Hands up all who find those book titles above familiar?
Is it an accomplishment to say that I’ve read every book in the whole entire series of each of the stories above? Well, except for Noddy. I don’t ever remember reading Noddy very much. I was reading other books about nursery toys that come alive instead.
This subject was actually prompted by a friend with whom I was chatting to. She told me that she had just started her 4 year old son on Enid Blyton’s books because he had polished off the entire Ladybird series already. I told her it was great but I just did not know how popular Enid Blyton is anymore because there are people who think its old-fashioned and out of the times.
Enid Blyton depicts life in England as it was in the 50’s where things are relatively idyllic. Kids could form groups of 5 or 7 and get into hijinks and run around the town without too much control from their parents. These days, there is no parent who will dare let their kids out of their sight because of pederasts crawling all over the place. You can’t even let your 8 year old walk alone to the pasar malam (night market). Incidentally, this little girl has not yet been found.
So, my friend asked if there were other books to recommend because she isn’t so familiar with English kids books, growing up in an non-English environment, and I told her I did not know of any because I grew up on a diet of Enid Blyton and God-willing, so will my own kids!
I want my kids to bug me about having a pony for a pet (Mistletoe Farm), going away to boarding school (Malory Towers, St. Clares), having a rocking chair (The Wishing Chair), having lots of dollies and a nursery (any nursery story), having adventures (Famous Five, Secret Seven) climbing trees in the woods to look for Moon-face and Silky and different worlds (Faraway Tree) going to the circus (Mr. Galliano’s circus) just like how I bugged my parents.
I want my kids to grow up thinking England is forever green with rolling hills and low hedges and kids who say “Golly!” and “Super!” and eat liquorice sticks and jam rolls and potted meat sandwiches and barley sugar (thanks Pinkelle!) and toffee apples. I want them to ask me if you can picnic on a meadow and buy fresh eggs and pickled onions from a kindly farmer’s wife at a nearby farm.
I went to England with Enid Blyton firmly in mind. Within the first few months, I’d stuffed my face full of toffee apples, liquorice sticks, barley sugar, jam rolls and everything else I’d wanted to try from reading Enid Blyton. There is no better way to advertise England, if you are looking for a 1950s style England.
So yes, I will read Enid Blyton to my kids for I believe that kids should be allowed to live in a bit of a fantasy world sometimes and not have to deal too much with reality. There’s enough of that once they grow up.
I don’t believe in whatever homophobic or racist tones people have seen in her children’s book. I grew up wanting a golliwog and my aunt had a golliwog I loved to play with. I saw it as a doll, never as a euphemism for black = bad. Enid lived in a very different world from now and I don’t think we should be superimposing our ideas and perceptions on her time.
Anyway, its the adults who make life difficult and read inferences into everything. Children merely love the stories. Just like this year’s Petronas merdeka ad on tv. Has anyone seen it? Children don’t know the difference between race - all they know are who are their friends and who aren’t. Its the adults who make a big thing out of it and the world would be a happier place if adults did not impose their ideals on children.
So, would you read Enid Blyton to your kids?
14 comments ↓
I don’t know. I never grew up reading them. I grew up reading the medical, science and philosophy books around my house. Even if I didn’t understand them, I went through them over and over again.
I would however read my kids the Tales of Redwall books which has the same air of traditional England, just with animals and a clear cut line between good and evil.
There is always something about English stories that always have an air of charm around them. I can’t seem to find an American counterpart that has the same feel to it.
I would, I would! I would want them to have midnight feasts and secret clubs!
Btw, interesting isn’t it how all the featured kids were white! But then again, I guess in 50s England there weren’t that many blacks!
I definitely would! I grew up reading these books and would definitely buy them for my kids in future. I was a big fan of The Five Find-Outers, Mallory Towers and Mr. Galliano’s circus…and like Pinkelle said…midnight feast! I want them to have midnight feasts! =)
*waves hands frantically in the air*
Of course I would! I used to fantasize about The Faraway Tree and all the wonders that were in it. Did it exist? OOhhh….
And yes, I have seen those adorable gems of ads from Petronas. I especially like the one that asked these 2 boys about RACE. And they went like “Race? You mean like racing car?”
I think I did but not as much as you. Your reading habit sure made an impression with your writing skills as well. I think you should read your blog to your kids. It’s technologically more advanced and there are buttons (can always show uncle pablo’s ads) etc to click on which enhances the interactivity rather than turning pages after pages. LOL!
OMG! You just brought back all the memories of me wanting to go to boarding school and have midnight feasts, running away with my friends and a dog to have superb adventures, wanting to eat all the foods they ate (sandwiches never sounded so good!), and talking like them. Gosh! Golly! Super! *goes on a hunt for my Enid Blyton books*
Yes, I’d definitely read these books to my kids when I have ‘em!
i read enid blyton when i was a kid
Edrei: Welcome! That was heavy reading topics for a child. But I agree with you that English stories have a charm that is inimitable. It just makes you feel all fuzzy inside…
Pinkelle: Yes! I forgot midnight feasts! And there you go reading into things that aren’t there
Sooyin: Weren’t these books the best? Midnight feasts galore!
Giddy Tiger: I loved the Faraway Tree too especially the cushions to slide all the way down.
Pablo: bwahaha… I’ll bear this in mind when I have kids
Rinnah: Don’t they just bring back the memories?
Oliviasy: Whee! I think most of us did!
I have ALL the books in the picture :p
I grew up with EB books, with sleeping on heather, and lying with daffodils. I’m saving all of my EB books for my children.
Do you know that Borders sell about half a shelf-load of EB books in their whole store? I was really flabbergasted to see that there were hardly any in the children’s section. The other “old” children’s books would be “Peter and Jane”. It really is sad that children nowadays do not get the EB experience.
oh yeah, totally love Enid Blyton when I was a kid! and why shouldn’t my kids (if I have any lah) read her books? even if they’re now electronic and on downloads. they’re probably gonna be classics by the time the next generation rolls in…
btw, time for me to return the favour to you… *grin*
Me too! Me too! I love them, a lot! My parents couldnt afford them, but my grandma brought them for us from SG as my richer cousins finished reading them. I love reading it a lot! Especially The Faraway Tree. I nearly forgotten about them till u mention it.
Simply marvellous stories by Enid. Definitely for my kids too!
I would, I would! Having just done a drive through Wales and England over the past few days, I could just see all my EB books come to life - ponies, liquorice, village shops, the kindly grocer, farms, flagstone floors.
Growing up reading EB books, it never occured to me all the kids in the books were white and I wasn’t. They were just children of my age, doing things I wanted to do and eating stuff I could only dream about (midnight feasts anyone?).
Maybe some ppl think EB is out of touch with modern times. But the books taught good values that don’t go out of time - saying your P’s and Q’s, being polite to your elders, don’t tell tales, stick up for your friends and if Daryl from Malory Towers wasn’t girl power, I don’t know who else is! For the parents out there, would you rather have your kid say something like, “It’s jolly smashingly good!” than “Fucking great!”?
My vote is YES for EB.
Tine: I remember Peter and Jane. I grew up with them! And I suppose its up to us to keep the EB tradition alive!
cbenc12: I’m glad you agree! We should keep this going.
Cheesey: Roflol! You hit the nail right on the head with that one. Smashing good!
[…] the world of Enid Blyton, we were introduced to a magical tree where lands (both good and bad) swing in and out in the high […]