My first Blyton for older children

The very first Enid Blyton book for older children I read was the ragamuffin mystery. I had run out of faraway tree, wishing chair and brer rabbit books by Blyton (for younger children). But I didn't really understand the ragamuffin mystery and kept taking long breaks from it. But I did eventually read it. I had no idea it was the last one in a series of six books.

Children's novels

As an adult I scarcely ever reread novels. But as a child I used to reread novels all the time. I used to read all the Enid Blyton books I had maybe once every 2 years or so. Same for the Narnia books (all 7 of them), and the Jennings books by Anthony Buckeridge, and the Oz books (well 3 of them -- The Wizard of Oz, The Marvellous Land of Oz, Glinda of Oz), didn't know about the existence of any others). And reread "Tom's Midnight Garden" countless times and each time I cried at the end.

I think because reading children books as a child was so much more enjoyable than reading adult novels as an adult. Children books had a kind of magic, they instilled in me a yearning to be there, to experience what the protagonists in the novels were experiencing. I identified and emphasised with the characters. That doesn't happen now.

Enid Blyton.

I used to absolutely love reading Enid Blyton books as a child.  When I was around 7 years old or so I was absolutely enthralled by her Faraway Tree books and Wishing chair books.  And as a slightly older child I think what I refer to as the Fatty (five find-outers and dog) books were my favourite series of books.

I've just read the following article.  It says:

"Apparently, the Famous Five and Secret Seven made the police look like buffoons, Noddy's sexuality was questionable, Golliwog was racist and making fun of Big Ears was insulting to people with big ears," she said. "After the meeting I told her that I had got a lot of pleasure from Enid Blyton's books, and she said 'Well, your literary tastes leave a lot to be desired'.

The literary tastes of a large percentage of people leave a lot to be desired then (including myself). Presumably it can't be because the stories are allegedly racist etc that it reflects badly on people if they enjoyed them? I knew nothing about that sort of stuff as a child. I'm guessing the stories are considered to be shallow? I wonder what children's books she considered to be superior? When I was 7 I wanted to read about magic trees with weird and wonderful lands at the top and magic flying chairs. I can't imagine at that age reading any other author who I would have enjoyed more. That might make my literary tastes dire, but I'm happy with them!  I might have been a very different person without Blyton stories to open up my imagination.