Five Have Plenty of Fun

[Boodi 2]

It’s Five Run Away Together, Boodi.

Thanks Barnard, how silly of me not to remember! I probably got confused due to the fact that a large part of the adventure takes place on Kirrin island. At any rate, "Smuggler's Top", "Mystery Moor" and "Run Away together" are my favourite FF books.

[Jack400]

In Five Go off to Camp ,if I remember correctly George is happy to let Timmy be with the puppies, but it was Timmy who's cautious about the puppies mother- I imagine that was an education for the reader- certainly for me.

[Irene Malory Towers]

The first 2 books are quite weak plots for the Famous Five but they are setting the scene and the characters. In fact I found the 2nd book incredibly obvious - that the tutor is the baddy ! and I didn't really like it. It is only recently as an adult I have appreciated it more - and actually find it quite sinister the way the tutor worms his way inside the house and uncle Quentin's respect and Anne's affections. He even joins in the Christmas celebrations. It is quite creepy in fact. In some ways I prefer baddies who are obviously baddies !! The circumstances of them being snowed in adds to the atmosphere. I don't know whether Enid Blyton deliberately did this, perhaps just as a plot design to ensure that Mr. Roland could not escape. In Whatever her intentions were. the addition of being snowbound enhances the story.

[Moonraker]

Plenty Of Fun was the final book, that was set mostly in Kirrin, and for me, marked the end of the golden period of FF books.

Actually "Five on a Secret Trail" is starting out at Kirrin Cottage, then continues at Kirrin Common. So that's the final book set at Kirrin.

Trail is one of my favourite Five's. Yes, the twin sub-plot is monotonous (although I don't think it was on my first read), but I loved the pre-boys chapters and the spooky atmosphere on the moor.

[Chrissie777]

Nigel, "Secret Trail" was my very first FF book in 1965. I was 10 years old and just discovered EB for the first time.
Up to that point I had never read anything about twins, so it really was a surprise for me that those two guys were twins.
The whole atmosphere at the Kirrin Common fascinated and mesmerized me from the first reading on and fortunately that has never changed over all these decades.

[Nair Snehalatha]

In five go adventuring again-- Mr.Roland actually cheats those who believed him as a tutor and gave him food and shelter-- he even worked his way into Uncle Quentin's good books, and stole the papers containing the heart of the formula invented by Uncle Quentin.Enid Blyton perhaps wants to put the message across that one should not blindly trust any stranger who apparently.showers smiles and affections on you
O

[Debbie]

I think the issue with the twin subplot is that it works for the first read as you just think that it's one rather sulky boy who is perhaps a bit shy and not wanting to be friends. Once you know, it feels very contrived-surely one of them would have said "that's my twin brother you're talking about and I'm not talking about him" ?

I think the baddies who appear good or calm are much more creepy than those who are clearly out and out baddies. Never found Dirty Dick in Hike at all a threat, but Mr Rolands is definitely sinister-although I do remember as a child wondering about him being shut in all that time without a toilet. Likewise the Smugglers Top, Mr Barling is more sinister for being calm, and Mr Perton is far creepier than Hunchy in Trouble.

With the FF, and this applies to Plenty of Fun, the baddies are off stage a lot of the time, so often it's much more a shadowy "evil in the background" feeling. I don't know whether that was because EB wanted to focus on the children or because she didn't want to scare her readers too much! I think though it works well for a children's book, gives the feeling of danger without actually showing violence etc.

[pete9012S]

The Mighty Sid - Kirrin Paperboy & Chocolate Mould Aficionado

Sid was quite overcome at his wonderful evening. First there was what he called a ‘smasher of a supper,’ with ham and eggs and chip potatoes followed by jam tarts and a big chocolate mould, of which Sid ate about three-quarters.
‘I’m partial to chocolate mould,’ he explained to Anne. ‘Joan knows that - she knows I’m partial to anything in the chocolate line. She’s friendly with my Mum, so she knows. The things I’m partial to I like very much, see?’
Anne giggled and agreed.

Off the top of my head I always have trouble remembering if it is Plenty Of Fun or Fall Into Adventure in which we meet the mighty Sid, Kirrin Paperboy..


Jo or George from Fun or Fall Into Adventure..


More missing table artistry from Betty Maxey. A bit easier to work out which of the two books this is from too!

[Boodi 2]

I don't know whether I should start a new topic for this question or if it has already been addressed in another thread, but I just wondered if anyone else finds the titles of the Famous Five series somewhat confusing? I thought I was having a "senior moment" when I confused "Five on Kirrin Island again" with "Five Run Away Together", but then realised that I also have difficulty remembering other titles, such as "Five Go Down To The Sea" and "Five Have A Mystery To Solve". Some titles, such as "Mystery Moor", "Smuggler's Top" , "Demon's Rocks", "Finniston Farm" and "Billycock Hill" are easy to remember as they refer to the setting of the adventure, but the rest are to my mind quite confusing. Is it just me or has anyone else experienced this problem too?

[pete9012S]

Yes Boodi. Over the years I have had difficulty remembering the plot and storyline if I just look at the title with four Five's:

Five Get Into Trouble & Five Fall Into Adventure

And also:

Five Have a Mystery to Solve & Five Are Together Again

I seem to be ok with most of the others.

And of course, related to this thread, I muddle the story lines up in my head between Plenty Of Fun & Fall Into Adventure!

[Julie2owlsdene]

We meet Sid the paper boy in Five Fall into Adventure. Julian invites him in, and Dick rushes out as Sid the paper boy. All so that Dick can keep a watch in Kirrin garden to see who comes for the note book.

[Boodi 2]

Glad I am not the only one, as I can remember the plots/stories perfectly but often cannot associate them with the rather vague titles. I wonder why Enid Blyton decided on such "non-descriptive" titles for many of the Famous Five adventures? For example, to my mind "Five Have A Mystery To Solve" would be better as "Five Visit Whispering Island", while "Five Go Down To The Sea" (another of my favourites) could be entitled either "Five At Tremannon Farm" or "Five And The Secret Of The Wrecker's Way". I am not sure how "Five Fall into Adventure" could be improved (perhaps "Five And Theft/Intruders/Kidnapping at Kirrin Cottage"???), but if even some of the other titles were clearer/more descriptive it would be easier to distinguish the various books from each other (e.g. "Five Run Away Together").

[Katharine]

I agree with the comments about some of the FF books being hard to remember from their titles.

For that reason, I don't think I can remember any of the SS stories from their titles alone.

[Boodi 2]

Good point Katherine! The situation is similar with the Secret Seven series, but as I am not really a 'fan and don't have a single SS book in my collection I never thought much about it!

[Irene Malory Towers]

The only Secret Seven title with its associated story that I remember is Shock for the Secret Seven, when Scamper and other dogs are stolen and Jack leaves the club. It is in my opinion by far and away the best Secret Seven story. There is real emotion, firstly with Jack leaving the Secret Seven, with Shadow being stolen and subsequently rescued and Scamper being stolen and rescued and Jack rejoining the Secret Seven. I have commented on this before and this is probably not the right thread but the description of Shadow being re-united with Matt the shepherd ranks as one of EB's most moving passages.