Magic Faraway Tree Set (4 book set)

Product Information

Jo, Bessie and Fanny come to live at the edge of the Enchanted Wood where the trees, "a darker green than usual," whisper their secrets: "Wisha-wisha-wisha." In the wood is the Faraway Tree — a huge tree inhabited by fairy-folk and laden with fruit of all kinds from acorns to lemons. Its topmost branches lead to ever-changing magical lands above the swirling clouds.

If you pay attention reading this book (published 1939) you will see a good number of ideas re-used later by authors such as Roald Dahl and JK Rowling. Whether Enid Blyton was copying them in turn from some earlier writer I can't say. Suffice it to say that things like Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, and Willy Wonker's whole meal in a single strip of chewing gum may well have their root in the Faraway Tree's ... roots. This book is a fantasy and there is an innocence to it which I adored. All the characters are likable even though Jo can sometimes be a brat... When I read that Enid Blyton was one the favorite childhood authors of the likes of Neil Gaiman and Stieg Larsson, and when a British exchange student at my daughter's college exclaimed in surprise when she heard that her American friends had never heard of Enid Blyton, my curiosity was aroused. It turns out, Blyton is the 4th most translated author (after Shakespeare), wrote 700 books for children, and last year (2009) was voted favorite British author in one poll (beating out J.K. Rowling). This was one of my favourite books when I was younger and it was lovely to revisit a a familiar story, this time in an edition beautifully illustrated by Janet & Anne Grahame Johnstone. Their artwork is perfectly suited to the book. Although I remembered that Moonface loved toffee, I had forgotten about the amazing food they eat. I really want to try a Pop Biscuit! They sound so yummy! Enid has always been good at the written food porn!

Saucepan joins up with them again in their next foray and as he's very prone to accidents there is a need to visit the Land of Magic to put right something that has happened to him. Poor old Saucepan Man — things go from bad to worse and the picture-panels with the couple of lines of script under them show us exactly what happens to the unfortunate individual. The picture-story moves on with visits to more lands and at one stage Moon-Face's little house is invaded by some horrible people from the Land of Quarrels. The next place to arrive above the Faraway Tree is Toyland which brings plenty of excitement and a little problem involving a couple of straying dolls. Eventually the book ends with a perfectly marvelous land where everyone indulges. Indulges in what? You will find out when you get hold of this fourth and last book in the Faraway Tree collection although there is further Faraway Tree adventure which isn't classed as a separate book not that it couldn't be in this day and age because even single Enid Blyton stories are appearing as mini-novels for young readers. Ah, one of my absolute childhood favourites. I consider it a privielige that I get to read it to both my own child (5 years old) and my class (NZ yr 3, so 7 turning 8). And it appears that the appeal has not diminished with time. When Joe, Beth and Frannie move to a new home, an enchanted wood is on their doorstep. And when they discover the Faraway Tree . . . Over the years, the Faraway Tree stories have been illustrated by various artists including Dorothy Wheeler, Rene Cloke, Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone and Georgina Hargreaves. Faraway Tree Books, Stories and Games

Dame Washalot, who spends her time washing her clothes and throwing the dirty wash-water down the tree. If she has no clothes to wash, she washes the dirty laundry of other people and even the leaves of the Faraway Tree; Doodle came and was slapped very hard indeed. Bessie and Fanny felt nervous, and hoped that their hair and hands and dresses were clean and tidy.

Games

The main characters are Jo, Bessie and Fanny (updated in recent revisions to Joe, Beth and Frannie), who are three siblings. Fanny is the youngest, Bessie is next in age and Jo is their big brother. They live near the Enchanted Wood and are friends of the residents of the Faraway Tree. Other characters include: Mr. Watzisname cannot remember his name. He sleeps and snores all the time. During a particular story at the Land of Secrets, Mr. Watzisname discovers his name, Kollamoolitumarellipawkyrollo, then forgets it almost immediately as it is so long;

The Faraway Tree Series written by the much beloved Enid Blyton was one of my favorite book series when I was a kid. In fact, I’d be wrong to say it was. The book still is, and will always be very close to my heart. This is probably the best Blyton I've read so far. I thought it quite good in pre-reading, and when it came time to include the kids, they were absolutely enthralled - Blyton really did know her audience. She was fairly shameless about incorporating things that they would like - a visit to the Land of Birthdays, where the characters had the Most Fun Party Ever, was the capstone.

More in Books

Once there were two children called Robin and Joy." This is how the fourth of the Faraway Tree series begins in Sunny Stories of July 23rd, 1948. It was in picture-strip form and there were four panels per issue. Due to the popularity of the previous Faraway Tree tales it was fairly obvious that Up the Faraway Tree might also be welcomed as a dedicated book and this took place in 1951. Because of the format the book might not be classed on par with the first three Faraway Tree volumes but that's purely a matter of how you see it. Robin and Joy initially distance the theme by a factor of one and viewed as a whole it might even be considered as a story within a story. The bonus is that the reader is inundated with a host of the lovely Dorothy Wheeler pictures and who could complain about that?

Earlier this week during a coversation with KC 2.0, I was reminded of my favourite childhood novel EVER ! In October 2014, it was announced that the books will be adapted for the cinema for the first time and are being developed for a live action film version by Sam Mendes' production company, Neal Street Productions. [5] As of 2021 [update], the film was still listed as being "in development". [6] Television [ edit ]

I can't give this more than 3 stars when I think about children's books like Narnia which is much more original and enjoyable. The parents are much more 21st century than in the original, and they do have anxiety about what their children get up to.