March 18, 2010: Famous Five - Five being rude and nasty to Jo...
I like Jo. She's spunky -- no that isn't the right word, is it? -- she's brave and daring and has good ideas. She was a little unkind and annoying at first, I suppose, but I think she still has a good heart. Maybe she was ill-behaved because no-one taught her. Anyhow, the Five did become good friends with her. I wish she took part in more adventures; but then, the Five are the main characters, and perhaps if Jo partook in more adventures she'd seem more like a main character -- which she wasn't supposed to be. And, come to think of it, if Jo was in all the books, then thay would have been quite different, if not completely. After all, Jo is capable of doing many things that could enable them to be free if they are locked up, or send a note of help, or anything else. With her, the Five wouldn't be so -- so -- so, well, I'm not sure how to put it -- a little helpless, you could say. Jo can climb up or down a high tower, slip through small windows, follow people silently, think up plans and make decisions quickly, and many other things too -- I can't remember them all. Golly, I need to read the series again. Oh -- I'm being called. But I'll come back to this site soon!—Amy Elizabeth |
March 16, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - Favourite Character
Well, I can answer it at once FATTY. No doubt a uncomparable genius but his kind and generouus inspires me the most and along with it he has a great sense of humour too. Just name a thing that he can't do. Next comes Ern for his so innocent character.—KAUSTAV KASHYAP DAS |
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Fatty says: Modesty forbids me commenting! |
March 16, 2010: Adventure Series - What is your favourite book?
Island and Valley are my two favourites in this series, though all are good. Each book has its own distinctive 'flavour' as no two settings are the same. I don't agree with what Victor said about Valley being hard to relate to the concept of WWII; I read this series in the eighties and found that the references to the war and Nazis gave this book added interest. (I loved The Adventurous Four for that, too). Even as a child, I liked the fact that this gave the story a concrete historical setting, wheras the usual use of old currency, slang, old modes of transport and communication, were much harder to place, beyond being vaguely 'somewhere' in the fairly recent past. 'The Island of Adventure' has the edge for me for several reasons; I love the way Jack and Philip first meet and engineer their spending the holidays together, and the way that we see Philip and Dinah quarrel together for what is the first of many times; I love the stone passages of the old house and the glimpses of the Isle of Gloom from the tower window; the strange and menacing Jo-Jo; and the gradual build up of tension when Freckles gets lost underground until we reach the climax, when Bill (who is a 'goodie' after all, phew!) and the two boys are in danger of losing their very lives as the cold black water swirls towards them, 'sucking and gurgling in the passages'. This is Blyton at her best; the authoress who helped to get me hooked on reading; the magician, who sent a sea-wind blowing from the pages, whipping the tang of salt onto my lips and the cry of sea-birds in my ears.—Spitfire |
March 15, 2010: Adventure Series - What is your favourite book?
Well, I haven't been here in a while. We moved house, and with so many siblings, it was busy! I couldn't agree more, Ben. I haven't read the River of Adventure yet though. Oh, dear, it's so hard trying to keep track of what books I read sometimes -- I can be quite disorganized when it comes to keeping track of what books I read. I know I've read Island, Castle, Mountain, Circus, Sea and Mountain. I haven't read Ship or River (as I mentioned earlier) yet, but they do sound tremendously exciting!—Amy Elizabeth |
March 14, 2010: Famous Five - What's your Favourite Book?
It's easy to pick the obvious choices for the best Famous five stories as most will go for 'On a Treasure Island' or 'Smuggler's Top' or 'Kirrin Island Again' However I have always had a soft spot for 'Five Get Into a Fix' This is for various reasons. A great story towards the end of the series just as it looked as if Enid was running out of steam, loved the setting in the Snowy Welsh Mountains, the Fives isolation in the hut on the hills, riding the sledges (toboggans!!) The strange and creepy (at least to me when I was nine) lights drifting into the sky. But most of all I remember Morgan calling down the caves for his dogs to come to the rescue, a scene on the page that still brings me out in goosebumps. I can see now, almost thirty years after I first read the story, the similarity with the 'Mountain of Adventure' but this is still a corker of book.—Neil |
March 13, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - Famous Five vs Five Find-Outers-and Dog
I Think the Five Find Outers is much better than the Famous Five. Fatty is much better than Julian. Julian is so bossy and never gives anyone a chance. Bets is a bit of a baby but Anne is even more babyish. Bets can solve mysteries but Anne can't. Most 10 year olds are not like that. Also Anne should argue more when the others tease her.—Sarah |
March 12, 2010: Famous Five - George's feelings
I think George really wants to be a boy. Though I think she should be a girl. Girls are better.—Daisy Dakin |
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Bets says: George was nothing but a tomboy, and a jolly good one at that. :-) |
March 11, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - What will you do if you have the brain like Fatty's?
A brain like Fatty's would be well used by the police force, but possessing only his curiosity could make a person intelligent. Being inquisitive is a good thing, and I am 14 and am starting to question things in order to increase my power of thinking. 2010.—cat mario |
March 11, 2010: Famous Five - My Own Famous Five: Blyton's Future
I'm writing my own fanfiction on what happened to the Famous Five. I'm not sure whether I should send it here when I'm finished as it's got some very far fetched ideas in it.—Anonymous |
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Fatty says: Any fanfic should be emailed to us, address at the top. |
March 10, 2010: Famous Five - Anne - Sensible or Stupid?
Ah, I thought George was a terrible character but looking at this topic, Anne could probably give her a run for her money. I don't like Anne much to be honest but she's a nicer character than George. . .—Alicia |
March 10, 2010: Famous Five - Anne - Sensible or Stupid?
You mean Character, Daisy. Anne's not too bad. I don't like George. Too annoying. Actually, I prefer Bets!—Farrell |
March 6, 2010: Famous Five - Anne - Sensible or Stupid?
I think Anne is very stupid. She is so boring and I don't like her. Most girls are not like that. I'm not. I'm more adventuresrous. And Anne is such a cry baby. I like George the best. Why did EB have to make such a stupid Charester.—Daisy Dakin |
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Fatty says: Charester? Maybe it's a good thing Anne didn't try typing! |
March 5, 2010: Famous Five - George's feelings
I agree too with the last line! Some books should just read for fun. I don't care what George's feelings are. Only Blyton knew. I like to read the books and that's all that matters! And also many girls who act like that as little grown up and became "girlier" - what ever that is. I know one person who was more like a boy as a little girl.—Josefine |
March 4, 2010: Famous Five - George's feelings
George was very much a tomboy - if she was such a tomboy that she thought, even as an adult, that she had been born into the wrong body, then she may have been transgendered (although not transsexual!) The line between being 'just' a tomboy and being transgendered (feeling like you ARE a boy) is grey. In response to the "of course George wasn't gay!" comments above: How do you know that? We never learn anything at all about George's sexuality (or the sexuality of her cousins, for that matter). I think there is a fair chance that George might be gay, rather than straight. The Famous Five is book about children, written for children. The sexual orientation of any of the children in it is never mentioned, and it doesn't seem to matter - the children (tomboys or not) as are all still just children, having fun.—Kiwiboots |
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Bets says: Agree with your last line! |
March 3, 2010: Adventure Series - What do you think of the Adventure series?
Hi, I loved the TV version of the Castle of Adventure as a child. Does anyone know how somebody could get hold of it nowadays?—Nick |
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Fatty says: I found a copy in 10 seconds. Now there's a challenge for you! ;-) |
March 1, 2010: Famous Five - A curious trend with the ages of 'companions'
Imogen [ Blyton's daughter ] thought EB was emotionally stuck at age 12 -13 which would've made it very difficult for her to write ' by blank-screen instinct ' for an older age group. So really, it seems she wasn't up to the task and it didn't matter anyway - keeping everything preteen was a very successful strategy.—rogoz |
March 1, 2010: Famous Five - A curious trend with the ages of 'companions'
I imagine there might be several reasons for what you describe. I think that originally Blyton planned a far smaller series (which would have allowed for the four children to age "naturally") but when she ended up writing more books she may have ended up with a problem about what to do with ages especially as the ages of her readers was pretty much stable and she was a children's book writer not an adult book writer. (I think there wasn't the concept of "teenage fiction" that dealt with issues around relationships, etc back then). I think the "age freeze" or slight regression of the four was essential to maintain their characters as young teenagers. George's "I want to be a boy" characteristic would be difficult to maintain with a 16 year old young woman for example.—Lisa |
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Fatty says: Yes, six books was the original intension. |
February 27, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - Age
Well in the first book, Larry was Thirteen, Daisy was Twelve, and so was Pip and Fatty. Bets was Eight, what a little baby.—Sarah |
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Fatty says: A pretty big baby at eight, I would have thought! |
February 27, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - Favourite Character
My Fave person is Daisy. I like her because she is brave and has good ideas. My second fave is Fatty Though he does sound unfit. I don't like Pip because he is rude to loads of people.—Sarah |
February 27, 2010: Malory Towers - The swimming pool by the ocean
I love the swimming pool. I think it is the best thing about Malory Towers.—Daisy |
February 27, 2010: Secret Seven - Which do you dislike the most?
I dislike Susie the most she is so annoying. I like Janet the best.—Daisy |
February 24, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - What will you do if you have the brain like Fatty's?
Definitely not university Fatty. I'm much too lazy to do university work xD. It takes me half an hour to finish a page full of quadratic equations!—Alicia |
February 23, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - What will you do if you have the brain like Fatty's?
I agree, if I have a the brains like dear old Fatty, then I would have graduated by now! Well we can all dream can we?—BelleRose |
February 22, 2010: Malory Towers - I feel so sorry for Jo...
All of you are indeed heartless. . . But I think there is hope for Jo. I think she does realise how spoilt and irritating she is at the end of the book. And I think she also realised how embarassing her dad was.—Alicia |
February 22, 2010: Mystery (Five Find-Outer) Series - What will you do if you have the brain like Fatty's?
Ah, Fatty, maybe she does have a brain like yours. Or maybe we just found a female version of you. Well, given the fact that I'm almost 14 there is no way the police would let me asist them. Not that I'd be any good at it anyway. And my brain isn't even half as good as Fatty's. . . But if I had a brain like his I'd probably have graduated high school by now.—Alicia |
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Fatty says: University, at least! |
