What Enid Blyton book are you reading right NOW!

[Stephen]

I've finished Five Have A Mystery To Solve. I liked certain aspects about it. The descriptions of the area got me straight onto Wikipedia and Google Maps, checking out Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island. I really need to visit these places one day! And I really liked the general premise of them being inadvertently stranded on an island guarded by armed crooks. Bit of a reversal of the usual George-not-liking-people-trespassing-on-HER-island theme!

However, it's a bit silly that given they are stuck in this deadly fix and Timmy even gets injured by a gun (reminiscent of Kiki getting shot in 'The Sea of Adventure'), they don't leave at the earliest opportunity - namely when Wilfrid brings a boat over. No, they'd rather stay, have an adventure, and even camp out in the hope that they MIGHT not get shot!

Nevertheless, a fairly enjoyable read!

I haven't really looked at the 'Cave of Books' much, but I see that this story doesn't have an image for its 1974 edition. Well I'm pretty sure that's the one I've just read. It's a bit similar to the 1970 one except that the titles are in white and not in capitals.



I've also got to say that despite their 1970s tastelessness, I really like Betty Maxey's illustrations!

My next story is The Circus Of Adventure which I read a few times as a child, but was possibly a bit too young to appreciate.

[Rob Houghton]

The fact that the Five escape from the baddies but then decide to camp out on the beach and hope they aren't caught (or killed!) is definitely the big weakness of Five Have A Mystery To Solve. It comes across as quite absurd.

[pete9012S]

Great review Stephen. Thank you. Has anyone seen this film version?

When the Famous Five are asked to look after Wilfred, a lonely orphan with a magical ability to communicate with animals, they have no idea of what exciting adventures lie in store. Wilfred is determined to investigate rumours of dastardly deeds at a supposed animal 'sanctuary' on the mysterious Whispering Island with four-footed Famous Five member, Timmy the Dog. The rest of the gang are not far behind, but will they be in time to save the day?

In this second splendid Famous Five cliffhanger adventure from the Children's Film Foundation, villainous gamekeepers, perilous cliffs, secret passages, hidden treasure, buns and cocoa await the Kirrin cousins as they join forces with animal- loving Wilfred to explore the mysteries of eerie Whispering Island. Never shown on television, or previously released on video or DVD, this is essential for Blyton aficionados.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_revi ... _solve.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Fiona1986]

I am finally reading The Enchanted Wood for the very first time!

[Courtenay]

In preparation for reading it to Brodie once he's old enough to follow it? Hope you enjoy it, Fiona. It was probably the first full-length Blyton novel I ever read (with Mum's help) when I was little, followed by the other two in the series — the third one (The Folk of the Faraway Tree) is the best, in my view, because of the added fun of Curious Connie and the dramatic adventure in the final chapters!

[Rob Houghton]

the third one (The Folk of the Faraway Tree) is the best, in my view, because of the added fun of Curious Connie and the dramatic adventure in the final chapters!

Yes - Curious Connie was my favourite Enid Blyton character as a child, and I still enjoy reading about her today! I also love the dramatic ending, but this book has so many great elements - particularly the trip through giant land, with giant-proof paint, and 'the ladder that has no top'! Brilliantly inventive!

[Wolfgang]

The fact that the Five escape from the baddies but then decide to camp out on the beach and hope they aren't caught (or killed!) is definitely the big weakness of Five Have A Mystery To Solve. It comes across as quite absurd.

Also absurd is the fact that the five get caught on the island at all. George living for ages at the sea, underestimating and being surprised by the tide???

[Moonraker]

A terrible book. I'd rather read Together Again!

[Stephen]

I've finished The Circus Of Adventure and enjoyed it very much. It's a bit of a slow start, but it might have been interesting to read it with no prior knowledge of the story. At the beginning, it seems to be standard Blyton-fare about the children having to share their holiday with an initially unlikeable boy with strange mannerisms. It might almost have been from the Famous Five.

Then it rapidly develops into this international political thriller that with a few tweaks could have easily been an adult novel. No wonder 8 or 9 year old me had trouble following it! (I seem to remember at the time I didn't even realise Aunt Allie and Mrs Cunningham were supposed to be the same person!) But the idea of Jack and Kiki stowing away on a plane to follow and rescue their kidnapped friends from a strange country is about as exciting as you can get. This is way beyond anything the Famous Five got up to. Not denigrating the FF, but they are very different series.

On a lighter note, I was reading the 1983 Macmillan edition - and the picture of Dinah on the front cover looks bizarrely like Frida from ABBA!

Keeping with the circus theme, I'm now going to read Mr Galliano's Circus. My mum bought me a second hand copy (I think from the local chip shop!) when I was about 8 or 9, and I remember being utterly enthralled at the idea of an everyday boy and his parents going off with a circus like this. But for some reason, I stopped reading after a few chapters and never got round to completing it. Until now!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Has anyone seen this film version?

When the Famous Five are asked to look after Wilfred, a lonely orphan with a magical ability to communicate with animals, they have no idea of what exciting adventures lie in store. Wilfred is determined to investigate rumours of dastardly deeds at a supposed animal 'sanctuary' on the mysterious Whispering Island with four-footed Famous Five member, Timmy the Dog. The rest of the gang are not far behind, but will they be in time to save the day?

In this second splendid Famous Five cliffhanger adventure from the Children's Film Foundation, villainous gamekeepers, perilous cliffs, secret passages, hidden treasure, buns and cocoa await the Kirrin cousins as they join forces with animal- loving Wilfred to explore the mysteries of eerie Whispering Island. Never shown on television, or previously released on video or DVD, this is essential for Blyton aficionados.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/dvd_revi ... _solve.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A few of us went to see Five Have a Mystery to Solve at the BFI in London in the summer of 2009, Pete (it wasn't yet available on DVD). A brilliant time was had by all! You can read about it here:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... y+to+solve" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Rob Houghton]

I have the DVD...but shockingly I haven't watched it yet!

[Lucky Star]

Keeping with the circus theme, I'm now going to read Mr Galliano's Circus. My mum bought me a second hand copy (I think from the local chip shop!) when I was about 8 or 9, and I remember being utterly enthralled at the idea of an everyday boy and his parents going off with a circus like this. But for some reason, I stopped reading after a few chapters and never got round to completing it. Until now!

I had a Dean hardback copy in the 70s and was also enthralled by the whole premise of the Browns going off in a circus. Unlike you I found it unputdownable and have read it at least a dozen or more times over the years. It's a wonderful story.

[Courtenay]

Agreed — and the two sequels (Hurrah for the Circus! and Circus Days Again) are, at least in my opinion, even better!

[Rob Houghton]

I'm currently reading Five Go Off In A Caravan. I always love the slow, dreamy start, that really does feel like a wonderful holiday! I also liked the slow start of The Circus of Adventure - and any other books that have a slow start - for me that helps to build the feelings of reality before something extraordinary happens!

Circus of Adventure is one of my top Adventure books - in the top three - and one of Enid's most adult plots, I think - along with The Rubadub Mystery.

[IceMaiden]

Keeping with the circus theme, I'm now going to read Mr Galliano's Circus. My mum bought me a second hand copy (I think from the local chip shop!) when I was about 8 or 9, and I remember being utterly enthralled at the idea of an everyday boy and his parents going off with a circus like this. But for some reason, I stopped reading after a few chapters and never got round to completing it. Until now!

I had a Dean hardback copy in the 70s and was also enthralled by the whole premise of the Browns going off in a circus. Unlike you I found it unputdownable and have read it at least a dozen or more times over the years. It's a wonderful story.

I found it impossible to put down too. I remember being at home one saturday afternoon and spotting a copy of Mr Galliano's Circus on the shelf, a book I'd never read and didn't even realise we had a copy! I decided to make a start on it by reading a chapter or two, but I found it so enthralling and enjoyable I couldn't stop and had read the whole lot by tea time! It's a super book and I've never forgotten the piece of advice about stepping stones. If something's gone wrong, it's the first thing that comes to mind.