OMG I had to let everyone know that I have discovered the Famous Five books are now being rewritten for adults with hysterical new stories and titles by Bruno Vincent. How this has occurred I am not sure but they are delightfully funny. The first one Five Give Up The Booze is on loan from a dear friend who also grew up with Enid Blyton. We both loved the wonderful tales of five English children who formed a club which they called The Famous Five. They had wonderful adventures wit super clever dogs, solved crimes and were apparently always on holidays. They also had parents who pretty much let they do and go anywhere in the village and they snuck out at night to do……exciting stuff!
Who grew up with Enid Blyton?
Ok, be honest who grew up with these books?? I loved them and can tell you that they were the driving force for me learning to improve my reading. I had a sister who was, and still is, a Bookworm and she always had her nose in a book. I found reading harder and became a “slow reader”. Sister Dear loved Enid Blyton so there were plenty available to assist my learning. I was so determined to be able to read as well as she did and so started my love of reading fiction. We now belong to the same book club, but I still take twice as long as Sister Dear to finish the same novel. I started with Noddy and Big Ears then progressed to The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, Up The Far Away Tree and all the books which followed. After 60 years or so they are all still etched in my memories.
Five Give Up The Booze was the first one I was given and as you can see the pictures are so realistically Blyton. What a hoot? On looking I have discovered that Bruno Vincent seems to have written several other delightful titles in the series and they each explore the lives and challenges we or our children are experiencing today.
I got so excited I purchased one from Readings “on the line” for my friend whose career is actually writing and presenting strategy events for schools and companies. She couldn’t get over the fact that she could recognise some of the characters and attitudes expressed during her programs. Once upon a time I also presented many strategy and course days (before I retired) so we had a hilarious afternoon with wine and cheese reading out excerpts and wetting ourselves laughing. To all intense and purposes the new stories of Five books look just like real Enid Blyton books except for the titles. So much fun! I think everyone will be getting an new Enid Blyton for Christmas or their birthday this year…
Other Five Titles
