to feel uneasy about my son reading Enid Blyton books

[frances5]

My son wants me to read him a book called the "Wishing Chair", I have read two chapters of it and it has a pixie in it called "Chinky". To make it worst the drawing of "Chinky" shows an elf like creature with slitted eyes. However I think my son is totally and utter oblivous to this.

Admitally Enid Blyton lived 50 years ago when people didn't know better. But do you think I am making a mistake letting my son enjoy this book? He is even trying to read it himself that he is so desperate to know what happens next.

When my son chose this book I had no idea that it had a pixie in it called "Chinky" other wise I would have diverted him towards something like Ronald Dahl.

I am just trying to work out under what circs anyone could possibly get 7.50 and a shag out of knowing about Enid Blyton!
A romantic night at the pub quiz????

goosebumps look yucky, but I hate horror stuff anyway.

Same here NN .

I like Anne Fine. Both the child and adult books. My dds seem to like her too, they are reading Bill's New Frock at the moment with enthusiasm.

Slightly surprised the Narnia books haven't come up as an alternative QC. They generally seem to be liked by both boys and girls.

Noted that Alan Garner was mentioned earlier. I loved him as a child but remember recommending Red Shift to my teacher when I was 11 and she started to read it in class but then realised it was full of bad language and stopped. I hadn't even noticed the language

My brother loved Biggles! I haven't read that again lately though. Probably is v sexist etc. It was one of the few things he would read though. That and books about cricket!

The other thing I loved was books of Greek myths. They might also appeal to your DS.

If you start a thread re: Shakespeare and/or the nature of stupidity will be happy to join in . Always up for a good debate.

has anyone mentioned the 'overparenting' thread?

I re-read the Magic Faraway Tree again recently. It was only marginally less good as a n adult1 I was also well impressed that the children help Mother and do tasks around the house before going off adventuring. Let them read them, ffs, it's fantasy!

Seriously, I don't think they'll notice any prejudice/funny names. Mine are 13 now and I wish they still read that stuff. Jaqueline Wilson is SO unimaginative in comparison.

I had a thing for Biggles . Am sure he wouldn't pass PC criteria though, nor Narnia. In fact most older children's books wouldn't.

I find JW a bit grim myself - there are other authors that write a better story just as there as alternatives to EB. My dd currently loves stories about ballet and the characters in the series she's reading are 'modern': not Noel Streatfield m/c creations. ALthough I do want her to read Ballet Shoes/The Swish of the Curtain etc in a couple of years time if only for comparison purposes .

I don't think the Just William stories would pass PC muster either - Darbyshire always seems to play the straight man to Jenning's comic but then it shows friends working together.

No William gets told off for playing with common boys

I lurve Just William

I loved that irascible teacher who was always saying 'hrrmmphhh'! or something like it when he lost control of the boys whilst the other form teacher Mr Carter was a model of calmness and logic.

Mr Wilkins (Old Wilkie to his friends). I loved Jennings books. I'd happily read them again now...

I think EB is the Steven King or Sheri S Tepper of the child-lit world.

Really compelling stories, but the writing is a pile of poo.

Mine are too young to read. When they get there, I think I'll let them read EB as much as they want, but will make a point of saying that I don't agree with some of the things the characters do or say.

(For example, jeering at other people's accents, but I'd like the dds to work this out for themselves).

Well of course the William stories where the Outlaws pretend to be Nazis (Him Hitler and the Nasties) and attack a Jewish sweet shop owner, and the 'rat week' one where there are competitions to kill as many rats as possible, get left out of the modern reprints

I am not joking btw - these are real William stories.

We are currently having problems with some of the sentiments in my old classic "the book of nonsense" which has lots of Victorian poems, stories, jokes and cautionary tales. The dds love it but I am struggling with the poem about the "little black-a-moor". It's a moral tale, the bad boys who tease him because of his colour get their comeuppance. But the terms used are, well, not ideal.

hijack

Am I the only one who finds that the subject of the elf is ridiculous.I don't even think about offence when reading Enid Blyton to my dc's.In fact I always felt annoyed that they took out the golliwogs.I had friends who were supposed to take offence but they never did and didn't undrstand what the fuss was about.

I believe that the basis of this thread is a prime example of how ridicoulasly politically correct this country has become.

In response to the original post, i guess the word "chinky" hadn't been used as an offensive term when the book was written, it wouldnt be acceptable today. It does remind me of a book that i have been reading to my DD, its quite old and one of the things that the little bunnies do is dance around "making chinese eyes" Thats definately not ok, i just cringe and skip the page.

Other than that, surely EB is ok? surely

its quite old and one of the things that the little bunnies do is dance around "making chinese eyes"

Which Enid blyton book is this. This is not in my copy of the Wishing Chair?

I don't see why it is considered over parenting to think about what you let your children read or see. People have exerted this kind of control long before EB was born.

frances, it wasnt an EB book, i cant remember what it is called.

I definately think we should monitor what our children read - but i dont think there is anything wrong with enid blyton per se, is there?

Oh God!!! If it turns out that the book you're referring to is 'binkle and flip' can i just state NOW for the record, that I only remembered the title and used it as my name cos it's perky and cute and not because I advocate rabbits dancing around doing chinese eyes, thank you

Fruitshoots

no i cant remember what its called, but its not about binkle or fips its called something and something go to the country, i think and all about whether real live rabbits are pink or blue...oh, i need to get a life

it is ok to refer to the popadom kittens though isn't it - i can't put DD to bed without slinky malinki.