What Enid Blyton book are you reading right NOW!

[Moonraker]

I I found the titles to be strangely vague. Without looking at the cover, I wouldn't have known 'Three Cheers' was the one with the toy plane!

A common trait of Enid's SS and FF titles. However, some FF titles aren't so. Smuggler's Top and Billycock Hill, to name two. Others such as Wonderful Time and Plenty of Fun border on the ridiculous.

I haven't read a Blyton now for quite a long time - apart from short stories when our grandson stays with us. I think I'll start reading him the Wishing Chair stories on his next visit.

[Stephen]

Others such as Wonderful Time and Plenty of Fun border on the ridiculous.

Funnily enough, I always used to get mixed up with those two because "Wonderful" and "Plenty" were two words that Berta mispronounced!

I'm pretty sure 'Wonderful Time' is the last remaining FF book I've never read.

[Rob Houghton]

I'm afraid I couldn't quite visualise a dog walking across a tight-rope on its hind legs though!

She WAS 'Lucky The Wonder Dog' though, lol! Not many dogs could walk on a tightrope, I agree, but Lucky could! That was why she was worth such a lot of money! As a child I think this was one of the most powerful parts of the book for me - that Jimmy was so good at training Lucky, and that Lucky actually hardly needed any training, because she was genuinely clever. As a child this impressed me greatly and was the most believable part of the book!

[Stephen]

As I'm rather tucked up in bed with a touch of flu today, it gives me a chance to plough through my Blytons. And I've finished Three Cheers, Secret Seven in probably about 45 minutes. Short and sweet, very lightweight, not even that good a resolution (they have to get the grown ups in to take charge when they realise they can't sort it out by themselves).

But there are some unintentionally hilarious lines in it!

"Fancy sending an aeroplane to Susie!" said Peter, amazed. "An aeroplane for a girl!"

All the four boys felt the same thing. Fancy that beautiful plane belonging to Susie, to a girl! What a dreadful waste!

"YOU ARE NOT!" said Peter, in the voice that all the rest of the Secret Seven knew well, and didn't dream of disobeying. But Susie wasn't going to take orders from Peter.

"I shall do as I like," she said, defiantly. "I shall climb the wall too."

"Well I don't know how," said Peter, "because I shall certainly forbid anyone to give you a shove up."

"I say, hadn't Pam better go and ask her granny a few questions, Peter?"

"Yes. That's a job for you to do today, Pam," said Peter, looking at her. "I want a report this afternoon about that."

"I've got orders from Peter to interview you about someone."

"Good gracious!" said Granny. "Interview me? What about?"

"About a gardener you once had called Georgie Grim," said Pam, taking out her notebook. "You see, Granny, the Secret Seven is on to a mystery again, and we're interested in Grim because we think he's got something to do with the mystery."

"You and your mysteries!" said Granny, laughing. "You really amuse me. Well, well, if it's Peter's orders, you must do as you're told."

Also, I was wondering about the plane itself. Powered, it seems with elastic bands and a wind up key, and can actually fly a long distance. Were there really toys like that in the 1950s?

My next book is The Rilloby Fair Mystery which I've only read about twice in the 1980s, but I seem to remember quite liking.

[Rob Houghton]

Regarding the titles, I completely agree about the Secret Seven titles. despite having read The Secret Seven series (or parts of it!) more than any other Blyton series, because I read them over and over again as a child, I still can only tie up a few of the plots with the titles - such as 'The Secret Seven' involved snowmen, Secret Seven Adventure revolves around missing pearls, and Secret Seven Mystery is a missing school girl. The others tend to blend in - although just recently I've realised that 'Puzzle' is about the caravans and violins - that's mainly because I see it during my EB Magazine reviews.

But the Famous Five titles are, in my opinion, all quite easy to distinguish. I know the plot of every one of them just by the title - yet I've only read them since being an adult.


Currently I'm reading 'Five Go Off In A Caravan'. As I've said before - what a great slow ambling start! I love it. It comes across as one of the most realistic Famous Fives purely because of this slow start, which expertly introduces the characters and the setting so that we really feel we are a part of it all.

[Rob Houghton]

But there are some unintentionally hilarious lines in it!

"Fancy sending an aeroplane to Susie!" said Peter, amazed. "An aeroplane for a girl!"

All the four boys felt the same thing. Fancy that beautiful plane belonging to Susie, to a girl! What a dreadful waste!

Great lines, I agree - but I don't agree that they are 'unintentionally hilarious' - I'm quite sure Enid intended them to be funny, and is having a good laugh at the boys' expense.


Rilloby Fair is one of my favourite EB books. I bought it with dust wrapper (1952 edition) at a school jumble sale for 10p - and I still have the same copy. It was the first Barney Book I ever read.

[Courtenay]

Glad you enjoyed Mr Galliano's Circus, Stephen. I actually prefer Lotta to George as a character, since while Lotta is also tomboyish and headstrong, she's far less sulky and self-centred and doesn't waste any time moaning about being a girl and not being allowed to do the things that boys do — she just goes ahead and does them! But then, you could say she's grown up in a circus where there's far less pressure to conform to "proper" middle-class standards of how boys and girls should behave...

[Anita Bensoussane]

I also prefer Lotta to George. On the whole, she's more joyous and less intense. She doesn't mind being untidy and dirty, she's sometimes rude and cheeky and she revels in escapades and adventures and spending time with the animals. However, she's also fond of dolls and pretty circus frocks and is happy being a girl - though as you said, Courtenay, her circus upbringing has given her certain freedoms. It has also brought pressures of another sort though, as Lotta has had to practise and perform from an early age. She enjoys it but obviously has to work hard.

Like Rob, I loved reading about the bond between Jimmy and Lucky when I was a child and wished I could have a dog like that (I hadn't yet discovered I was allergic to dogs). Jimmy trained Lucky with such patience and love that the tricks she learnt didn't seem too unbelievable to me as a youngster - though I do now wonder about her walking the tightrope on her hind legs!

As I'm rather tucked up in bed with a touch of flu today, it gives me a chance to plough through my Blytons. And I've finished Three Cheers, Secret Seven in probably about 45 minutes. Short and sweet, very lightweight, not even that good a resolution (they have to get the grown ups in to take charge when they realise they can't sort it out by themselves).

I hope you'll soon be better, Stephen. I must admit that Three Cheers is one of my favourite Secret Sevens. The rivalry between Jack and Susie strikes me as realistic, the aeroplane sounds fun, the strange goings-on are intriguing although not dangerous, Mr. Grim is an interesting character and the ending is rather touching.

My next book is The Rilloby Fair Mystery which I've only read about twice in the 1980s, but I seem to remember quite liking.

The Rilloby Fair Mystery sparkles with humour and ingenuity. A great book to perk you up when you're not feeling well!

[Moonraker]

Currently I'm reading 'Five Go Off In A Caravan'...what a great slow ambling start! I love it. It comes across as one of the most realistic Famous Fives purely because of this slow start, which expertly introduces the characters and the setting so that we really feel we are a part of it all.

Here's a challenge to you forum authors: write a Famous Five with no crime or crooks. I was always disappointed when they got to Merran Lake - I really hoped they would never find it.

[Courtenay]

Here's a challenge to you forum authors: write a Famous Five with no crime or crooks.

But that would be like an Agatha Christie with no murder!

[pete9012S]

Here's a challenge to you forum authors: write a Famous Five with no crime or crooks.

Was any crime actually committed in your fave Famous Five Finniston Farm?

[Dick Kirrin]

Was any crime actually committed in your fave Famous Five Finniston Farm?

Am reading it with Daisy at the moment and for most of the book the answer must be no. However, when Mr Henning brings Mr Durleston in, that does change slightly.
The crimes in question would be embezzlement or fraud as well as contempt of the right of the Crown/State to any 'treasure' that is found and is older than such and such number of years.
I would venture to say that the two fellows at least attempt to cheat the Philpots about the real value of the stuff they are going to find, although it must be said that as far as the excavations go, it is the right of Mr Henning to offer 250 Pounds and it is the right of Mr Philpot to take it. At that time, that sum wouldn't even buy you half an Austin Mini, just for a comparison.

[pete9012S]

Thanks Dick - a most interesting explanation.
Is there a Five book with even less criminality than Finniston I wonder?

And obviously, which book contains the most nefarious deeds I wonder??

[Rob Houghton]

Currently I'm reading 'Five Go Off In A Caravan'...what a great slow ambling start! I love it. It comes across as one of the most realistic Famous Fives purely because of this slow start, which expertly introduces the characters and the setting so that we really feel we are a part of it all.

Here's a challenge to you forum authors: write a Famous Five with no crime or crooks. I was always disappointed when they got to Merran Lake - I really hoped they would never find it.

I completely agree. I feel the same about this book - and probably also Five Get Into trouble (I love the details of the bike ride) and also Five On A Hike. these three books (and probably a few more) would easily stand up okay without any crime or crooks. BUT - they wouldn't be classified as 'Famous Five Adventures' then, would they?!

[Courtenay]

And obviously, which book contains the most nefarious deeds I wonder??

I haven't read all the Famous Five books, so can't give an absolutely certain vote, but the possibility of Kirrin Island being blown up in Five on Kirrin Island Again is the most scary and dangerous plot I can remember out of those I have read...