I’m not sure how many millennials would have even heard about Enid Blyton but my journey into reading started when my mother put the “5 O’Clock Tales” in my 6 year old hands. Enid Blyton was the only author my mom trusted her young children with reading and thus between the ages of 6-10 years, I primarily read all her novels. One can imagine her popularity, considering she was hugely popular in the late 90s almost 30 years after her demise.
I started slow with the “O’Clock” series. I then went on to read every single Famous Five and Secret Seven novel written. It amazes me that the novels written by her in the 1940s were still so captivating for a 90s child. I couldn’t stop imagining myself as a child mystery solver running around with a bunch of friends solving crimes. “The Enchanted Wood”, “The Magic Faraway Tree”, “The Five Find Outers” series were all books I voraciously read throughout my childhood. This came as a surprise to me but even the popular cartoon character “Noddy” was written by Enid Blyton.
By the time I was 12, I had moved on to other books such as Sweet Valley Series (please don’t judge me!), classic novels by Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and ofcourse, the hugely famous Harry Potter series. But then I stumbled upon “The Mallory Towers” series by Enid Blyton and I was hooked. I was studying in an all girls school and reading about the all girls boarding school felt so relatable. I finished all the novels in that series too!
For all young parents reading this, start off your child’s reading journey with Enid Blyton. I’m not sure how relevant a lot of kids would find them but as a young 6 year old, her words painted this magical world that I badly wanted to be a part of. Whenever in the future I do have children, I am definitely going to make them give Enid’s books a chance before they get hooked to Netflix!
Keep reading & stay safe!
Discover prompt for the day is “books”.
Happy Panda 
Whilst I was a fan of Mallory Towers, I was addicted to reading The Chalet Girls by Elinor M Brent-Dyer. There were 57 of them!! And I had all of them at one time.
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Wow, that’s amazing! I’m definitely going to check out this series. Best part about staying home – more reading time. ☺️
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I’ve never heard of her, but I’ll remember to check her out. Hey, I’m never too old for a good book, be in children’s or not 😉
And I also adored SVH – now, don’t judge me!
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Definitely check out her books – they are such happy, light reads! I think your teen years begin when you start reading SVH! 🙈
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😀 So true. Who did you relate to more? Jess or Elisabeth?
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Elizabeth! Despite being the younger sister I’ve always had to play the role of the mature, calm older one. How about you? Any cheery book recommendations to read during this lockdown?
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I liked Jessica. I think because I wanted to be like her, fearless and wild. Hahahaha. But I’m not.
I just wrote about good books in Day 9: Pairs: https://lanivcox.com/2020/04/09/discover-prompts-day-9-pairs/
But it depends on what you like…do you have a genre go to?
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Oh yes. I read your post and put “The song of Achilles” in my reading list! I think I’ll start with that. I’m very into mythology & history right now – retelling of old stories from a different perspective.
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Whoo hooo. Hope you like it 🙂
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I loved Enid Blyton as a child!! I’ve just posted on ‘book’ too… We have very similar tastes.
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Best childhood evenings spent reading her books. Will definitely check out your post! ❤️
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Me too! Loved them, and still own them. Got my daughter reading too.
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Oh, same! I ventured into reading with Famous Five and it was just wonderful. I used to imagine going with them on adventures and having scones from beautiful farmhouses on the countryside. Then I discovered Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia (a little bit later) and others, but I still stuck to her books. I remember reading a book from ‘The Naughtiest Girl’ when I was around 16, and still enjoying it. ❤ I was so happy to read this post!
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Awww. I’m glad! I really don’t know a lot of people who read her books. It’s so nice to hear that she was a part of so many people’s childhoods. ❤️
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Yes! I had a Sweet Valley phase too, and I’ve met even fewer people who said they’ve read that haha. I got over it quickly, but I was very smitten with the books then – especially the senior year series. Sweet times.
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Even I started off with Enid Blyton. It felt so nice being reminded of those days today.
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Those were simpler and such happy days! ❤️
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Yeah, I remember Enid Blyton books! I’d imagine I was a spy, reading those adventures ❤️
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Same! I even coaxed my sister and cousins to form a mystery solving band but alas, nothing fun happened in our area! 😊
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😄
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I loved Enid Blyton and especially the Famous Five! I read all 21 books.
Then there was Mr Meddle, Naughtiest Girl in school and of course St Clare’s and Mallory Towers.
She had a way of whisking you into another world. Loved the way she described food – I was always hungry while reading her books – picnic, midnight feasts and magical biscuits that popped and filled your mouth with honey 😋😄💕
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Haha. Oh ya, I remember craving for all the yummy food she described in her books. 🙈
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I started my reading with Enid Blyton and even wrote a play based on her book ‘The Enchanted Wood’ for our school club a lot of memories are associated with her books. Thanks for sharing!
I nominated you for the Vincent Ehindero award in my latest post.
https://aroundtheworldinthecouch.wordpress.com/2020/04/22/vincent-ehindero-award/
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Even I got to know after a very long time that Noddy was actually Blyton’s character! My love for Enid Blyton started with Famous Five and Secret Seven! I just always felt a part of their adventures!
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Me too! Their adventures always transported me to their world.
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I started my Gen Z kids with Famous Five and they absolutely loved it. Enid Blyton is nostalgia.
For me it is her poems.
The books I read along with my elder son though.
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I’m so glad they loved it. Famous five and Secret Seven made me want to be a child detective. ☺️ She is truly nostalgia. ♥️
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And i thought Enid Blyton must have been a myth! I remember reading my first story book ever and the way i got completely hooked on to it. “The famous five go to the Demon’s Rocks.” It was all so real to me. Magic was happening while reading that book. I would be hiding that book inside my school textbook. And all the characters felt so real, almost as if i were one of the cousins on an adventure with them! And Timmy, yikes! Thanks for reminding me about something that still feels so real and meaningful in my life. I probably might take out the copy and start reading for the 100th time this weekend.
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I can so relate with you! I used to do exactly the same thing – hide her books in my textbook and read during classes. She had a way of transporting you to her world be it on wild adventures or just to boarding school. ☺️
Thank you for reading! ❤️
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