the sorting hat I was hooked!

with regard to the question in the OP - why are Enid Blyton books more popular than other better written books... surely this is for the same reason that 'pulpy' books are always more popular than 'literary' books - more people read Dan Brown than David Foster-wallace - which is presumably that the 'pulpy' books conform to expectations with regard to language and plot and are generally non-challenging reads.

They were a glimpse into another world for me, living on the other side of the world.

As PP have said, they're very accessible, readable, safe, evocative. Basically they're good, solid page-turners. I loved The Famous Five and St Clare's, especially. I've never read Faraway Tree, but intend to read it to my DC.

I also loved William growing up. Subtly hilarious.

I adore the William books. Now they have stood the test of time and really do stand up to re-reading as an adult.

I think there's a difference Mellow because pulpy books tend to have a different audience from those who read more literary books.
But Enid Blyton has across the board and across the generation appeal that few other writers for children have achieved.

Personally I think that I would have a problem if my child became totally addicted to Enid Blyton. I know it would mean that at least they're reading, but she was such a prolific writer that a child could go through their whole childhood reading nothing else. If my parents hadn't recognised this and take strong steps to encourage me to read other writers I'd have missed out on the joys of Noel Streatfeild, Lorna Hill, the Chalet School, the William Books and many other lovely books that I still enjoy reading today.

But I can't imagine a child spending their childhood just reading Enid Blyton, it's usually just a phase and if a kid isn't obsessively reading Blyton it will be someone else. I Blytoned like a demon when I was 7 and 8 and then it was over and I was on to pastures new.

I know plenty of 10 and 11 year olds who still devour Enid Blyton. In another year or so they'll have moved beyond children's books. I think by 13/14 I was reading Jean Plaidy, Susan Howatch and Agatha Christie and had temporarily abandoned children's books.

I think I must have read every Enid Blyton book known to mankind. I handed my books down to my own children so I'm one of those people who's causing fiveacres difficulty in imagining!

Amazon has a free Enid Blyton Kindle book available at the moment. I'll be reading this tonight

Ignore that last sentence. I thought at a quick glance that the book was an EB one but I'm mistaken. Sorry.

I loved her books and I've recently re-read St Clare's and Malory Towers when the book man bought them to work and I was struck by nostalgia. Despite all the irritations mentioned in this thread - the poor writing, the snobbery, the misogyny, the racism, the lack of characterisation - they still appeal to me, somehow. I can't put my finger on what it is and none of the posts here have quite resonated with me. I will have to ponder it more.

They have lost some of the magic with the silly updates though. I can understand changing Chinky's name but why do shillings have to become pounds? The old fashioned currencies was one of the things I loved most about them as a child.

I'm the same TedAndLola I could very easy read the whole lot of Mallory Towers and St Clare's again. I know they aren't very PC but there's something about them. They just remind me of more gentler times, a lost innocence, the quaintness........it's hard to put into words but I suppose they also remind me of my own childhood, (though I never went to boarding school, and was very far removed from that kind of childhood)....... pure nostalgia.

I loved EB, especially the school stories. I read them many times and my DD has read them loads too.

As a child I was hooked and until secondary school didn't really widen my reading, instead preferring The Mystery Series, The Adventure series, school stories and Circus stories.

I think it is the world without adults having too much influence that children like. And I think most children actually like a bit of moralising in a story and the baddies getting their come-uppance.

I did a degree in English Lit and always trace my love of books back to EB. One of my big joys has been to watch my DC enjoy the books I loved as a child and EB is definitely included there. We still have lovely chats about Gwendoline Lacey and Darrell Rivers.

I was brought up on Enid Blyton as I remember! My mum was extremely lucky to be a child as the books were being published and she also got the Enid Blyton comic. She had a horrible childhood and Enid Blyton was an escapism even of contemporary times. The escape with a group of friends having an adventure with two older brothers, escape up a magic tree to lands where you could have birthdays every day or go on a wishing chair wherever you liked. Then the boarding school - escapism and perfect girls' experiences of midnight feasts, circuses and picnics.

So I too experienced that childhood. I was addicted to Enid Blyton through my junior school but also read Noel Streatfield (also escapism) and other books. But Famous Five's George and the St Clare's girls and Mallory Towers created an escapist world. It was safe adventure and showed the solidarity of true friendship with strong morals. Horrid things happened to horrid children and good children were rewarded. I honestly never considered the racism or class issues.

DD loved the Magic Faraway Tree books. I am just thinking of trying the Famous Five or Mallory Towers.

I loved EB's books as a child, and The Magic Faraway Tree is still one of my favourite books
I was an abused, neglected child and EB's books were always to be found at jumble sales. Bliss - I could buy 10 books for 10 new pence and retreat into a different world.
Was it Uncle Mordechai who was Georges Uncle ?

Not Uncle Mordechai, but Uncle Quentin.

Ah yes..it was
He was somewhere in the books, though. Or maybe not.
As we were.

and Aunt Fanny

I re-read all the Malory Towers books last year. It was an incredibly reassuring experience and brought me right back to being nine years old and having a very simple uncomplicated view of life. And despite the racism and snobbery, there was also some very sound values encapsulated in the storylines.

Adored them - adventure, black and white morals, strong characters, wild fantasy... Reading Malory Towers/ st Clare's now, I do think, what mean girls they are! The Faraway Tree was my standout favourite for years...

Here's a shout for Noddy too - currently my toddlers favourite. We read my unmodernised copies and he adores him.

And it's not like the chalet school books are much better written. I'm as fond of drugged milk and nectar-like coffee as the next person, but come on!

They do have a bit more character development and more complicated storylines than MT. But yes, the drugged milk gets bandied around a bit too often. But those chalet girls weren't as robust as Darrell and her mates with all that outdoor swimming and hockey playing.

My 8 yo dd and 10 yo ds love them - we have been doing the Five Find Outers and Dog as bedtime stories for the last few months. I think it's the strong plot lines, strong characters, the humour (lots of laughs) and the fact she portrays a child's world where adults play little part.