Famous Five book giveaway – win lashings of books!
I was raised on Enid Blyton. Reading was my constant companion, and a battered Enid Blyton book became almost a permanent extension of my hand. I don’t care what the grammar police say about her, or that she was allegedly a bit of a dragon – I grew to love reading because of her books, as have millions of other children.
I read them all and was transported to the various worlds of The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, Malory Towers, St Clares, The Wishing Chair, and my favourite place to be, The Magic Faraway Tree.
I would read with a torch under the covers for hours, eventually nodding off hoping that Silky, Moonface and Saucepan Man would visit me in my sleep. Or, that the next morning Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy the dog would be standing on our doorstep, desperately in need of a sixth member to return to Kirrin Island with them and asking if my bags were packed with enough homemade ginger cake for the trip.
So it was with some trepidation that I read about Hodder giving Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series a 21st-century makeover.
Words such as ‘wizard‘, ‘jolly‘ and ‘guffaw‘ have been dropped altogether. School tunic is now uniform; Mother and Father are Mum and Dad; Peculiar is now strange and galoshes are wellies.
I think it’s sad that these much loved expressions could be lost forever. I never told any of my friends they were ‘swotters‘ nor did I wear a ‘sou’wester‘ but it didn’t stop me enjoying and appreciating a world where those words and phrases once existed.
Publisher Hodder Children’s Books puts annual sales of its Famous Five editions at over half a million. But research by brand owner Chorion found that this could be higher, claiming that many parents are put off introducing Blyton to their children because of its dated language.
I’d argue that language is specific to time and place, and children understand this. I’m a mother of two toddlers and we read together every day. In my experience unfamiliar words simply help my children expand their vocabulary and give us the chance to discuss the meaning of words together.
Publishing director of Hodder Children’s Books Anne McNeil said: ‘The actual stories remain the same – there’s no change to the plot whatsoever. Children who read (the Famous Five books) need to easily understand the characterisations and easily get into the plots. If the text is revised (they’re) more likely to be able to engage with them.’
McNeil has pointed out that Hodder would continue to release the classic editions of the Famous Five books, with unchanged text. ‘It’s unusual to have a writer like this, who appeals to such a volume of children, generation after generation. Some people won’t like the fact that revisions have been made – but the classic editions are still available.’
So, are the changes necessary? Will they make a difference to the pleasure children get from the books? Probably a bit of yes and no, but we’re pleased to say you can decide for yourself. We’re giving one lucky rabbit the chance to win the first five books of the new series. Thank you to the team at Hodder Children’s Books for the totally whizzo prize.
The new series launches today – 5 August – and there is also an updated website with a treasure hunt competition to mark the launch.
Competition
The competition is now closed. Congratulations to the winner chosen by publishers Hodder and Stoughton, Louisa Price. Thank you all for such creative and entertaining responses!
For a chance to win the set of books (pictured above) we want to know why you want to win them, delivered in your best Enid Blyton style. We’ll pick our winner on Thursday 12 August at 12 noon – after we’ve scoffed our picnic spread of cold tongue sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs and juicy plums. Oh, and (of course) lashings of ginger beer.
The best of British to you all.
We’re sorry, but due to the weight of this juicy prize, this competition is only open to UK and Ireland entries. We don’t do that very often, so we hope you’ll forgive us on this occasion.
I would love to win these as I never had them read to me and never had the chance to own or read them for myself and they would be a great reminder of my childhood too as i always wanted to be one of the Famous Five xx
I starred long and hard at the books – something about them captured my curiosity and I had to have them to find out what mysteries they held. Thank goodness, BookRabbit (the famous bookseller) saw how keen I was to dig myself into the books and decided that I should have them.
“Are are the Famous Five, Julian, Dick and Anne, George and Timmy the dog” lala la
la. These were my favourite books as a child, and I still remember the tv series theme! I would love for my children to read them too. Quentin was the uncle and the auntie made them far too much for their tea!
i would like to win then for my daughter as i read them when i was young
I want to win so that I can read books that have lots of jolly japes in them and spiffing adventures. Toodle pip!
I’m now 41 but i can always remember reading every Enid Blyton book from the age of 10,I would go to jumble sales to see if they had any,and used to read every night in bed,my favourite character was George as i was a tomboy and she reminded me of me.My 15 yr old girl now loves Enid Blyton and hopefully my 7 yr old boy will starting reading the books,I would love to win these books for me and my kids as i would love to build up the collection again
Jo said “Golly gosh! They couldn’t be more perfect..lashings and lashings of jolly japes and mysteries to solve – to last all summer long – mother and father will be so pleased, especially with no Dick and Fanny around!”
I would love to win these as my daughter has just developed a love of reading and I want to do everything possiblre to encourage this, and I loved these books in my younger days so we could read them together. Thanks.
I read all these book as a child and would like my son to be able to read them and follow lashings of adventures that take place in the books
The summer hols are here and I am jolly excited. I want to cycle to a quiet spot, spread out the picnic rug and remind myself of the stupendous stories I read by torchlight in a tent. I just hope it is not interupted by by mysterious flashing lights in the high tower on the hill or I shall have to find a tunnel to the tower to investigate …
i would luv to win these books because as my children get older we can enjoy the books together, just as i luved these books when i was younger, so pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee can i win
I’d love to win them because then my brother can have a jolly good time reading them and see how wizard they are!
i am 59yrs of age and i would love to read these books,
then i would pass them on to my grandchildren.
i would love to win this set of famous five books
iam a big fan of enid blyton.
after reading these books myself i would then
pass them on to my grandchildren to read.
Oh how spiffing! I used to love having a jolly good read of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five, getting lost in one of their Adventures. I’d better get Julian or Dick to make sure my entry is safe though as being a girl I’m not sure I should know how to use technology. Now if only we could get Darrell to join us from Malory Towers, we could have a midnight feast from our tuck boxes with some cucumber sanwhiches and bottles of lemonade whilst hiding from Matron or Mam’zelle! Oh I just love Enid Blyton!
I would adore having these books as my mum was a fan when she was my age and loved reading them, we would read them together and share the memories and have a good girly time and it would be our adventure…
It would be wizard to win such a spiffing set of books – I would have a jolly good time reading them with my children … while munching on homemade ginger cake and lashing of lemonade. It would be simply super to share the adventures and language of Enid Blyton.
Golly gosh if I won I think my galoshes would blow off with the excitement! Gracious! It would be just wonderful. What an absolutely smashing prize -you are a brick! Xx
Gosh, what an absolutely splendid prize! I was so flabbergasted at reading of such an incredibly exciting competition, I fair spat out my mouthful of ginger beer!
Dressed in their Sunday best for a afternoon picnic of cucumber sandwiches and ginger beer at Grandma’s Imogen and Joseph were jolly surprised when mother jumped up, clapped her hand and trilled “come along children lets have an adventure” Holding hands they all skipped back into Grandma’s house. They climbed the stairs and mother picked up a stick and began prodding the attic hatch. A creaking ladder appreared from the blackness I’m scared said Imogen, “don’t be a silly billy” Joseph joshed “I’ll look after you”. So up they climbed, following mother into the dusty black space.
In the gloom they could see mother delving through old travelling trunks as she let out a distressed scream they both clung to each other before turning tail and bolting pelmel for the attic stairs.
They could here the adults speaking in hushed whisper’s “Mother what have you done with my old Enid Blyton books” Mother said to Grandma, Grandma replied “They were my books before they were your’s and first editions at that. A jolly nice gentleman from the Auction House visited and I sold them so father and I could have a spiffing trip away” Imogen and Joseph knew the at times like this children should be seen and not heard and with mothers words of “I wanted to share them with the children” ringing in their ear skipped off to the woods at the bottom of the garden where their secret was hidden. They climbed into the Magic Wishing Chair and wished theselves to the offices of Bookrabbit where they knew they could curl up and enjoy loosing themselves in a jolly good read.
Remember soooooooo well reading when i was little,brought me so much pleasure.
I would love to win these books because I read every one of them when I was a child. i read them over andf over again and was so absorbed in them. i now have an 8 year old son, who enjoys reading, and would love him to experience the same feelings as I did when I read them. They are captivating.
What a great gift this would be for my grandaughter
What a jolly good prize! It would keep dear daughter busy all of the summer hols. Reading is such a spiffing occupation don’t you agree?
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Louisa. She was a rather boring little girl, who read lots of books, how boring is that?
Then she grew up and had children, she wanted her poor children to read lots of books just like she did when she was little. She was so mean she even named one of her children Timmy, after the dog she used to read about when she was little, and her daughter was very lucky not to be called Georgina, as that was one of the names on her list. She wasn’t mean enough to think of calling the other little boy Quentin though!
Luckily for Louisa’s children, she lost the books when she moved house, so the lucky children havent been made to read those boring old books she read. Until she manages to get hold of those books again, that is!
My kids love would be over the moon to win these books.
Oh how I’d love to read these books again & relive my childhood. I had them, passed them on to my younger sister, who in turn passed them on to her kids.
Rachel looked hopefully at the screen, and put down her bottle of home-made lemonade. “Mother”, she enquired, “Do you think that one day I might grow up to have jolly adventures like the boys and girls in these books?”
Mother smiled, “Of course Rachel, you and all your friends. As long as you are back home in time for supper, and take care not to crease the corners of the pages.”
(The fact that Rachel’s actually only 6 months old just makes it even more Enid Blyton-ish. I never really got over how grown-up the children spoke in her books)
Roxy couldn’t believe she had found such a splendid competition to enter, now all she had to do was decide on what to write in order to persuade the grown ups to send the prize to Danbury. Why wouldn’t they want to let a 5 and a half year old who has just had such a marvelous school report win!
Goodness said Moonface, whatever will we do, we’ve run out of cushions for the slippery slip, you can’t stay up here much longer. Don’t worry Moonface said Fanny, The Land of the Book Rabbits will be passing by the top of the tree soon., those bunnies will know just what to do. Jo Bessie and Fanny climbed up the highest branches of the Faraway Tree, waving to Saucepan Man and narrowly avoiding a soaking from Dame Washalots dish water and arrived the The Land of the Book Rabbits. Bernard the Book Rabbit hopped over to the them and Bessie told them about their dilemma. Luckily Bernard was an old friend of Moonface and was very happy to help. “Here” said Bernard, “Take these Famous Five books and you can slide down the slippery slip on them, then you can take them home and read them!” “Fabulous!” exclaimed the children. “Theyre just what we need!”
Jessica complained to mother that she was bored. Mother gave her and Ellie some books to read and now they were so looking forward to the summer hols. ‘YIPPEE’ they shouted. They were so looking forward to having an adventure! They went to their clubhouse to discuss the happenings of the last few days. Their friends arrived one by one each whispering the password.There had been the mysterious lights flashing in the house over the road after dark, the strange conversation they had overheard in the garden next door, the rather odd footprints in the flowerbed and all manner of odd goings on! What could it all mean? They were going to the seaside soon and they were going to keep an eye out for caves that smugglers might use or perhaps a secret island! They were planning a midnight feast that night and they were jolly excited.
That night after dark they crept from their beds – they musn’t wake mother or father-
and peeked through the window. Those flashing lights were there again…and what was that? It looked like a man and his dog, but not just any dog- and what were they doing in the street in the middle of the night? They were all confused! As they ran down the creaky stairs they pulled on their coats and galoshes. They opened the door, a blast of cold wind struck them in the face. What would happen next?…..
Mother told them that if she won this competition they would have more adventures to read about. ‘Jolly Spiffing’ the girls cried! They couldn’t wait…..
This is a joint effort between myself and my daughter who got so into the story she is now continuing to write the adventure!!
I used to be a massive collector of blyton books and at one point was lucky enough to own a full set of 1st edition hardbacks of all 21 famous five books, all with their wonderful pictoral dustjackets.
Alas family and money commitments meant i had to long ago sell them, and my collection of over 500 Blyton books has long gone to other collectors
i would love to see these new editions and see how much they have changed and read them with my daughter to see what she would make of these changes.
i loved these books
wow brings back so many good memories
I used to use all my Birthday and Christmas money on Enid Blyton books(in the 1950’s). Sadly they were all given away to other children so these would be a fantastic replacement to share with the grandchildren!
I’ve heard a little about ‘The Famous Five’ but never had the chance to read about them. I’d love to read this with my little sister.
As a child, very long ago (sigh)!, i read re read, these lovely books, now with two great grand children, this prize would be great, bonus read to them relive my childhood thanks
Like many people I hated school but every friday before bell time, the teacher would read half an hour of one of these books. this was the one and only time I didn’t want to to hear the going home bell, I was so enthralled and couldn’t wait for the following friday for the next installment.
I WOULD LOVE TO WIN THESE BOOKS I HAD THEM AS A CHILD AND IT WOULD TAKE ME BACK TO WHEN I HAD TIME TO DREAM ABOUT EXITMENT AND ADVENTURE AND WE ALL NEED A BIT OF THAT TO CHEER US UP PLEASE LET IT BE ME
Golly gosh, these spiffing new books will bring back memories of my childhood summers, sitting under trees, drinking lashings of ginger beer whilst reading my Famous Five books.
IN THE OLDEN DAYS A LONG TIME AGO WHEN PLAYSTATIONS AND COMPUTERS DID NOT EXIST IN CHILDREN’S BEDROOMS, YOU WOULD FIND A LITTLE GIRL (ME) READING A BRILLIANT EXCITING FAMOUS FIVE BOOK. THE GIRL WOULD PRETEND TO BE ONE OF THE CHARACTERS AND SEARCHED FOR CLUES IN THE GARDEN. SUCH INNOCENCE BUT SO MUCH FUN.
I WOULD LOVE TO PASS THESE BOOKS ONTO MY GRANDCHILDREN SO THEY CAN SHARE THAT EXPERIENCE WITH ME.
Would bring back chilhood memories and reawaken the child inside me. It would be great to snuggle up with my Grandchildren and read these to them, a great way to get them interested in books.
Riverbank adventures, mystery and suspense mixed with a childs vivid imagination, Take me back to my childhood when days were long, summers went on forever and life was one big adventure, with lashings of orange squash instead of ginger beer though .
I think it is frightfully sad that the most spiffing words are now left out of the jolly books of the wonderfully talented Enid Blyton. I would like to win the whizzo books for my delightful daughter, who actually has some of the original books, so she can compare them and tell me which she prefers. Just off to scoff a cold tongue sandwich now and of course the lashings of ginger beer!
By winning this prize, I would be able to read them out loud to my daughter (who cannot yet read) and encourage her love of books.
Mummy always said that these were a super read and that she loved everyone in them particularly brave George (gosh, did you know she was a GIRL?!) Mummy also said that my little solders would LOVE to read them as they were always smashing fun and such an interesting read!!
We actually have timmy the dog! and i would so love to be able to share the stories of the famous five with my children the are just the right age now! I sure the copies would just as well worn as mine!
What a jolly good old spiffing competition this is. A terrific jamboree of literary proportion to entertain one with lashings of good wholesome adventure and fantasy.
The summer sun, bees buzzing in the air, baby birds tweeting to their mothers and fathers for even more food, the fragrant flowers sending their scent on the gentle cooling breeze, a jugful of home made ginger beer on standby and platefuls of finger sized cucumber sandwiches at your side as you settle down in your deckchair to read of the childhood adventures of the famous five and the mischievous trappings of timmy the dog.
Meanwhile as you get caught up in the intrigue of the book you can almost hear “george” in the near distance despairingly asking yet again for her mother not to keep calling her ‘Georgina’- “mother please, my name is GEORGE” she cries, and you easily imagine julian, dick and anne turning away from their aunt fanny for fear of being caught giggling only to be caught in the gaze of their uncle quentin who nods knowingly but with a smile on his own face at his daughters seeming independant insistance on being known by her preferred nickname, in the safe and sure knowledge that his beloved wife fanny will continue to call george- georgina- after all it was her christenened name he reasons to himself, but acknowledging this would be an ongoing battle, that neither would win, you are indeed your mothers daughter he smiles to himself.
Middleclass England at its best in safer and seemingly happier times away from the all hustle, bustle and technological beeps and blips of the modern world. A safer, slower, more carefree world, one couldn’t wish for more.
I would absolutely love to win these books I used to be a massive collector of blyton books all with their pictoral dustjackets and i would love to own them again xx
Nana sat Libby on her knee and cuddled her gently, remembering how she had done the same with her own children when they were knee high to a grasshopper. She recalled how she had read them jolly tales of adventures from Enid Blyton’s Big Book and how they had chuckled. Mallory Towers had been Nana’s own personal favourite from her childhood but they had loved Noddy and Big Ears, then later came the wonderful Famous Five and Secret Seven. A smile spread across Nana’s face as she recalled many happy times from the past, and she knew that Libby would enjoy listening to those same bedtime stories and reading the same books for herself just as much as they had.
“Oh Mummy, there’s a splendid competion to win some ‘Famous Five’ books, do go online & enter for them. It would be jolly good if we could have something fun & adventurous to read. I really would love to have some books with a bit of mystery in them & what a treat if they were full of children getting into scrapes. Do enter, Mummy, do!”
I had the joy, excitement and love of reading started from these books.
I would love to pass this fun to my grandchildren.
I was transported to this world I could ‘visually’ see and enjoy.
I would simply love to own these marvellous books. I can just see us now, Aunt Dotty, Cousin Fred, dear old Moonface and myself sharing the excitement within their pages.
And when we had read for a while we would refresh ourselves with lashings of ginger beer and some of those wonderful toffeepops our dear old Aunt loves to bake so much (when she isn’t knitting scarves for the fairies). Yes, what a thrilling prize they would make, I do so hope I win!
Jo, Bessie and I have just got home from our latest adventure at the top of the Faraway Tree. It was the Land of Take-What-You-Want but Moon Face took the one thing you should never take, grumpy Enid’s laptop! If I win this splendid set of books I could give them to Moon Face and we could return the laptop to Enid so she can ‘update’ some more novels. We may even get home in time for supper.
I think they should jolly well change them back to the way they were!
I used to have an absolutely spiffing time reading these as a child. I would love for my son to have the same chance to read these now, hes just the right age to indulge in a jolly good adventure between the pages. I am sure he will have a wizard time reading them
As a little girl I read all the Famous 5 and Secret 7 books with avidity and whilst now they may seem somewhat dated, the fact that the language has been updated for these new issues will allow these books to be loved by a whole new generation! My little girl, who is a real bookworm would absolutely love these
I have a confession. I only knew about Enid Blyton as a youngster. As a young boy with two other brothers, we had plenty enough on our plates with our own exploits and adventures, ( mainly enacted in our very own ‘back-door’. Well, it was shared, as one of four neighbours, so we had a good few places to hide-and seek, and get lost, if we really wanted to !)
Next on the confession list, while we are at it, so to speak, is the fact that I had never read my first novel, for boys, from start to finnish, until I was 12 or 13. Given me as a present, it was titled ‘Kit and the mystery man’. It was a very good modern adventure story. I loved it, along with the fact that I could boast…’I have read a whole book,… all by myself ! ‘
I would be very pleased to catch-up on my boy-hood misspent youth ( usually in our own little back yard, oh yes and the adjoning public park, after tackling the high wall, without the ‘parkie’ seeing you, and blowing the dreaded whistle, which meant you were a ‘maked man’ ) Good spirted writing lasts the test of time, and the Blyton yarns can surely be counted in said categoy, along with that other great English stalwart and standard setter, P. G. Woodhouse. So thanks for listening, and good luck to all entrants, I’ve enjoyed reading your entries.
I was George, the tomboy. All by myself. I had to pretend I was on all these jolly adventures with a forgetful brilliant science father and cousins I grew to love even if I wasn’t keen on them when they first arrived. It was a time of perpetual summer, picnics and beastly bad men that we would always defeat in the end (even if my Timmy was an overweight female dog that waddled along beside me). I’d like my children to discover these books where children weren’t always perfect but were certainly not rude, and to see a world where bad people always get there comeuppance!
“By George!” says Sue as she sat at her spiffing internet browsing machine and flicked her eyes across this wondrous sight. “I really must try my hand at winning this fantastic Enid Blyton reading material as i am positive my darling children would love to experience all the amazing fun that i had as a child.” “Tim Tim com here quick!” she says to her loving husband you really must see this jolly jape and help me to be verbal about the fun it could bring”. “I certainly will” Says Tim as any good daddy would, and this is what they did.
Sounds like a topping prize to me, fingers crossed that I’ll be the lucky person to get picked. My little man would love these and we would celebrate with a wizard picnic with lashings of ginger beer and scrummy iced fingers.
As Rob awoke to the sound of birds singing on a warm summer morning, there was a knock at the door, a tall uniformed stranger stood there holding a mysterious package. Rob took the package and slowly opened it……. The mystery of the missing Blyton books was solved! Rob looked forward to the sharing the wonders of the books with his 5 year old son.
There were three children who loved splendid high teas with scones, cakes and lashings of ginger ale. After high tea, they would sneak some food and then put their alarms clocks under their pillows set for midnight. They would then have a spiffing night time Enid Blyton story and go to sleep. Waking up at midnight, they would all tuck in to a fabulous midnight feast and talk about their adventures.
Gosh! How exciting! But if they’re changing the phraseology, I should jolly well hope that they’re updating the plots too and, of course, those names are a bit old fashioned. How about Conner, Josh, Tia and Porsche not forgetting Tyson the Pit Bull and instead of lashings of ginger beer, today’s kids would prefer Red Bull and Bacardi Breezer. These stories are from a gentler age. I vote to keep them that way. Would I still like to win them? … Rather!
What a jolly idea. Mother read these books to me and I just love reading them under the covers at night. What spiffing good lot of clean fun. Just off to have my ginger beer and wrapped sandwiches. Wouldn’t it be wizard to win. Just looked out the window Golly it’s raining, I will need my sol’wester today but never mind it will be an adventure. Come on Timmy, walkies.
The Famous Five were always better than the Secret Seven
On their return from the summer days adventures Megan, Dylan Zachary and Dexter the dog headed into the kitchen to find mother covering large rounds of bread with jam and preparing warm sweet tea.
All there adventures during the day they agreed was a secret, it would not be wise to share with mother who would no doubt be upset at them venturing so far into the forest.
After they had filled themselves on the glorious tea and began to settle in their beds , mother arrived with a strange parcel, the childrens curiousity immediately shook them from their cosy beds, “Good evening children I have the greatest surprise for you!” said mother. The children quickly surrounded mother at the end of their beds as she revealed a box full of the greatest adventure stories, there were magic tree people , young adventurer’s fairies ,pixies everthing the children loved. “Golly what a fine surprise”remarked Megan and all the children settled down to listen to mother reading about children just like them having adventures, helping people and even a jolly fine picnic or two !. Maybe mother did understand something about their summer adventures they thought as they drifted off to sleep ready for all tomorrow would bring. “Thank you Bookrabbit ” mother whispered as she crept from the sleeping childrens room.
The children here are played by my 3 youngest children Meg,Dyls and Zach with a special guest appearance from Dexter the dog.
This is my reason I would love to win these books as they need to be shared with the next generation as my mother shared them with me.
I have four children who all love stories, and reading. I read Enid Blyton as a child, and would love these to read to them !
Golly what a smashing prize!
This is just what the Doctor ordered!
I would love to be able to lose myself in the world of high teas with a table groaning with smashing grub and lashings of ginger beer, I even fantasise about jam sandwiches with thick slices of fresh home made bread yummy!
To top it of endless summer hols of fun and adventure in the wonderful world of Julian, Dick, Anne, George and Timmy!
Oh what Bliss!
Oh golly gosh what a treat it would be to give my grandchild a brand new set of these spiffing books . We could have a picnic on the beach with ginger pop , eggie sandwiches and read about Kirrin Island and Timmy the dog. She would not find it strange that there was a girl called George though she might be a tad envious of the freedome these lucky children had to roam free with all baddies being captured with the help of the famous five.I had to wait until my rich friends had finished with their copy of the latest book to read it myself but it was well worth the wait.
I think that it really
Is quite a stinker
To stop using words
Like Golly, Wow or Stinker
Because it was trully Spiffing
What Enid Blyton wrote
I have very fond memories
Of a favourite Famous Five quote
So if I could have one wish
It would be to read again
The famous books with my children
And take a walk down memory lane !!
I’ve always found Enid Blyton unputdownable – would love to win this
Certainly brings back happy memories of my childhood.I would love my grandchildren to be able to read them.
Besides I make a pork pie to die for,which I’ll make and bring to your picnic……..if I win!!
I had a huge collection of Enid Blyton books when I was a child, but unfortunately, did not keep them. I’m sure my daughter would enjoy reading them as much as I did.
I was a child when they were first published and could not wait for the new adventures of Julian, Dick, George, Ann and Timmy the dog to be published. The anticipation was made even keener by the waiting list for them at my local library and how I tried the patience of the poor librarian by my frequent visits to see if they had been returned. They certainly encouraged my love of reading which has grown even stronger despite the counter attractions of the internet and multi-channel television. I read the stories to my young son, and I’d love to win these to allow him to read them to his newly acquired goddaughter. Oh, and incidentally, I grew up to be a librarian!
I have the oddest feeling I should hang my head in shame.
Most kindly folk aspiring to win Blyton’s “Five” of Fame,
Long to share the sheer excitement they enjoyed in days of yore…
Spiffing picnics by the dozen, grand adventures by the score.
Although I’m usually noted for my generosity,
If I won this literary treasure, I’d keep it just for me!
I grew up on Enid Blyton and would love my daughter who loves to read them too.I think she’ll compare herself to George
I would love to win this set so that my children can read these books just like I did as a child. Im Lucky that both my children love reading so this would be a lovely set to addto the collections of books
As a child i use to hide under my duvet with my torch reading my collection of Enid Blyton books listening for my mums footsteps on the landing ,hoping she wouldn’t come in and catch me out just as I got to the good bit.I would really love to win these so my daughter can experience the fascinating adventures of the Famous Five as they set off on one of their amazing adventures with Timmy in tow,as they ride off on their bikes on one of their holidays together.
Wow I cant wait to read the adventures to my children, I loved the tales when I was younger. I always wanted to go on an adventure like the famous 5.
Once upon a time, Tina sat her computer wondering what she could write to impress the judges. As she became tired and dreamy eyed, she glanced up to see Enid’s ‘Round The Clock Stories’ and ‘Book of Fairies’ shuffling to the edge of her book shelf. As they leant over, holding onto one another for fear of toppling, fairy dust fell down from their raggedy jackets into her sleepy eyes. And before she could say “fiddle-de-dee”, there were greedy goblins squabbling in her tea cup, mischevious pixies poking their heads out from her printer, qiggling and photocopying themselves and tiny fairies fluttering at her fingertips, making her computer type a winning tale all by itself, to bring their five new companions to stay…
Golly gosh I think that these books would just be totally spiffing for my young daughter. She throughly enjoyed reading the entire secret series which in turn gave me hours of quiet time! Time that I could have spend on a treasure island or capturing smugglers if only I had have had 4 other friends to come with me! Oh well one can only hope.
I would be jolly well pleased to win these for my spiffing daughter Charlotte, as she has lashings of ginger hair. Hurrah!
Having read them all when I was younger, and then to my shock and horror discovering that they had been given to the jumble sale – I would love to read them all again.
I still love it in a quiz when the classic question ‘How many people are there in the Famous Five?’ No one could ever forget about Timmy the dog!!
I would be so spiffingly joyful if I could win these books, although I’ll pass on the tongue sandwiches : )
Oh Jolly Wizzard! I’m preparing the marmalade sandwiches with my dog scamp in anticipation!
I would love to win these books as i grew up on Enid Blyton. Ive read most of teh Famous five, Secret Seven, Twins at St Clare’s series and the Mallory Towers one. But i especially cherished The famous 5 and Secret 7 books as they so timeless. Apart from the lack of reference to modern technology. If hard to believe these books were written more than 60 years ago.
Growing up i especially look forward to school holidays when i think it was ITV would put on an adaptation of a famous five book, these were brillant as really helped to bring all the mystery and suspense to life.
I love the fact these books can be ejoyed by boys as well as girls and so would love to win to share with my children, and to help a new generation et the joy from them i did.
They would make a terribly lovely present for my rogue-ish neices and nephews.
Good golly gosh,spiffing splended adventures from my deck chair in the garden with my own timmy,transported to the countryside of my adventure as one of the famous five as i doze off.Only to be dashed by our summer rain ruining my dream as it falls onto my head.
Lashings and lashings of frolicks and fun,
Long summer days spent in the sun;
Life-lasting friendships with shared memories
Oh what a merry jape, oh what a wheeze;
Picnics, adventures, carefree and jolly
Literary heritage, by gosh and by golly!
What’s that in the corner – everyone looks
Goodness gracious, a pile of books
Just spiffing to read with our orangeade
Tales of children who were never afraid
Of Dirty Dick and villains galore
Reading one makes us beg for more.
I would be delighted to win the Enid Blyton books- I grew up reading them, wanted to go to Malory Towers and St.Clares, wanted to be a member of the Famous Five and Secret Seven- most of all I wanted to drink lashings of ginger beer and tongue sandwiches!
If I won the books I would have an Enid Blyton picnic in the park with ginger beer, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, tongue sandwiches and fruit cake after which we will play ball games and then I will read one of the books to my kids as I want them to appreciate the general spiffingness that is Enid Blyton!
Starting reading these when I was 6 and can’t wait to introduce them to my little boy.
Our adventure started, as the best always do, on a wet day, when Granny opened the old wardrobe.
“These were your mummy’s”, she said, bringing out two of the scruffiest books I had ever seen, One was The Red Story Book, with my favourite story EVER-The Sniggle Snoggle Snook! The other was a blue one, The Adventures of Binkle and Flip. Oh how we loved curling up with grandad as he first read Enid Blyton to us.
Later, Granny gave us Mallory Towers books. I loved seeing my mum’s name in them, but why I was forced to go to some comprehensive on a council estate when I could have joined Darrell at Mallory Towers was beyond me!
These adventures, led us to the greatest books ever written for children of any generation-The Famous Five!
I would pray for the next church or Scout jumble sale in the valiant hope of finding more. Strangely enough, my mother never let us go on unaccompanied holidays with lusty farmers, smugglers and strange secret passageways.
In my mind I still hanker after a spiffing adventure.
My mummy is now 70 and I still have her books, she may even have some of mine in her loft!
Enid Blyton introduced me to the adventure of reading, I’d love to pass on the excitement and hope that The Famous Five gave me, to my kids!
I loved this books as a kid and would love to read this with my kids and eventually grandkids
I was brought up on them, my 4 children were, and now I would love my grandchildren to be.
Timmy the dog barked as the postman rang the doorbell. It must mean I’ve got a parcel! With great anticipation I ran to the door. And yes there it was- a big brown parcel addressed to me. Opening it up I could not believe it as there infront of me was a whole collection of my favourite childhood books by Enid Blyton. Well, the housework would have to wait now. I poured myself a cool glass of ginger beer and sat on my wishing chair under the magic faraway tree in my garden. Brer Rabbit looked at me from his hutch and wodered what I was doing there at this time of day. Before long I was lost in a land of fairies, pirates, little people and having wonderful adventures. The tree above me whispered its own special sounds and I felt as if I had been transported by fairy dust back to my childhood and all the wonderful memories of reading these adventures under my bedcovers by torchlight.
I dont know how much time had passed before the sounds of Julian, Anne and George arriving home from school interrupted my wonderful day. How lucky that I had found that competition online just in time before it closed and entered. I secretly smiled to myself and hid my prize away. A few more days of lazing in the garden with these fantastic adventures and escape from grown up life were ahead of me before I let my children or husband , Dick , in on the secret!
What a jolly spiffing prize, now all you have to do bookrabbit, is organise yourselves into a splendid team and seek out those devillishly hard clues , whilst guffawing at all the silly ones, whilst leaving no stone unturned in the search through all the comments until you find the perfect winner. You can always have lashings of yummy cake when you are done. Meanwhile I will be fiendishly hoping that my little boy can get a chance to love these books just like I still do!
I would love to win this squiffing prize so i could sit with my daughters reliving the world of cream teas with lashings of ginger beer. I can jolly well remeber darell and sally at malory towers, but my favourite adventures were always with timmy the dog, anne dick, george and julien , i had wizard adventures losing myself in a world of mystery and intrique, aunt would call us in for tea .once we even went to smugglers top for our holidays with julian and dick’s friend sooty lenoir.Golly gosh the time we had it was teriffic. Oh to be ten again
Oh, you silly! But of course I want to win. But only for my dear friend Jane, because reading books is a silly girls thing. Since I got Mummy to cut my hair short and became a tomboy, I don’t go in for this sort of thing.
That said, you’d be a jolly good sport if you awarded me this prize. I say, I remember reading Enid Blyton books as a gel. And it didn’t do me any harm, reading of the adventures of those darling tinkers. I adored the smugglers the best and having read this, dear heart, it leaves me desirous of some potted meat. And lashings of ginger beer, of course.
What wonderful memories these books hold for me, as a young girl I used to read these books along with Enids’ brilliant Secret Seven books, I used to imagine that i was part of their little group wondering off on sunny days and enjoying picnics and freshly made lemondade.. i can still taste it now.
Packed with adventures and excitement and to those who always saved the day, during the summer holidays a group of us would wonder off into the fields near were we lived and used to pretend that we were the famous five or the secret seven , i wonder what happened to them all, these were my favourite childrens books, if i should be so lucky to win a set after i have read them i will pass these to my grandaughter and grandson to read and let them enter the wonderful world of Enid and her children.
On a splendid Sunday afternoon she had discovered that she won!
It would be jolly spiffing if my two young adventurers would read themselves to sleep.
I owned all the Famous Five books when I was a child, I passed them onto my sister. Now that I have a young grandson I would love to win these books and help him discover these adventures