A British institution almost in her own right, the famous children’s author Enid Blyton was well known for her fun, friendly and accessible family oriented literature. With many enduring characters such as Noddy, the Famous Five, and the Secret Seven, she was definitely an author of her time. The stories she wrote, though, have lived on throughout the years, seeing various different incarnations over time, whilst always remaining true to the spirit of the originals. One such series that she’s particularly well known for is that of her Faraway Tree series of novels, an enduring collection of novels that retain a timeless quality to this very day. Set in a fantastical land they told stories that worked alongside the illustrations of Georgina Hargreaves to tell a magical tale of childhood wonder and enchantment. Following the adventures of Jo, Bessie and Fanny, it sees the three children moving into a new home by an enchanted forest with a magical tree they climb, taking them off to far and distant lands of magic and wonder.

But in this and some other modern editions, the corporal punishment – and any sense of threat – has just been silently removed. 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 finale is a threat to the tree itself, which appears to be dying. There's a failed attempt to breach the gem-caves beneath the tree (wherein trolls are damaging the tree's roots) - these 'caves' seem to be ... um ... earth caves as the only thing that stops rabbits burrowing in from underneath is a stone floor. An entrance is eventually effected by using a type of enlarged caterpillar to chew down through the tree and out through the roots into the cave. This seems highly improbable (what about the earth/stones?) is hard to visualize, and makes you wonder why the caterpillars couldn't chew through the cave doors far more easily ... but hey.Moon-Face pays a visit to the children shortly after Connie arrives and he hands over an invitation to have tea with him and Silky the next day! Now the names Moon-Face and Silky might appear a little curious, and they are, but it's due to the fact that they belong to curious (as in different) people. Moon-Face is short with pointed ears and a big round moon-like head. He is the "Dearest, Darlingest, Kindest, Funniest, Nicest, etc" man you could meet according to Fanny and he lives in the Faraway Tree as does Silky who is a very attractive little elf. Does Connie fully believe yet? No — she still needs more convincing. Still, it meant we had some interesting conversations with my 4 yr old boy about gender roles and the idiocy of perpetuating the same. Given the recent furore over rewriting Roald Dahl, I wonder if we'll ever get justice for the Faraway Tree? This is the third book in The Magic Faraway Tree trilogy. This series was my favourite when I was young and I was so excited to share it with my children for the first time, but not for the last. We will definitely read them all again.

Three siblings and their friend, Connie, visit the wood behind their cottage, and at the center of the forest is the Faraway Tree. It is the largest tree in the world; so large that the top reaches the clouds, and at the very top the Faraway Tree connects to a magical land. But the magical connection changes every week, so that you never know which land will be at the top of the tree. It might be the Land of Birthdays where everyone gets a free birthday party. Or it might be the land of evil goblins. It might be a land that rolls and jumps with constant earthquakes. Whatever land there is, the three children and their fairy friends are sure to have a wild adventure! And there you have it. These stories all revolve around the central characters mentioned and their adventures both in the Faraway Tree and in the lands above. Like I said, simple adventure based stories for kids to grip onto rather than have to wade through the scene and character formation.After all the intensity has passed it's "Goodbye!" to the Faraway Tree for this session and what better way to bow out than to visit one more land — a place that is simply one great Treat with a capital "T" and after that we are left waiting for the next book to arrive. We read this as a class book, and I admit I wasn't a fan. I found it simplistic, a little dull and frankly the children are not that engaged either. Despite enjoying Moon face, Joe, Beth and Fannie are not interesting characters to follow, nor are the lands they visit given enough feeling to make it worth it.

Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.This book has always been my least favourite of the original three books in this series, though that said, it is still very much a five star read. Connie's fault is being curious. This is in itself curious. Part of it is the use of the word 'curious' in place of nosy. Though I suppose if that was the extent of it Blyton could have brought in Nosy Nelly. Another element does appear to the the now-anachronistic view that curiosity, particularly in girls, is an undesirable trait. The book is over 70 years old though and even in the 'sanitized' versions some evidence of its age will show through. In the 'grand battle' at the end the girls are all sent up the tree with Silky to wait while the boy, Moonface and male small-folk sort the trolls out. There are a few small quibbles I have with some aspects of the book, though not enough to fully dampen my fondness for it. The biggest one is Connie constantly being referred to as 'curious' as if curiosity is a negative trait. Most of the time Connie is not what I would call curious, but rather nosy and at times spiteful and self-absorbed. The description on Goodreads calls her 'bossy Connie' which I think works better. I don't think curiosity is a trait to steer children away from, though certainly it is a good idea to try and impart how to ask questions in a respectful way. Doodle came. Bessie and Fanny felt nervous, and hoped that their hair and hands and dresses were clean and tidy.