What age for The Famous Five?

[Dramateacher1]

Hi, I remember reading these myself and enjoying them (along with other EB books) but can’t remember what age or if they were ‘scary’ I’ve read The Faraway Tree and The Wishing Chair to my 6 year old son and was wondering if Famous Five would be suitable next? Thank you

I reckon a little bit older? I remember reading them and loved them!
I also have 6 yr old and she loves the magic far way tree, but I'm thinking a couple more years for the famous five.
Have you done any rahl dahl ones they are a big hit here.

You'll find Enid Bylton is frowned upon now but I loved it and so did my kids. At six your little one would understand a lot of it and if you're reading to him it can be edited. Enjoy this time they grow so fast.

DS1’s teacher read the class some Famous Five early in Y4 (so she 8).

Probably 7-8, but my children found them really dated.

Really? Why's that?

I've read my almost 7yo The magic faraway tree, she loved it but not sure she fully understood the story.

I'd say a bit older as some parts could be a bit scary. The secret seven is a bit younger I'd say so maybe try them next or my daughter liked Mallory Towers when she was about 7 to 8, although I was older when I read them.

I read enid blyton to my 6 and 7 year olds every night and they love them.
We are on our 15th book now.

7 I'd have thought. DD didn't like the Famous Five or Secret 7 but loved Mallory Towers, Twins at St Claire and The Naughtiest Girl. But she loved The Roman Mysteries and HP even more. Then Michele Paviour, Lemony Snicket, etc. Enid was really rather dated. And so was C S Lewis.

About 8? I cant wait to read to my kids. I loved it SO much as a child

Thank you for your thoughts everyone. He has enjoyed The Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair and hasn’t seemed to find them dated/odd. I also enjoyed reading them to him. At school they have read a few of the Roald Dahl and he has enjoyed them too. We’ve also read The Lion The Which and The Wardrobe and The Boy and His Horse which he has enjoyed. We mix these ‘classics’ with modern ones such as Captain Underpants and the Pamela Butchart books which he also really likes.He’s still not a confident/fluent reader at the end of year 1 and it’s a struggle to get him to read each night so I make lots of time for me and my husband to read to him to try and foster the love of reading. He dies love stories and books, just not reading them himself yet…

I don’t know exactly why some might avoid EB but I’d imagine the sex stereotypes are pretty outdated? I tried lion witch and wardrobe with Dd last yr but abandoned it because of the same and the Christian and violent undertones.

My 5 year old loves them

We started reading them when DD was about 5, read them all one after another. She loved them. She's 8 now and we're just finishing the Secret Seven. DD is an advanced reader for her age but she likes us to read these to her, apparently it's better that way!

I liked them, mostly. Some of them are a bit tedious and there were a few bits we stopped and talked about attitudes back then, especially towards girls... She just rolls her eyes now.

I read them as a 7/8 year old in the 1980s. They were ultra dated then and my parents were a bit sniffy about them. But I loved them and devoured them all.

Dated was always a plus for me tbh. Chalet School books felt like another world.

I could have written this query OP. The Faraway Tree was a major hit (I rediscovered how much I loved them too). We’re almost finished the Wishing Chair series, which I don’t think are as good, and was wondering what next. I like the idea of a series but thought Famous Five might be a bit old.

I'm just finishing the Faraway Tree books with my 5 year old and he's really enjoyed them. I was going to start the Famous Five next. I read them when I was about 6 and don't remember finding them at all scary.

Also I might be wrong but haven't the modern editions been updated to remove the sexism/ dated ideas?

Mine did too at that age.

Secret seven is slighly younger imo so I would go for that first personally then the famous five

I was reading the famous five from the age of 7, pure escapism.

There are up to date versions of the famous five avaliable, still under the Blyton name. Try speaking to your local library, they will more than happily give you a load of suggestions (we are always VERY pleased when someone wants to talk books with us), love, your local friendly children's librarian!!!

My 7 year old has just finished book 11. Odd scary part but she basically loves them & devours them as quickly as her older sister who they were bought for can finish them.
She started them at 6.
She is also reading the Enid Blyton mysteries stories coz Nana & Grandad bought a set of them.