Following a query in the Teachers Forum about why these books were banned I am replying here. I used to love her books and when they were taken off our junior school library shelves I used to borrow them from the town library.
Her books were banned by my school and many others as she was thought to be both a racist and sexist. Her books were often about middle class children who were wary of foreigners and often treated unkindly by them. Noddy was once taken into Gollywog Wood and robbed by another character, Golly. (Will this board let me write that?) Her choice of vocabulary was simple too and her books could be read very quickly. I think that her books were great fun to read, if a little politically incorrect at times. They got me reading. I was brought up on Noddy books and my first songs were about his little car.
Full Version: Enid Blyton Books.
QUOTE(petrat @ Sep 24 2007, 02:00 PM) 
Following a query in the Teachers Forum about why these books were banned I am replying here. I used to love her books and when they were taken off our junior school library shelves I used to borrow them from the town library.
Her books were banned by my school and many others as she was thought to be both a racist and sexist. Her books were often about middle class children who were wary of foreigners and often treated unkindly by them. Noddy was once taken into Gollywog Wood and robbed by another character, Golly. (Will this board let me write that?) Her choice of vocabulary was simple too and her books could be read very quickly. I think that her books were great fun to read, if a little politically incorrect at times. They got me reading. I was brought up on Noddy books and my first songs were about his little car.
hi i loved noddy, mr muddle and another book i forget the title lots of short stories about jumpy monkey i read it when my husband was away on business and i felt lonely what a shame that schools have banned them my copy was printed early 60 s so is well loved nowx
I was a serious Mallory Towers and St.Clare's addict. And Secret Seven and Famous Five.
Never really got on with the Noddy books though.
Never really got on with the Noddy books though.
Oh I loved them.
My eldest reads a famous 5 book in a couple of hours, getting so much pleasure out of them. I paid over the odds to get Mr Galliano's circus for my younger one, as it is now out of print, and she has throroughly enjoyed it. They also love the St Clare's books which must seem so alien to kids these days.
There have been a number of rumours about Enid herself over the last few years, with things in her private life not making her a suitable role model for a childrens writer. But the books are great.
My eldest reads a famous 5 book in a couple of hours, getting so much pleasure out of them. I paid over the odds to get Mr Galliano's circus for my younger one, as it is now out of print, and she has throroughly enjoyed it. They also love the St Clare's books which must seem so alien to kids these days.
There have been a number of rumours about Enid herself over the last few years, with things in her private life not making her a suitable role model for a childrens writer. But the books are great.
I used to love the Secret Seven and Famous Five books!! They all summoned up lazy childhood summers of home made lemonade on the lawn!! But with adventure as well! 
Great books until the PC brigade came along
Great books until the PC brigade came along
I loved her books! 
I loved Amelia Jane as a young child. I read and re-read the Famous Five series until Agatha Christie took over in my teens. My 7 year old daughter has just started reading my old Famous Five books that my mother kept for me (falling apart but still readable) - she's sadly not getting as much enjoyment out of them but that may be due to Harry Potter which she adores!
I loved Amelia Jane as a young child. I read and re-read the Famous Five series until Agatha Christie took over in my teens. My 7 year old daughter has just started reading my old Famous Five books that my mother kept for me (falling apart but still readable) - she's sadly not getting as much enjoyment out of them but that may be due to Harry Potter which she adores!
I loved a lot of her books when i was younger, Famous Five and Secret Seven were what got me interested in reading in the first place.
I think adults are probably overly sensitive to this kind of thing. I certainly never noticed any racism in it. In case people haven't noticed children are still told not to talk to strangers, being wary of foreigners is just another way of doing that. All she was in effect doing is telling children to beware of things out of the ordinary and that seems like a sensible message.
I don't quite see how sexism can enter into it with a character like George (-ina) being included. In fact that's surely the kind of example liberal busy bodies should be encouraging.
The racism always seemed an odd one to me. Children just think of it as a name, there's no sinister undertone to it, that only comes in when your looking at it from an older stand point. I remember someone in my English class talking about how "dirty" a children's show on BBC was. Not because it was but because language that to innocent children seems normal becomes corrupted in adolescence and later life.
I think adults are probably overly sensitive to this kind of thing. I certainly never noticed any racism in it. In case people haven't noticed children are still told not to talk to strangers, being wary of foreigners is just another way of doing that. All she was in effect doing is telling children to beware of things out of the ordinary and that seems like a sensible message.
I don't quite see how sexism can enter into it with a character like George (-ina) being included. In fact that's surely the kind of example liberal busy bodies should be encouraging.
The racism always seemed an odd one to me. Children just think of it as a name, there's no sinister undertone to it, that only comes in when your looking at it from an older stand point. I remember someone in my English class talking about how "dirty" a children's show on BBC was. Not because it was but because language that to innocent children seems normal becomes corrupted in adolescence and later life.
I loved Enid Blyton, I remember Dad reading me the story about Ps and Qs, where I learned my manners! And a poem and some ducks, bill and jane I think, someone and jane anyway because they loved the rain. And the story about the blue moon, nice tales
.
.
I loved Enid Blyton, all the school stories and those like 'The Mountain of Adventure' and 'The Valley of Adventure'.
One of my daughters enjoys them but reads lots of other books by other authors too. They are sexist, racist, non-pc and the rest, but then if you compare them to some of the 'fiction' being marketed to children of that age level now, they are gems of literature.
My children's primary school library had a couple of shelves of Enid Blyton, clearly the teachers have recovered from the ban.
One of my daughters enjoys them but reads lots of other books by other authors too. They are sexist, racist, non-pc and the rest, but then if you compare them to some of the 'fiction' being marketed to children of that age level now, they are gems of literature.
My children's primary school library had a couple of shelves of Enid Blyton, clearly the teachers have recovered from the ban.
I loved the Enid Blyton books as a child and my grandchildren love them too. A person's prejudices do come throught their writing - but this is a matter for discussion - banning books is a step on a very slippery road.
In fairy stories most baddies are stereotyped - the hero prince is never fat, balding or wearing a mac, (though admittedly sometimes appears as a frog
). The witch is never blue-eyed and golden-haired; the wolf is never a goody, the heroine is saintly, innocent and beautiful - should we ban fairy stories , too?
If the Enid Blyton books and any other children's books that are banned from school bookshelves are availlable elsewhere and children can read them, would it not be good idea to have them in a place of education where constructive criticism is encouraged?
In fairy stories most baddies are stereotyped - the hero prince is never fat, balding or wearing a mac, (though admittedly sometimes appears as a frog
). The witch is never blue-eyed and golden-haired; the wolf is never a goody, the heroine is saintly, innocent and beautiful - should we ban fairy stories , too?If the Enid Blyton books and any other children's books that are banned from school bookshelves are availlable elsewhere and children can read them, would it not be good idea to have them in a place of education where constructive criticism is encouraged?
QUOTE(LooneyTunes @ Sep 24 2007, 02:09 PM)
... My 7 year old daughter has just started reading my old Famous Five books that my mother kept for me (falling apart but still readable)
I did the same - my mum kept her books for me and I read them time and time again, until they were passed to my cousin a while ago. I hope to get them back one day though!I loved Malory Towers. When I first read them, I couldn't understand what 'perfects' were though ...(not a typing error btw
).
I too loved Enid Blyton and never saw the harm in them.... but looking back,and having read books on PC type stuff in my teacher training... there are some terrible stereotypes and outright racism. Anne being too girly and wet and Julian and so on being tough and brave...I know there was George too...but she had to look like a boy. The Adventure ones had some inappropriate black stereotypes and she talked of dirty gypsies in the Famous Five books.
Having said this my son read our old copies and loved them... we have brought him to understand that every one's equal...etc. My younger son doesn't like them...he's too modern...he really loved Jacqueline Wilson....
We'd have to ban an awful lot of books...I used to run my school library and one boy wanted me to take Tom Sawyer out. I didn't because,as I said to him,it is of its time...and,in its way, gives us a history of social behaviour.
Iloved the Five Find Outers with Fatty... is he still called that these days.... Frederick Algernon Trotville...F.A.T. .... but he was fat.
Having said this my son read our old copies and loved them... we have brought him to understand that every one's equal...etc. My younger son doesn't like them...he's too modern...he really loved Jacqueline Wilson....
We'd have to ban an awful lot of books...I used to run my school library and one boy wanted me to take Tom Sawyer out. I didn't because,as I said to him,it is of its time...and,in its way, gives us a history of social behaviour.
Iloved the Five Find Outers with Fatty... is he still called that these days.... Frederick Algernon Trotville...F.A.T. .... but he was fat.
I adored Enid Blyton as a child. I collected every Noddy book (they were still being written as I progressed through primary school), loved the Faraway Tree, Famous Five and later the "Fatty" books where Frederick Trotwood solved mysteries and Mr Goon always got thing wrong.
I still remember one story about twins (Maurice and ?) who each received birthday presents, but only one of them wrote his thank you letters. At Christmas only the "good" twin got any presents, because the givers all thought that the "bad" twin hadn't liked their previous gifts. Of course, it all came right in the end because they had presents for him all the time, but it gave me a great incentive to write my own thank yous!
Incidentally, my own daughter (now 23) also loved Enid Blyton and has insisted that my original Noddy books, now somewhat the worse for wear) are kept for her own children. I do wonder whether any grandchildren will take to them as much though, as they must be very dated now.
I still remember one story about twins (Maurice and ?) who each received birthday presents, but only one of them wrote his thank you letters. At Christmas only the "good" twin got any presents, because the givers all thought that the "bad" twin hadn't liked their previous gifts. Of course, it all came right in the end because they had presents for him all the time, but it gave me a great incentive to write my own thank yous!
Incidentally, my own daughter (now 23) also loved Enid Blyton and has insisted that my original Noddy books, now somewhat the worse for wear) are kept for her own children. I do wonder whether any grandchildren will take to them as much though, as they must be very dated now.
Perhaps I should have added that it was way back in the early sixties that my school banned these books.
They banned Enid Blyton? That is ridiculous! Come on- she had a character called Fatty, she had a girl who wanted to be a boy called George and she had a dog who was treated like a human (Timmy). What more could any modern writer want? As for racist, I'm sorry, but gollywogs are not racist. Plus, she has some nice gypsies in her books as well! And just because gender roles were more defined in the 50s, does that make her sexist?? I quite like the 50s actually!
I think the world has come to something when Enid Blyton is banned and children read Jacqueline Wilson/Philip Pullman instead. No offence to those writers, but they don't exactly promote the innocence of childhood. Enid Blyton was wholesome, something which today's writers are not. Despite all the argument about sexism.
Ok, rant over. I loved Enid Blyton until I got to about 11. I devoured the boarding school stories and also the Famous Five ones. her fairy and animal stories were simply lovely. And does anyone remember Binkle and Flip?
Ok, I'm glad you said the 60s... LOL was beginning to get worried!
I think the world has come to something when Enid Blyton is banned and children read Jacqueline Wilson/Philip Pullman instead. No offence to those writers, but they don't exactly promote the innocence of childhood. Enid Blyton was wholesome, something which today's writers are not. Despite all the argument about sexism.
Ok, rant over. I loved Enid Blyton until I got to about 11. I devoured the boarding school stories and also the Famous Five ones. her fairy and animal stories were simply lovely. And does anyone remember Binkle and Flip?
Ok, I'm glad you said the 60s... LOL was beginning to get worried!
This is interesting...
I loved Enid Blyton - The Famous Five and the 'Mystery of...' series, and both Malory Towers and St Clare's. The politically correct brigade drive me crazy - sure her books are full of attitudes that are different from the way we live now, but so is Shakespeare. You read them now just like any other historical book, and the very differences match up with the time they're from.
But then I had a tendency to read stuff from the 30's and 40's. I have an ottoman and boxes full of old school stories (Elinor M Brent-Dyer, Elsie J Oxenham and Dorita Fairlie Bruce) and 'boys' books too (Biggles, the Billy Bunter/Greyfriars books and Willard Price's ".....Adventure" series). And 'Swallows and Amazons'. And Noel Streatfield. And...
Etc.
I could go on for a very long time. But as a child I didn't even see the racist/sexist stuff that gets pointed out now, and when I went back and read them when I was older it just seemed a bit sad and quaint. Trying to whitewash such attitudes out of books is I think more insulting than letting kids know that this is the way it used to be, and now we're trying to be different.
But that's just me...
I loved Enid Blyton - The Famous Five and the 'Mystery of...' series, and both Malory Towers and St Clare's. The politically correct brigade drive me crazy - sure her books are full of attitudes that are different from the way we live now, but so is Shakespeare. You read them now just like any other historical book, and the very differences match up with the time they're from.
But then I had a tendency to read stuff from the 30's and 40's. I have an ottoman and boxes full of old school stories (Elinor M Brent-Dyer, Elsie J Oxenham and Dorita Fairlie Bruce) and 'boys' books too (Biggles, the Billy Bunter/Greyfriars books and Willard Price's ".....Adventure" series). And 'Swallows and Amazons'. And Noel Streatfield. And...
Etc.
I could go on for a very long time. But as a child I didn't even see the racist/sexist stuff that gets pointed out now, and when I went back and read them when I was older it just seemed a bit sad and quaint. Trying to whitewash such attitudes out of books is I think more insulting than letting kids know that this is the way it used to be, and now we're trying to be different.
But that's just me...
my fourth form teacher banned enid blyton. (In 1979!)
As for me, the boys have been brought up on Noddy, I liked noddy too, and even had a golly of my own (though it never turned me into a racist). I also remember with pleasure having all the secret seven books read to me and thought they were jolly good adventures.
As for me, the boys have been brought up on Noddy, I liked noddy too, and even had a golly of my own (though it never turned me into a racist). I also remember with pleasure having all the secret seven books read to me and thought they were jolly good adventures.
QUOTE(Alder @ Sep 24 2007, 02:58 PM)
This is interesting...
I loved Enid Blyton - The Famous Five and the 'Mystery of...' series, and both Malory Towers and St Clare's. The politically correct brigade drive me crazy - sure her books are full of attitudes that are different from the way we live now, but so is Shakespeare. You read them now just like any other historical book, and the very differences match up with the time they're from.
But then I had a tendency to read stuff from the 30's and 40's. I have an ottoman and boxes full of old school stories (Elinor M Brent-Dyer, Elsie J Oxenham and Dorita Fairlie Bruce) and 'boys' books too (Biggles, the Billy Bunter/Greyfriars books and Willard Price's ".....Adventure" series). And 'Swallows and Amazons'. And Noel Streatfield. And...
Etc.
I could go on for a very long time. But as a child I didn't even see the racist/sexist stuff that gets pointed out now, and when I went back and read them when I was older it just seemed a bit sad and quaint. Trying to whitewash such attitudes out of books is I think more insulting than letting kids know that this is the way it used to be, and now we're trying to be different.
But that's just me...
And me!
Swallows and Amazons- now THAT is a good series of books!
Oh, and Just William...
The truth is I've always found Enid Blyton a bit too kiddish for me.
QUOTE(BeamishBoy @ Sep 24 2007, 03:27 PM)
The truth is I've always found Enid Blyton a bit too kiddish for me.
BB you often lord your maturity over your peers. This comment is typical of someone who still has a lot of growing up to do emotionally. You have intellect, but I hazard that your EQ is not as well advanced.
I enjoy Noddy now. I'm 38 and have an IQ in excess of 135, but I can appreciate these books as the social statements they are, and as a good yarn to read to children around the ages of 5 and 6. Similarly with the Famous Five, Malory Towers et al.
I wouldn't sit down and read them for pleasure anymore, unless I was reading to my children, however I would read them to get a feeling about Enid Blyton herself and the age in which she lived and wrote.
Well Noddy was one of my school nicknames ! Even at Grammar School.
But other than Noddy, I dont think I read any of the others.
But other than Noddy, I dont think I read any of the others.
QUOTE(jod @ Sep 24 2007, 10:36 PM)
QUOTE(BeamishBoy @ Sep 24 2007, 03:27 PM)
The truth is I've always found Enid Blyton a bit too kiddish for me.
BB you often lord your maturity over your peers. This comment is typical of someone who still has a lot of growing up to do emotionally. You have intellect, but I hazard that your EQ is not as well advanced.
I enjoy Noddy now. I'm 38 and have an IQ in excess of 135, but I can appreciate these books as the social statements they are, and as a good yarn to read to children around the ages of 5 and 6. Similarly with the Famous Five, Malory Towers et al.
I wouldn't sit down and read them for pleasure anymore, unless I was reading to my children, however I would read them to get a feeling about Enid Blyton herself and the age in which she lived and wrote.
Hi Jod,
No, I had no intention of lording over anyone. I was merely expressing my personal opinion. I do find Enid Blyton a little too kiddish. I'm not saying only kids read her works or that her books are bad. Far from it. But it's a personal taste and she's not for me.
I think the boys at school will laugh if they see me carrying an Enid Blyton. We have moved on. From boys to men.
QUOTE(Alder @ Sep 24 2007, 02:58 PM)
This is interesting...
I could go on for a very long time. But as a child I didn't even see the racist/sexist stuff that gets pointed out now, and when I went back and read them when I was older it just seemed a bit sad and quaint. Trying to whitewash such attitudes out of books is I think more insulting than letting kids know that this is the way it used to be, and now we're trying to be different.
But that's just me...
Sort of what I was saying... you just have to see the books as social comments of their time.... and be aware of that. I would like to know what changes have been made though...Gollywogs changed to bad goblins when my boys were young.
QUOTE(BerkshireMum @ Sep 24 2007, 03:48 PM)
I adored Enid Blyton as a child. I collected every Noddy book (they were still being written as I progressed through primary school), loved the Faraway Tree, Famous Five and later the "Fatty" books where Frederick Trotwood solved mysteries and Mr Goon always got thing wrong.
Incidentally, my own daughter (now 23) also loved Enid Blyton and has insisted that my original Noddy books, now somewhat the worse for wear) are kept for her own children. I do wonder whether any grandchildren will take to them as much though, as they must be very dated now.
I'm glad other people remember "The Faraway Tree". My mum (who is a teacher) still thinks that these are the best Enid Blytons and far more original than Harry Potter.
Personally, I always wanted to be George from the Famous Five or Darell from Mallory Towers. The books were really enjoyable to read.
As for books getting dated, I gave a copy of Swallows and Amazons to a friend's son and said I hoped he wouldn't find it too old-fashioned. Thinking about it they were already rather old-fashioned when I was reading them in the early eighties. Anyway, the boy and his little sister loved the book and have read the whole series now.
I read Famous Five, like most of my generation, but I remember disliking Noddy - he and his friends always seemed so incredibly vindictive towards anybody they felt had wronged them!
QUOTE(katyjay @ Sep 24 2007, 02:05 PM)
I was a serious Mallory Towers and St.Clare's addict.
Same here.
QUOTE
I have an ottoman and boxes full of old school stories (Elinor M Brent-Dyer
I'd love to get my hands on the missing few Chalet School books that were never reprinted by Armada.
I have the 62 that have been and I hardly ever let them out of the house as they are never all in print and collecting them again would be close to impossible.
I loved Mallory Towers and St Claires stories, and I don't think those books should have been banned as there was no racism in the ones which I read. The example the original poster made, however was racist. Political Correctness was brought in to protect people, and although it goes a little too far at times (I'm vertically challenged....) the basic protection against sexism and racism is necessary (in my opinion) and those who are contemptupus about that, I find, are usually trying to justify their own prejudices.
Having said all that (and I did only read about three posts, so please don't think it was addressed to anyone in particular) I don't believe in censoring books. For goodness sake if you can read Gone With the Wind you can read Noddy - as long as parents and teachers are responsible enough to explain that what was acceptable in the past is no longer acceptable now.
If children are old enough to understand the stories they are old enough to understand that racism is wrong. (Even if it wasn't seen that way.)
When I was seven my dad let me read The Bobbsey Twins, and then sat me down and explained that even though they had a black slave, slavery and racism was wrong etc etc... I don't see anything wrong with that.
Ps I love the Chalet School too! Where did you get all those books?
Having said all that (and I did only read about three posts, so please don't think it was addressed to anyone in particular) I don't believe in censoring books. For goodness sake if you can read Gone With the Wind you can read Noddy - as long as parents and teachers are responsible enough to explain that what was acceptable in the past is no longer acceptable now.
If children are old enough to understand the stories they are old enough to understand that racism is wrong. (Even if it wasn't seen that way.)
When I was seven my dad let me read The Bobbsey Twins, and then sat me down and explained that even though they had a black slave, slavery and racism was wrong etc etc... I don't see anything wrong with that.
Ps I love the Chalet School too! Where did you get all those books?
QUOTE(lucky045 @ Sep 24 2007, 04:52 PM)
Ps I love the Chalet School too! Where did you get all those books?
Managed to get them together over the years whenever they came in print.
That last ones were first reprinted in the mid 1990s.
Armada seem to have started with them around 1967 though the ones I have are somewhere between 1983 and 1994.
QUOTE(BeamishBoy @ Sep 24 2007, 03:43 PM)
QUOTE(jod @ Sep 24 2007, 10:36 PM)
QUOTE(BeamishBoy @ Sep 24 2007, 03:27 PM)
The truth is I've always found Enid Blyton a bit too kiddish for me.
BB you often lord your maturity over your peers. This comment is typical of someone who still has a lot of growing up to do emotionally. You have intellect, but I hazard that your EQ is not as well advanced.
I enjoy Noddy now. I'm 38 and have an IQ in excess of 135, but I can appreciate these books as the social statements they are, and as a good yarn to read to children around the ages of 5 and 6. Similarly with the Famous Five, Malory Towers et al.
I wouldn't sit down and read them for pleasure anymore, unless I was reading to my children, however I would read them to get a feeling about Enid Blyton herself and the age in which she lived and wrote.
Hi Jod,
No, I had no intention of lording over anyone. I was merely expressing my personal opinion. I do find Enid Blyton a little too kiddish. I'm not saying only kids read her works or that her books are bad. Far from it. But it's a personal taste and she's not for me.
I think the boys at school will laugh if they see me carrying an Enid Blyton. We have moved on. From boys to men.
(is this a mature(?) boy or an immature man??)
However, I have a collection of Thomas the Tank Engine books from my childhood - all in ecellent condition and I still enjoy a late night read of either T the T E or "William" or "Jennings and Darbishire"
Now, does anyone else remember Jennings and Darbishire" by Anthony Buckeridge??
I read pretty much everything Enid Blyton wrote and started at an early age. I read her work alongside a huge amount of other writers and the social context of most of it was explained by teachers and parents so I could form my own conclusions also from a very early age.
I now have a Masters degree in Literature and I think any writer that encourages healthy debate is of value and only 'trash' writers of little consequence should be banned. Enid Blyton had genius, albeit of her own time and culture.
The truth is I've always found Enid Blyton a bit too kiddish for me.
BB you often lord your maturity over your peers. This comment is typical of someone who still has a lot of growing up to do emotionally. You have intellect, but I hazard that your EQ is not as well advanced.
I enjoy Noddy now. I'm 38 and have an IQ in excess of 135, but I can appreciate these books as the social statements they are, and as a good yarn to read to children around the ages of 5 and 6. Similarly with the Famous Five, Malory Towers et al.
I wouldn't sit down and read them for pleasure anymore, unless I was reading to my children, however I would read them to get a feeling about Enid Blyton herself and the age in which she lived and wrote.
Hi Jod,
No, I had no intention of lording over anyone. I was merely expressing my personal opinion. I do find Enid Blyton a little too kiddish. I'm not saying only kids read her works or that her books are bad. Far from it. But it's a personal taste and she's not for me.
I think the boys at school will laugh if they see me carrying an Enid Blyton. We have moved on. From boys to men.
(is this a mature(?) boy or an immature man??)
Immature man. I think it's becoming quite obvious.
I now have a Masters degree in Literature and I think any writer that encourages healthy debate is of value and only 'trash' writers of little consequence should be banned. Enid Blyton had genius, albeit of her own time and culture.
QUOTE(diapason @ Sep 24 2007, 05:04 PM)
QUOTE(BeamishBoy @ Sep 24 2007, 03:43 PM)
QUOTE(jod @ Sep 24 2007, 10:36 PM)
QUOTE(BeamishBoy @ Sep 24 2007, 03:27 PM)
The truth is I've always found Enid Blyton a bit too kiddish for me.
BB you often lord your maturity over your peers. This comment is typical of someone who still has a lot of growing up to do emotionally. You have intellect, but I hazard that your EQ is not as well advanced.
I enjoy Noddy now. I'm 38 and have an IQ in excess of 135, but I can appreciate these books as the social statements they are, and as a good yarn to read to children around the ages of 5 and 6. Similarly with the Famous Five, Malory Towers et al.
I wouldn't sit down and read them for pleasure anymore, unless I was reading to my children, however I would read them to get a feeling about Enid Blyton herself and the age in which she lived and wrote.
Hi Jod,
No, I had no intention of lording over anyone. I was merely expressing my personal opinion. I do find Enid Blyton a little too kiddish. I'm not saying only kids read her works or that her books are bad. Far from it. But it's a personal taste and she's not for me.
I think the boys at school will laugh if they see me carrying an Enid Blyton. We have moved on. From boys to men.
(is this a mature(?) boy or an immature man??)
Immature man. I think it's becoming quite obvious.
QUOTE(lottie @ Sep 25 2007, 12:55 AM)
(is this a mature(?) boy or an immature man??)
Immature man. I think it's becoming quite obvious.
My dear lottie,
You are not the first to think I'm a full grown man. Lots of people have said that I'm anything from 20 to 50. My sentence structure, thoughts, philosophy and facts can only come from the head of a full grown man. Wouldn't you agree to that?
I loved Mallory Towers, St Claire's and the Famous Five...as petrat said, they were very accessible and enjoyable to read. (I loved all the midnight feasts and found the french teachers running about saying "Tiens!" (I think) very exotic when I was ten!)
Don't know if I would read them again, but I do enjoy rereading my Roald Dahl books for pleasure. Nothing like it when you are having a stressful time, very comforting somehow and entertaining too!
Don't know if I would read them again, but I do enjoy rereading my Roald Dahl books for pleasure. Nothing like it when you are having a stressful time, very comforting somehow and entertaining too!
QUOTE(snhs @ Sep 24 2007, 06:14 PM)
QUOTE(BeamishBoy @ Sep 24 2007, 06:01 PM)
QUOTE(lottie @ Sep 25 2007, 12:55 AM)
(is this a mature(?) boy or an immature man??)
Immature man. I think it's becoming quite obvious.
My dear lottie,
You are not the first to think I'm a full grown man. Lots of people have said that I'm anything from 20 to 50. My sentence structure, thoughts, philosophy and facts can only come from the head of a full grown man. Wouldn't you agree to that?
To call you an immature man is, with all due respect to lottie, an insult to man as a whole. She is however quite correct to state that you are immature.
I'm guessing precocious teen, since no adult would deliberately make themselves sound so silly...
I don't remember the Bobbsey Twins having a slave! Weren't the books set in the 40s and 50s? Or did I miss something (it's been a while...mine fell to bits).
It's interesting that Enid Blyton books were banned, but not many others of a similar background.
I love all the Arthur Ransome ones, but if anyone wanted to, they could find racist, sexist, middle-class-only bits in them. They've always been in print since they were published, are still widely acclaimed and well loved. Perhaps it's because they don't talk down to the reader like Enid Blyton; in many cases they are quite complicated in their vocabulary, especially about boats and sailing.
Has anyone seen the wonderful mugs now available with copies of the original covers? Our local bookshop has them, they're lovely.
I love all the Arthur Ransome ones, but if anyone wanted to, they could find racist, sexist, middle-class-only bits in them. They've always been in print since they were published, are still widely acclaimed and well loved. Perhaps it's because they don't talk down to the reader like Enid Blyton; in many cases they are quite complicated in their vocabulary, especially about boats and sailing.
Has anyone seen the wonderful mugs now available with copies of the original covers? Our local bookshop has them, they're lovely.
I loved Enid Blyton. I started "the Mystery of's" at 8 years old, and progressed onto the Famous Five, The "of Adventure's", and then Malory Towers and St' Clares'. Loved them all. I have never gone on to call anyone who is a bit over weight "Fatty", or insist that a grubby looking child brought home to play by my daughters, has a bath 
I still fancy the idea of porridge with lashings of cream and brown sugar; and finding gold ingots in a cave or dungeon.
Never liked Noddy. My eldest liked The Faraway Tree, and still occasionally re-reads it when she's fed-up.
Ignore the pest or the thread will be taken over by the sniping.
Beverley.
I still fancy the idea of porridge with lashings of cream and brown sugar; and finding gold ingots in a cave or dungeon.
Never liked Noddy. My eldest liked The Faraway Tree, and still occasionally re-reads it when she's fed-up.
Ignore the pest or the thread will be taken over by the sniping.
Beverley.
QUOTE(Alder @ Sep 24 2007, 06:22 PM)
QUOTE(snhs @ Sep 24 2007, 06:14 PM)
QUOTE(BeamishBoy @ Sep 24 2007, 06:01 PM)
QUOTE(lottie @ Sep 25 2007, 12:55 AM)
(is this a mature(?) boy or an immature man??)
Immature man. I think it's becoming quite obvious.
My dear lottie,
You are not the first to think I'm a full grown man. Lots of people have said that I'm anything from 20 to 50. My sentence structure, thoughts, philosophy and facts can only come from the head of a full grown man. Wouldn't you agree to that?
To call you an immature man is, with all due respect to lottie, an insult to man as a whole. She is however quite correct to state that you are immature.
I'm guessing precocious teen, since no adult would deliberately make themselves sound so silly...
I don't remember the Bobbsey Twins having a slave! Weren't the books set in the 40s and 50s? Or did I miss something (it's been a while...mine fell to bits).
No I haven't read them since I was seven... I must be confusing them with something else... Very sorry about that.
Still my point remains the same... I do definitely remember a very clear conversation...
QUOTE(katyjay @ Sep 24 2007, 02:05 PM)
I was a serious Mallory Towers and St.Clare's addict. And Secret Seven and Famous Five.
Never really got on with the Noddy books though.
Me too, I read most of them!
I absolutely loved Enid Blyton's books when I was about 5-8. Famous Five, Secret Seven, Five-Find-Outers, all the ones about children who lived at places like Red-Roofs, Mistletoe Farm, Cherry-Tree Farm, Green Meadows or Happy House, the collections of moralistic little stories (if you tell the truth about breaking something, an old lady will inevitably invite you in for home-made cake etc. ), the ones about brownies and fairies and animals... My own juvenilia is extremely derivative of E.B. - it's pretty funny. The only ones I didn't much like were Noddy and the Wishing Chair. Oh, and wasn't too keen on the not-so-nice lands at the top of the Faraway Tree, like the one with scary polar bears or the one with Dame Slap's horrible school.
I was a serious Malory Towers and St. Clare's addict.
Same here.
Ah, me too. They were my favourite ones; read all of them. I really really wanted to go to boarding school when I was younger (okay, I still do).
I'd love to get my hands on the missing few Chalet School books that were never reprinted by Armada.
I have the 62 that have been and I hardly ever let them out of the house as they are never all in print and collecting them again would be close to impossible.
Oh, I'm so jealous! I have 30-40ish. If I'm ever in your area, can I drop in to read your books?
I think I'd rather go to the Chalet School than Malory Towers even (I have a secret desire to be trilingual, marry a doctor and have twins, obviously).
I'm feeling all nostalgic now.
), the ones about brownies and fairies and animals... My own juvenilia is extremely derivative of E.B. - it's pretty funny. The only ones I didn't much like were Noddy and the Wishing Chair. Oh, and wasn't too keen on the not-so-nice lands at the top of the Faraway Tree, like the one with scary polar bears or the one with Dame Slap's horrible school. QUOTE(sbhoa @ Sep 24 2007, 04:25 PM)
QUOTE(katyjay @ Sep 24 2007, 02:05 PM)
I was a serious Malory Towers and St. Clare's addict.
Same here.
Ah, me too. They were my favourite ones; read all of them. I really really wanted to go to boarding school when I was younger (okay, I still do
). QUOTE(sbhoa @ Sep 24 2007, 04:25 PM)
I'd love to get my hands on the missing few Chalet School books that were never reprinted by Armada.
I have the 62 that have been and I hardly ever let them out of the house as they are never all in print and collecting them again would be close to impossible.
Oh, I'm so jealous! I have 30-40ish. If I'm ever in your area, can I drop in to read your books?
I think I'd rather go to the Chalet School than Malory Towers even (I have a secret desire to be trilingual, marry a doctor and have twins, obviously). I'm feeling all nostalgic now.
QUOTE(Reverie @ Sep 24 2007, 08:16 PM)
QUOTE(sbhoa @ Sep 24 2007, 04:25 PM)
I'd love to get my hands on the missing few Chalet School books that were never reprinted by Armada.
I have the 62 that have been and I hardly ever let them out of the house as they are never all in print and collecting them again would be close to impossible.
Oh, I'm so jealous! I have 30-40ish. If I'm ever in your area, can I drop in to read your books?
I think I'd rather go to the Chalet School than Malory Towers even (I have a secret desire to be trilingual, marry a doctor and have twins, obviously). I'm feeling all nostalgic now.
Of course you can... you just don't get to take them out of the house.
A few years ago we even visited the Achensee which is the location of the Tiernsee where the First school was.
Went on the railway up the mountain and on the boat to Buchau.
Haha, yay! (I don't lend mine out either, much too precious. )
)
I loved Enid Blyton's books especially the Secret Seven. When I was at teacher training college in the sixties we were told Enid Blyton was not to be read to children because in her books children always got the better of adults! There were other silly reasons given as well but I didn't agree.
Last year in the Maternelle I did Franklin the Tortoise to death and the children loved it. so what, I asked myself could be the literary theme for this year - and htere on the shelves of the local supermarket were lots and lots of little Noddy books.
In French Noddy is called "Oui-Oui "and Big Ears is "Potiron". We are currently enjoying "Oui-Oui à la Plage" as a sort of final goodbye to the summer holidays. The children love it and we have a frieze of the pictures up in the classroom with captions. I've made captions without pictures for the children to match and we are all enthusiasticlally indulging in pre-reading activities. It's great!!
Last year in the Maternelle I did Franklin the Tortoise to death and the children loved it. so what, I asked myself could be the literary theme for this year - and htere on the shelves of the local supermarket were lots and lots of little Noddy books.
In French Noddy is called "Oui-Oui "and Big Ears is "Potiron". We are currently enjoying "Oui-Oui à la Plage" as a sort of final goodbye to the summer holidays. The children love it and we have a frieze of the pictures up in the classroom with captions. I've made captions without pictures for the children to match and we are all enthusiasticlally indulging in pre-reading activities. It's great!!
QUOTE(Reverie @ Sep 24 2007, 08:16 PM)
(I have a secret desire to be trilingual, marry a doctor and have twins, obviously).
I'm feeling all nostalgic now.
I know exactly what you mean! Jo was my favourite...
I have all the books up to the second world war when they had to re-locate to the Channel Islands, and a few from later on, but I felt that the earlier ones were strongest, with more clearly defined characters and storylines.
So many of the school stories were boarding school books (I was keen on Dorita Fairlie Bruce's 'Dimsie' series, and I don't know how many old "school prize" hardbacks I picked up down through the years).
I actually think that one reason the Harry Potter books have been so popular is Hogwarts itself, since almost no-one had written boarding school books in decades.
What a trip down memory lane! I was an avid reader of Enid Blyton as a child - just about everything she ever wrote, also Arthur Ransome, Malcolm Saville, Monica Edwards, AA Milne (has anyone read the more recent boks "The Tao of Pooh" and "The Te of Piglet?") and many other authors. When I was nine my mother and I followed our father out to Singapore, where he worked as a Naval Stores Officer. Before we went my mother stocked up on as many children's paperbacks as she could lay her hands on - just as well as the journey took six weeks, but that's another story. While in Singapore school was from 8 am till noon - no air conditioning, so it was considered too hot to work in the afternoon and I spent most afternoons lying on my bed reading. I bought more books, and my aunt sent some out from the UK when I couldn't get titles I wanted and I ran a lending library for my friends, who also enjoyed Enid Blyton etc. I also enjoyed reading "School Friend" (lovely little bluebird badge) and "Girl" (badge with girl's face with windswept hair as I remember) and Girl's Crystal. Those were the days! I can remember though, being unable to find anything I liked as a teenager - I went for years without reading anything much, and hated the books we had to read for school exams. How lucky teenagers are now to have some really good, exciting literature (as well as a lot of the other!)
QUOTE(jod @ Sep 24 2007, 03:36 PM)
QUOTE(BeamishBoy @ Sep 24 2007, 03:27 PM)
The truth is I've always found Enid Blyton a bit too kiddish for me.
BB you often lord your maturity over your peers. This comment is typical of someone who still has a lot of growing up to do emotionally. You have intellect, but I hazard that your EQ is not as well advanced.
Leaving BB's emotional maturity (or lack of it as the case may or may not be) aside, claiming that his comment is 'typical of someone who still has a lot of growing up to do emotionally" is just a bit patronising, isn't it?
I'm 47. I like to think that I have matured a little over the years it took to train as a surgeon, become a consultant, marry, raise 2 kids and so on. Admittedly I still laugh about what I'd like to be when I grow up (a child prodigy at the moment) but in defence of BB . . .
. . . I've never liked Enid Blyton much either, and for much the same reasons: Even when I was a kid I found them too "kiddish". I read them, a bit, because that was what was around. The Secret Seven seemed slightly less daft then than the Famous Five, (though why escapes me). Maybe I was irritatingly precocious as a kid. Or maybe I just had a reading age well in advance of my actual (or emotional) age, so I found that books actually aimed at my age group were often rather simplistic and patronising. Or maybe I jsut didn't like Enid Blyton: Some of us didn't - it doesn't make us immature!
. . . and for those who found Enid Blyton a bit too "jolly hockey sticks" or "ripping yarns", there was the play in the West End a couple of Decades ago called "Daisy Pulls It Off". Hilarious. Did anyone else see it?
QUOTE(katyjay @ Sep 24 2007, 02:05 PM)
I was a serious Mallory Towers and St.Clare's addict. And Secret Seven and Famous Five.
Never really got on with the Noddy books though.
Hey!! Me too!! I just loved the Twins and Famous Five!
The books may not be politically correct but they are great escapism.
QUOTE(Robodoc @ Sep 24 2007, 10:41 PM)
.. . . and for those who found Enid Blyton a bit too "jolly hockey sticks" or "ripping yarns", there was the play in the West End a couple of Decades ago called "Daisy Pulls It Off". Hilarious. Did anyone else see it?
I have seen it, but not in the West End, just a local amateur production. I rarely enjoy "take-offs" and didn't really like this one. If you don't like the school story genre it may be amusing, but to me it seemed to sneer at a lot of things I felt quite nostalgic about! Chaque un a son gout, I suppose.
I can only blame some of the more odd moments of her Noddy books on the large amounts of heroin she used to get through .
.
QUOTE(YetAnotherPianist @ Sep 25 2007, 12:51 AM)
I can only blame some of the more odd moments of her Noddy books on the large amounts of heroin she used to get through
.What sort of moments? I can't think of anything that would warrant that remark!
I used to love the Famous Five books...inherited them all from mother. Don't really care about maturity or whatever; they were fun to read, which is all I really wanted from them. People looking for enlightenment should probably go elsewhere...
QUOTE(sbhoa @ Sep 24 2007, 09:19 PM)
QUOTE(Reverie @ Sep 24 2007, 08:16 PM)
QUOTE(sbhoa @ Sep 24 2007, 04:25 PM)
I'd love to get my hands on the missing few Chalet School books that were never reprinted by Armada.
I have the 62 that have been and I hardly ever let them out of the house as they are never all in print and collecting them again would be close to impossible.
Oh, I'm so jealous! I have 30-40ish. If I'm ever in your area, can I drop in to read your books?
I think I'd rather go to the Chalet School than Malory Towers even (I have a secret desire to be trilingual, marry a doctor and have twins, obviously). I'm feeling all nostalgic now.
Of course you can... you just don't get to take them out of the house.
A few years ago we even visited the Achensee which is the location of the Tiernsee where the First school was.
Went on the railway up the mountain and on the boat to Buchau.
Oh, so that's where it was set. Thanks for telling me that; Achensee is not too far away.
My parents bought mine as a bundle at a jumble sale as far as I can remember.
I also wanted to be fluent in German and live in the alps. In fact.........I'm in Munich, married to a German, no twins yet though! I thought Joey had triplets.
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