Enid Blyton...what ages for which series?

[ThreeFeetTall]

My son and I have enjoyed reading the Faraway Tree Series and the Wishing Chair books at bedtime. I'd like to read him more of her books but not sure where to go next. Famous 5? Secret 7? (What's the difference?)

Or The adventure books?

I never read these as a child. My son is 7 but quite a young 7.

What about those of us who can't shield our children from racism @CurlewKate is it OK if our kids read them?

I've got daughters, I think it did them good to see how much times have moved on. Especially at the moment when we seem to be going backwards. How is it a good thing that they don't find out that sexes are and were treated differently?

And there is nothing wrong with children knowing about class either.

Secret seven first definitely, slightly shorter, easier to read, simpler stories.

Theres a series called Mr Twiddle as well which I loved when I was younger, lots of short stories about a slightly dim witted man. These would also be read around your DC’s age.

Famous Five are longer and more difficult to read, same age level as Naughtiest girl I’d say which were also more novel length.

I think the sanitising stuff is so snobby anyway. We don't censor Jane Austen because it's sexist and classist (even though it is - pretty shocking that Lydia is a 15 year old victim of child sex trafficking but blamed for it all), there was controversy about censoring Roald Dahl because his books are considered more literary but Blyton has to be censored.

I think it's good for kids to understand that things used to be different. I learned a lot from reading books from different time periods.

My DC read Brer Rabbit at 10 and loved it. I read all her books as a child and thought they were amazing. Loved Naughty Amelia Jane too!

There is quite enough sexism and racism in every day life to talk about with your children without having to read not very written books by a not very nice person about not very nice people to have something to discuss! And there are a million wonderful books to spark children's imaginations, excite them, show them good writing and expand their horizons.

@CurlewKate sorry you don't get it. We all loved the books as children, and are prepared to share the joy with our children regardless that they are out of date. no doubt some of us wouldn't want to read the books you read to your children. we all clearly got enough out of the books to still want to share them with our children despite all the concerns about sexism etc. That in itself is a testament to the joy her books bought to the imagination of children.

I used to love EB when I was at junior school . I remember reading The Sea of Adventure towards home time, and the teacher calling my name. When I looked up, everyone had gone home and I was sitting there, totally absorbed, on my own. 😁

Agree with PPs that Secret Seven (and Five Find-outers) are easier than Famous Five. My DN reads FF aged 7, but is closer to 8 and quite an advanced reader.

Have people objecting to the updating actually read the books recently? I remember being shocked that they'd edited Island of Adventure (one of my favourites) when my younger brother was reading it in the late 90s. But looking today at both versions, the original has shocking racist stereotypes - she manages to portray the villain as both a stereotypical servile Uncle Tom character, speaking in exaggerated patois, and later as a stereotypical evil, cunning, violent black man later on when they realise he's the bad guy. And the story is just as good with really not that much editing - just slightly tweaking lines like 'the black man's eyes rolled back in his head', and renaming him Joe instead of JoJo. In that context, why wouldn't you do the edits?

I loved the 5 finder outlets but I'd say a bit older readers as they are mysteries to solve

I would still re-read them now (and Malory towers now I am on season 2 of the tv show)

We do this too!

@ZacharinaQuack I haven't read the original mysteries in a long time but I tried to read the updated Malory Towers books to my son and found they had edited out Darrell slapping Gwendolyn - which is a) strongly disapproved of in the book so I don't think was an endorsement of slapping and b) absolutely crucial to the plot which no longer made any sense.

@Tomorrowisalatterday yes I agree that does seem a bit unnecessary! Did they also edit out the dormitory monitor threatening to spank Gwendolyn with her own hairbrush? (vague memory). Darrell slapping Gwendolyn was probably the most dramatic moment and definitely deserved to be in there.

With the Adventure books, the edits would be well over 20 years ago now and I think it really was just getting rid of unnecessary racism and not to the detriment of the stories.

My 5yo loves The Faraway Tree, would Secret Seven books be suitable for that age (for me to read to her)? I used to read them but I can't remember what they were like, presumably there's no murder and it's more 'who stole Bunty's lemonade' etc!

@ZacharinaQuack yes, I think more or less all of the violence) threats were gone. Including I think also when Darrell pushes Sally which is another really important moment..

I got the originals on eBay and the thing that struck me that I just didn't remember from when I first read them was the fat shaming - there is way more criticism of Gwendolyn for being fat and spotty and needing more exercise than I remembered

@Tomorrowisalatterday that is so interesting - I don't remember the fat shaming either, just that Gwendolyn was a bit whiny. But that's the sort of thing that you could totally just internalise as a child. I think I'd still get rid of that, but leave in the conflict and violence, which is flagged as being problematic within the story, rather than just presented as normal.

@ZacharinaQuack it was so interesting rereading them generally. I had a lot more sympathy for Gwen than I did when I was a child. I would have hated to be pushed into an outdoor swimming pool!

But yes I think generally I am not 100% against revisions as long as they are carefully done
and don't damage the substance of the plot. Having bought these from eBay in a fit of outrage I totally edited out the fat shaming when reading them to my son 😃

Other edits that I think are weird - updating currency but not otherwise changing the time period

I loved the secret seven first, then famous five around 7 then blank of adventure/ R mystery/ five find others and a dog - with a lot of the farm stuff in between and then grew into the boarding school ones naughtiest girl/ Malory towers/ at Clare's. Lots of nice rural idyll farm ones and secret island series too.

I was obsessed but I can't help but feel like Neil Gaiman said, he goes back as an adult and kind find the thing he loved as a kid.

What are the million books?

@YellowDots Is that a serious question? If it is, I can come back later with a list of writers to try.

Well, this thread has got a big bigger since I last looked!

Yes I'd be interested in modern authors that write stories that are:
-Short enough to hold a child's attention
-A little scary but not too much and any peril resolved within 1-2 chapters.

• Uses a range of vocabulary.
• Doesn't talk about poo all the time. My child can do that on his own time!
• Has some funny bits (like the saucepan man mishearing things)

I don't mind a bit of editing as long as the storyline is not damaged.

But not sure why I should care if she was a nice person or not? I'm not inviting her round to my house.

Me too.

Enjoyable and exciting is my criteria. I think I liked the idea of them going off without grown ups. Going to a neighbouring farm to get milk. They made you feel like you could have an adventure too. In the hols.

I think older books have stories that are suitable for younger readers. There are plenty of books for ten year olds with interesting stories but not so many for seven year olds like the OP's son.

I absolutely loved Famous Five books - it was if Enid Blyton knew exactly what children wanted in a story. And The Magic Faraway Tree was wonderful! I must have read them all hundreds of times. I also liked The Children of Cherry Tree Farm.

My 9yr old is deep in Helen Moss’ Adventure Island Mystery series at the moment, he won’t take his head out of them! They’re a modern version of the Enid Blyton's. I read the first one and I enjoyed it too
They were recommended on here by someone and they’re a massive hit.

You are completely wrong.

Enid Blyton was/is responsible for opening reading as a lifelong pleasure for countless people and is and should be honoured for this.

It is not dross and you have clearly failed to understand literature of any type if you are unable to appreciate it because you think the author was 'questionable'.

That's all fine and dandy if you happen to agree with the current zeitgeist's definition of 'questionable' but what will you do when you find yourself on the wrong side-when your idea of plaster saints are judged to be questionable.

Read a little more and think a little more. It's good that you have joined a reading discussion-baby steps- but hopefully you are on the way to learning to think things through! Other posters have come up with more detailed hints on to read Enid Blyton, so I hope this will help you.

I wonder if it is a coincidence that the two women-Enid Blyton and JK Rowling-both responsible for making reading a pleasure for children-both lauded for this in their heyday-are now objects of disdain by certain sections.