The Enid Blyton Society

I know that many did not think EB a 'proper' writer but no one can deny that she wrote popular and exciting adventure stories for children. Which book do members here consider her finest writing? This has probably been discussed before, if so please feel free to point me the right direction.

It's one of those questions that I don't think has a definitive answer...we all have different tastes.

Personally, I would say she has written several books that 'stick out' above the others.

For me, her best books are The Circus of Adventure, The Rubadub Mystery, The Six Bad Boys, Six Cousins At Mistletoe Farm, Circus Days Again, and the Faraway Tree books - particularly the last one.

In my own humble opinion, all of them!!

Like others, I can't pick just one! To me, the following books stand out for their particularly fine writing:

Six Cousins at Mistletoe Farm and Six Cousins Again - These really need to be read together to appreciate the quite complex character development. The psychology of the adults is as interesting as that of the children and teenagers, and even the characters who play smaller parts (e.g. Dorcas and Twigg) are memorable and deftly-drawn. Mature, emotional stories with some lyrical elements and thought-provoking subject-matter.

The Six Bad Boys - Like the Six Cousins books, this story concerns family life. The focus is on three families - the Mackenzies, the Berkeleys and the Kents - and Enid Blyton moves skilfully from one to the other, taking us into their kitchens and living-rooms and showing how their lives become interwoven. The novel is beautifully structured, deliciously poignant and deals with some tough issues while still being suitable for children of all ages.

The Ring O' Bells Mystery - In this novel, Enid Blyton blurs the boundary between fantasy and reality to create an eerie landscape peopled with characters who appear to have stepped from the pages of nursery-rhyme and fairy-tale books. The atmosphere is charged and it seems that absolutely anything might happen. Alarming and compelling.

Thanks for your replies so far. Most of the books mentioned so far I have not read so I have some reading to look forward to.

IceMaiden wrote:In my own humble opinion, all of them!!

Would probably say like IceMaiden!! But, of all the books I've read so far, I think the best ones (not that I've read much!) are the FFO, The Children of Cherry-Tree farm and Malory Towers. But the outstanding one which I thought was just amazing was The Land of Far Beyond .

I'm amazed no-one's yet mentioned the Adventure series (except for Rob naming one of the books)! I ignored it as a child, thinking it would be "too grown-up" and "boring", then finally read the entire series for the first time a few years ago and LOVED IT. Seriously, although some of the books are stronger than others, all eight of them are virtually un-put-downable, or so I found. I would say they definitely contain some of Enid's most brilliant writing, beautiful descriptions, memorable characters and exciting plots. Being more used to the somewhat gentler pace of the Find-Outers and Famous Five (not to mention Enid's many books for younger readers like the Faraway Tree and Wishing-Chair), I was quite stunned to find how capable she was of writing adventure stories that I can only describe as downright gripping and thrilling.

If you haven't read them before, Crwban, I would definitely recommend they go on your list too. Best read in order (the first is The Island of Adventure), as there's a continuing development through the series as the characters become more of a family. If possible, too, get the early hardcover editions illustrated by Stuart Tresilian — arguably the most talented artist Enid ever used and one whose illustrations are almost as much part of the Adventure series "experience" as the stories themselves.

For thrills, excitement, danger, action and adventure I consider The Valley Of Adventure her best book, probably the best children's novel ever written. But the first four Barney books are my favourite series culminating in one of the most moving, tender scenes Enid has ever written in The Rubadub Mystery.

The Rubadub Mystery is in my opinion, her finest piece of writing. It has everything; mystery, adventure, suspense and a vivid and memorable cast of characters. A very brooding sense of menace hangs over the whole setting which culminates in one of the most powerful and emotional sequences Enid ever wrote. There are several plot twists and a terrific ending. It packs a powerful punch.

Other than that The Valley and The Sea of Adventure are her most exciting adventure stories with honourable mentions to The Secret Mountain and The Secret of Killimooin.

The Six Cousins books are wonderful studies in personality types and their interactions and The Faraway Tree books pack in the most awesome amount of sheer storytelling and imagination anywhere in children's literature.

I wonder why some thought of her as not a 'proper' writer. As she was a successful published author I thought that would have proven just how much of a 'proper' author she was.

That really is quite difficult to say which book are considered her best, for me there are so many good mystery and adventure books.

Valley is a good adventure book. Most of the Find-Outer books are great mystery solving books, and Rubadub is also up there for me as one of the best. So for me far too many fantastic books to pick from.

Another one I should mention (and I know Julie is a big fan too!) is Enid's one-off novel The Boy Next Door. Despite the title sounding like some kind of soppy romance, it's actually yet another of Enid's most exciting and thrilling mystery/adventure stories. I also read this one for the first time as an adult and was amazed at how much it had me on the edge of my seat!!

Yes, one of her finest, Courtenay as is The Treasure Hunters. In fact if I had to list all the great books it would be nearly all of Enid's that I have read.

Oh yes, definitely The Treasure Hunters. One aimed at younger readers, but it's got it all — a family's beautiful old home under threat of being sold, the legend of long-lost treasure, a mysterious map that needs deciphering, a greedy villain who wants to get his hands on the treasure first, a thrilling chase through secret passages in the middle of the night... And a girl character, Susan, who's equally as much involved in the adventure as her two brothers and in fact comes up with a lot of the most brilliant ideas that move their quest forward — lest anyone accuse Enid of being sexist!! It was my sister's and my overall favourite Blyton story when we were little.

The Famous Five series is my personal favourite, but I also love the Find Outers, Secret Seven, Naughtiest Girl series and the Faraway Tree books. It's really impossible to say what her absolute best piece of writing would be though, as there are so many!

Oh gosh, that's a really hard question! Like others have said, Mistletoe Farm is good, I love the Find Outers books, Famous Five, the Adventure stories and the R Mystery books. The Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair, I also like some stand alone books like Grayling Treasure and the Boy Next Door. I must have missed some out.