Talk About Blyton!

Unlisted - Enid Blyton in general – Other Authors

January 11, 2016 – Jess says: I know this is sort of irrelevant to EB and all that. But I'm interested in knowing what other books EB fans like reading and if they've read similar stuff to EB.??
January 12, 2016 – nvcowgrrl says: I like EB and her books but my favourite author is Terri Farley writer of the Phantom Stallion books. Then I read tons of other books like books by: Anne Cassidy, Cathy Cassidy, Tom Palmer, Bear Grylls, Louisa Alcott, and a few others. I've never read any books that actually remind me of EB's though except Pamela Cox and she just continued EB's stories. What about you, Jess??
	Fatty says: As Jess posts from the same IP address as you, couldn't you just ask her?
January 28, 2016 – Evie Hamada says: The Adventure Island series by Helen Moss is fantastic. It's quite similar to EB books, it even says something about good for fans of Enid Blyton on the front covers. They are modern, and have a lot more humour, but I think Enid Blyton did better in the kind of situations the children ended up in; in Adventure Island, it's also a lot about detective work as well, so it's like a mix of the Adventure and Find Outer series. They are very enjoyable books and I recommend them a lot.
	Buster says: I also have a few of these books, Evie. They're a good read for a modern book, but you can't beat Enid Blyton books.
January 29, 2016 – Tom.C.G says: I've read some of them Evie, the 'Phantom Lights' one and the 'Kings Ransom' and a few others, I think the EB books are better but I like the way the books are set in more modern times.
March 6, 2016 – Haibara Ai says: I got a book from the library called 'Swallows and Amazons' by Arthur Ransome and it seems quite Enid Blytonish so far.
March 11, 2016 – Evie Hamada says: I've seen the film of Swallows and Amazons and it's amazing, I read some of the book and I agree, it is similar to EB especially in how the children go off sailing by themselves.
March 11, 2016 – Haibara Ai says: Wow there's a film for the book, I never knew that! It is a lot like EB except they're more imaginative in the book.
March 12, 2016 – chesskid11 says: There is a whole series of books about the Swallows and the Amazons. It is very Blytonistic.
January 11, 2017 – Paul says: It's a shame we never got Enid's opinion on the Narnia books. Maybe she would have defended Lewis over the Susan issue?
	Fatty says: What purpose would that serve? In any case, I wouldn't have thought Blyton would have warmed to Susan at the end. However, C S Lewis said, "The books don't tell us what happened to Susan. She is left alive in this world at the end, having by then turned into a rather silly, conceited young woman. But there's plenty of time for her to mend and perhaps she will get to Aslan's country in the end... in her own way."
January 13, 2017 – Daniel says: As a child, I loved the Happy Hollisters books, by Jerry West. They are quite Blytonish, although for slightly younger children than the Famous Five.
February 6, 2017 – Paul says: What about the Billy Bunter stories? Could Enid have been inspired by those?
	Fatty says: Who knows? Our brains are full of inspirations gathered over the years. Books centred around boarding schools were extremely popular at the time.
July 4, 2017 – Paul says: Jacqueline Wilson declared herself the anti-Blyton, saying she didn't want her characters racing around the countryside solving mysteries. She wanted them to stay at home with their families. I feel that Wilson doesn't understand that "realistic" stories can be just too painful for children. Sometimes, they need escapism.
July 8, 2017 – KawaiiArtist says: I think that J. Wilsons books aren't 'painful' because the stories are relatable and allow the readers to connect with the characters as many have somewhat experienced similar situations. The EB books are great aswell, but they are aimed at younger children -now I wouldn't read a Famous 5 book because I find the plots too basic, but I still re-read the Find-Outers.
July 13, 2017 – Paul says: Kawaii, do children really "need" "worthy" stories about children on a council estate whose parents are divorcing? That's what I meant by saying that children need the escapism that Enid provides.
July 17, 2017 – Avan N. Cooverji says: I do agree with Paul that Enid Blyton's books provide escapism that is much needed for children whose lives are not very pleasant , who live in unhealthy or sordid surroundings and have to face problems that they should not have to at their tender age. Her stories about adventures, mysteries and loving families where children do happy exciting things does provide for them a good escape from their hum-drum lives for a few hours.
July 17, 2017 – Paul says: There's a modern-day author mentioned on Twitter that's praised Enid for creating the gender non-conforming George Kirrin, but criticised her for not creating an equivalent for boys.
	Fatty says: Gorge was a tomboy. Don't read any more into the character, Paul. Being a tomboy had nothing to do with gender - just a girl wanting to be treated equally to boys.
July 20, 2017 – Paul says: They probably had a point in that most role models for boys in pop culture tend to be toxic and "tough" and violent, your Stallones, your Arhnolds. Conversely, you have many people saying the only good role models for girls are Ellen Ripley types and it's bad for girls to have characters that like pretty dresses and perfume and flowers and such.
	Fatty says: You've lost me there, Paul! In any case, thankfully Enid's books weren't influenced by 'pop culture'!
August 30, 2020 – Arka says: So, you all liked Enid Blyton? She is (not was) my favorite author. Now, if you want books from different authors, which are a little like Enid Blyton, then I would suggest you read the book, 'Emil and the Detectives' by Erich Kastner. Of course, this book is not like Enid Blyton (to me), but you will all like this book. (This book is actually in a series of two books, but I didn't find the second book as interesting as this one. Even if anyone would like to read it, then it's name is 'Emil and the Three Twins'). Also, if anyone of you want a grown - up, adventurous book, then I think you should all go to Robert Louis Stevenson's works, like Kidnapped, The Treasure Island and David Balfour (sequel to Kidnapped). They are awesome! I am sure you will all like these books. Thank You.
September 2, 2020 – Foreigner says: Malcolm Saville's Lone Pine series books are really very good, plenty of adventures, mysteries and fun.

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